Gilia latiflora subsp. davyi
Davy's broad-flowered gilia, Davy's Broad-Flowered Gilia
(c) Florian Boyd, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Gilia latiflora subsp. davyi (Davy's broad-flowered gilia) is a native California herb in the Polemoniaceae family, recognized by . Key features: large flowers 18-24mm, tube 3× lobes, long-tapered throat.
Davy's broad-flowered gilia is a California native annual found in the southern Coast Ranges, western Transverse Ranges, and southern and western Mojave Desert in open, sandy flats at elevations of 400 to 1,700 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces purple flowers with long-tapered throats 18 to 24 millimeters long. Growing with slender stems 10 to 30 centimeters tall, some stems are glaucous below the middle while others are tufted with woolly hairs. Its leaves are delicate, though specific leaf details are not provided in the source description. The fruit is relatively small, measuring 6 to 9 millimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 22 sympatric species. Key features: large flowers 18-24mm, tube 3× lobes, long-tapered throat
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Open, sandy flats
Elevation: 400-1700 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Kern, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Inyo, Santa Barbara, Siskiyou, Ventura, Riverside
Bloom period
Gilia latiflora subsp. davyi 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 latiflora subsp. davyi native to California?
Yes. Gilia latiflora subsp. davyi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Gilia latiflora subsp. davyi bloom?
Gilia latiflora subsp. davyi blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Gilia latiflora subsp. davyi grow?
Gilia latiflora subsp. davyi occurs in San Bernardino, Kern, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Inyo, Santa Barbara, Siskiyou, Ventura and other counties, at elevations of 400-1700 m.
What plant family does Gilia latiflora subsp. davyi belong to?
Gilia latiflora subsp. davyi is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Gilia.
What habitat does Gilia latiflora subsp. davyi grow in?
Gilia latiflora subsp. davyi grows in Common. Open, sandy flats.
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.