Gayophytum humile
Dwarf groundsmoke
(c) Ryan Sorrells, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Onagraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Gayophytum humile (Dwarf groundsmoke) is a native California herb in the Onagraceae family, recognized by . Key features: short stature, flat grooved leaf-like fruits, 24-50 seeds.
Dwarf groundsmoke is a California native annual found in northwestern California, the Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, southern Coast Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, Transverse Ranges, and Warner Mountains in drying margins of wet sites and snowbeds at elevations of 750 to 3,200 meters. Flowering from May to September, this delicate plant produces tiny white to pale pink flowers less than 1.5 millimeters long. Growing with slender stems less than 30 centimeters tall, the plant has minimal branching with glandular-puberulent stem tips. Its leaves are small, measuring 1 to 2.5 centimeters long, with little reduction along the stem. The fruit is distinctive, measuring 8 to 17 millimeters long, flat and grooved along the midline, with slightly knobby surfaces and two attached lateral valves.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 8 sympatric species. Key features: short stature, flat grooved leaf-like fruits, 24-50 seeds
Habitat and range
Habitat: Drying margins of wet sites, snowbeds
Elevation: 750-3200 m
California counties: Trinity, Tuolumne, Lake, Nevada, Tehama, Shasta, El Dorado, Fresno, Plumas, Santa Barbara, Lassen, Tulare, Modoc, Siskiyou, Butte, Humboldt, Amador, Madera, San Bernardino, Mono, Alpine, Placer, Glenn, Sierra, Mendocino, Del Norte, Calaveras, Colusa, Mariposa, Monterey, Ventura, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Benito, Kern, Inyo
Outside California: +- western United States; South America.
Bloom period
Gayophytum humile blooms May-Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Epilobium: Gayophytum is a wiry, much-branched annual with tiny flowers and short straight capsules whose seeds lack plumes; Epilobium has long linear capsules that split to release seeds tufted with hairs (coma).; vs Camissonia: Gayophytum has a very short or absent floral tube, so the petals appear to sit right on the ovary; the Camissonia group has a distinct floral tube above the ovary and generally yellow flowers.; vs Oenothera: Gayophytum is a slender diffuse annual with minute (1-2 mm) flowers; Oenothera (evening primrose) has large showy flowers on a long floral tube.; vs Clarkia: Gayophytum flowers are tiny with plain entire petals; Clarkia has larger, often lobed or clawed petals and 4-grooved capsules.; vs Eremothera: Gayophytum has a threadlike branching habit with short capsules held along the stem; Eremothera and Chylismia have basal rosette leaves and longer tubular-based flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Gayophytum humile native to California?
Yes. Gayophytum humile is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Gayophytum humile bloom?
Gayophytum humile blooms May-Sep.
Where in California does Gayophytum humile grow?
Gayophytum humile occurs in Trinity, Tuolumne, Lake, Nevada, Tehama, Shasta, El Dorado, Fresno and other counties, at elevations of 750-3200 m.
What plant family does Gayophytum humile belong to?
Gayophytum humile is in the Onagraceae family, genus Gayophytum.
What habitat does Gayophytum humile grow in?
Gayophytum humile grows in Drying margins of wet sites, snowbeds.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.