Gilia cana subsp. speciformis
Photo: parent species Gilia cana · (c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Gilia cana subsp. speciformis is a native California herb in the Polemoniaceae family, recognized by paired flowers and equal stamens.
Gilia cana subsp. speciformis is a California native annual found in southern Sierra Nevada and Mojave Desert regions on basalt gravel and sandy habitats at elevations of 90 to 2,290 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces delicate white to pale lavender flowers with slender pedicels in spreading pairs. Growing with densely tufted stems, it develops compact clusters of woolly-hairy basal leaves up to 5 centimeters long. Its leaves form intricate, dense tufts with soft, woolly texture, creating a distinctive silvery-green appearance. The fruit is widely ovoid to spheric, measuring 5 to 8 millimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 26 sympatric species - distinguished by paired flowers and equal stamens
Habitat and range
Habitat: Generally basalt gravel, sand
Elevation: 90-2290 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Inyo, Kern
Outside California: southwestern Nevada, Arizona
Bloom period
Gilia cana subsp. speciformis 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 cana subsp. speciformis native to California?
Yes. Gilia cana subsp. speciformis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Gilia cana subsp. speciformis bloom?
Gilia cana subsp. speciformis blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Gilia cana subsp. speciformis grow?
Gilia cana subsp. speciformis occurs in San Bernardino, Inyo, Kern, at elevations of 90-2290 m.
What plant family does Gilia cana subsp. speciformis belong to?
Gilia cana subsp. speciformis is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Gilia.
What habitat does Gilia cana subsp. speciformis grow in?
Gilia cana subsp. speciformis grows in Generally basalt gravel, sand.
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.