Githopsis tenella

Delicate bluecup, Delicate Bluecup

Family: Campanulaceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.3

Delicate bluecup is a rare (CNPS 1B.3) California native annual found in southern Sierra Nevada foothills in Kern and Tulare counties, possibly extending to southern South Coast Ranges in Cholame Hills, Monterey County, occurring in moist places within oak woodland at elevations of 1,100 to 1,900 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces deep blue flowers less than 3 millimeters long with a cylindric shape and lobes shorter than the flower tube. Growing with clambering to erect hairy stems 3 to 9 centimeters tall, it appears delicate and compact. Its small leaves measure 4 to 6.5 millimeters long, with ovate bracts 2 to 5.6 millimeters in length spaced less than 5 millimeters apart. The plant frequently produces cleistogamous flowers with an obconic ovary featuring 10 subtle ribs that are slightly raised at the sinuses.

Habitat: Moist places in oak woodland

Bloom period: May-Jun

Elevation: 1100-1900 m

Bioregions: s SNH (Kern, Tulare cos.), possibly s SCoRI (Cholame Hills, Monterey Co.).

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.