Galium angustifolium subsp. onycense

Onyx peak bedstraw, Onyx Peak Bedstraw

Family: Rubiaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.3

Onyx peak bedstraw is a rare (CNPS 1B.3) California native perennial found in southern Sierra Nevada Mountains in the Onyx Peak area of eastern Kern County, inhabiting granite outcrops and open oak/pine woodland at elevations of 950 to 2,300 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces pale pink flowers with delicate external hairiness in relatively narrow, few-flowered clusters. Growing with slender stems 12 to 30 centimeters tall, it has a woody base and gray-green coloration with stem ridges notably wider than its grooves. Its leaves are generally 5 to 14 millimeters long, contributing to the plant's delicate, sparse appearance. The plant's chromosomal structure is diploid with 22 chromosomes, reflecting its genetic stability in its specialized mountain habitat.

Habitat: Granite outcrops, open oak/pine woodland

Bloom period: Apr-Jul

Elevation: 950-2300 m

Bioregions: s SNH (Onyx Peak area, e Kern Co.).

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.