Gilia leptantha subsp. pinetorum
Pine gilia, Pine Gilia
(c) Tom Hilton, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Tom Hilton · licence
Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Gilia leptantha subsp. pinetorum (Pine gilia) is a native California herb in the Polemoniaceae family, recognized by . Key features: long-decumbent branches, short tube, obconic throat, obovate lobes.
Pine gilia is a California native annual found in the Tehachapi, Southern Coastal, and Western Transverse Ranges (Mount Pinos region) in open, rocky, and sandy pine habitats at elevations of 900 to 2,900 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces delicate flowers with white to pale lavender corollas approximately 9 to 14 millimeters long. Growing with low-spreading branches 5 to 25 centimeters long, it forms a compact, densely tufted basal rosette covered in woolly hairs. Its leaves are densely clustered at the base, creating a distinctive woolly, compact rosette that helps the plant survive in harsh, exposed mountain environments. The fruit is small and spherical, measuring 4 to 5 millimeters long and nestled within the plant's hairy, protective base.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 27 sympatric species. Key features: long-decumbent branches, short tube, obconic throat, obovate lobes
Habitat and range
Habitat: Bare summits, open, rocky or sandy, with pines
Elevation: 900-2900 m
California counties: Kern, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Kings, San Luis Obispo
Bloom period
Gilia leptantha subsp. pinetorum blooms May-Jul.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
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 leptantha subsp. pinetorum native to California?
Yes. Gilia leptantha subsp. pinetorum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Gilia leptantha subsp. pinetorum bloom?
Gilia leptantha subsp. pinetorum blooms May-Jul.
Where in California does Gilia leptantha subsp. pinetorum grow?
Gilia leptantha subsp. pinetorum occurs in Kern, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Kings, San Luis Obispo, at elevations of 900-2900 m.
What plant family does Gilia leptantha subsp. pinetorum belong to?
Gilia leptantha subsp. pinetorum is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Gilia.
Is Gilia leptantha subsp. pinetorum rare or endangered?
Gilia leptantha subsp. pinetorum carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S4.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.