Gilia aliquanta
Puffcalyx gilia, western gilia, Western Gilia
(c) Joe Decruyenaere, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Gilia aliquanta (Puffcalyx gilia) is a native California herb in the Polemoniaceae family.
Puffcalyx gilia is a California native annual found in open habitats at elevations suitable for its delicate growth. Flowering from early to late spring, this plant produces lavender flowers with a distinctive yellow to cream throat, often streaked with purple, creating a vibrant floral display. Growing with spreading branches 8 to 16 centimeters tall, it forms a delicate suberect rosette with finely divided leaves. Its leaves are one-pinnate-lobed, with lobes 2 to 7 millimeters long, typically wider than the leaf axis, giving the plant a intricate, lacy appearance. The fruit is widely ovoid, 3 to 5.5 millimeters long, containing 12 to 15 yellow-brown seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated - 0 sympatric species
Habitat and range
California counties: San Diego, San Bernardino, Kern, Ventura, Inyo, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo
How to tell it apart
vs Saltugilia: Gilia has white cobwebby or sharply bent hairs; Saltugilia has translucent, barely glandular hairs.; vs Navarretia: Gilia has cobwebby/bent hairs; Navarretia has very short uniform glandular hairs and spiny flower heads.; vs Phacelia: Gilia has white cobwebby hairs; Phacelia has coiled flower clusters and straight bristly hairs.; vs Allophyllum: Gilia has white cobwebby or bent hairs; Allophyllum has long fuzzy glandular hairs.; vs Aliciella: Gilia has funnel-shaped flowers; Aliciella has wheel-shaped flowers with spreading lobes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Gilia aliquanta native to California?
Yes. Gilia aliquanta is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Gilia aliquanta grow?
Gilia aliquanta occurs in San Diego, San Bernardino, Kern, Ventura, Inyo, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo.
What plant family does Gilia aliquanta belong to?
Gilia aliquanta is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Gilia.
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.