Greeneocharis circumscissa var. circumscissa

Cushion greeneocharis

Family: Boraginaceae · Type: annual · Native

Cushion greeneocharis is a California native annual found in the Sierra Nevada, southern San Joaquin Valley, southern Coast Ranges, eastern Southern California, Transverse Ranges, eastern Peninsular Ranges, Great Basin, and Deserts in sandy or silty flats and slopes at elevations of 150 to 3,650 meters. Flowering from March to August, this plant produces small white to pale lavender flowers with a distinctive red-purple plant base that becomes especially prominent when dry. Growing with multiple branching stems 4 to 10 centimeters tall, it spreads in an open, delicate pattern across sandy terrain. Its narrow linear leaves have margins rolled underneath, creating a compact cushion-like appearance. The fruits consist of 3 or 4 small triangular-ovate nutlets, which are brown or mottled brown with sharp-angled margins.

Habitat: Sandy or silty flats, slopes, washes

Bloom period: Mar-Aug

Elevation: 150-3650 m

Bioregions: SN, s SnJV, SCoRI, e SCo, TR, e PR, GB, D.

California counties: San Bernardino, Inyo, Mono, Los Angeles, Kern, Riverside, El Dorado, Fresno, Lassen, Monterey, San Benito, Plumas, Tulare, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, San Diego

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