Gilia aliquanta subsp. breviloba
(c) Joe Decruyenaere, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Gilia aliquanta subsp. breviloba is a native California herb in the Polemoniaceae family, recognized by exserted tube and short petals.
Gilia aliquanta subsp. breviloba is a California native annual found in the Mojave Desert on rocky slopes and washes at elevations of 700 to 1,600 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces delicate flowers with a narrow, tapered throat and narrowly obovate lobes about half the length of the tube. Growing with slender stems that support the small blooms, it forms compact clusters across the desert landscape. Its fine, narrow leaves complement the plant's delicate structure, adapting to the harsh rocky environments of the Mojave Desert. The flower's distinctive narrow corolla tube and proportioned lobes make this gilia a subtle yet intricate component of desert botanical communities.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 22 sympatric species - distinguished by exserted tube and short petals
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Rocky slopes, washes
Elevation: 700-1600 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Kern, Inyo, San Luis Obispo
Outside California: southern Nevada
Bloom period
Gilia aliquanta subsp. breviloba blooms Mar-May.
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 subsp. breviloba native to California?
Yes. Gilia aliquanta subsp. breviloba is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Gilia aliquanta subsp. breviloba bloom?
Gilia aliquanta subsp. breviloba blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Gilia aliquanta subsp. breviloba grow?
Gilia aliquanta subsp. breviloba occurs in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Kern, Inyo, San Luis Obispo, at elevations of 700-1600 m.
What plant family does Gilia aliquanta subsp. breviloba belong to?
Gilia aliquanta subsp. breviloba is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Gilia.
What habitat does Gilia aliquanta subsp. breviloba grow in?
Gilia aliquanta subsp. breviloba grows in Uncommon. Rocky slopes, washes.
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.