Hackelia micrantha
Jessica's stickseed, meadow stickseed, Meadow Stickseed
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Hackelia micrantha (Jessica's stickseed) is a native California herb in the Boraginaceae family, recognized by woody caudex, sparse stem hairs, open throat.
Jessica's stickseed is a native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, California Ranges, Sierra Nevada, and northern eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains in meadows, streambanks, and open forest at elevations of 1,200 to 3,500 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces delicate blue flowers with open throats about 4 to 8 millimeters in diameter. Growing with multiple stems 30 to 110 centimeters tall emerging from a stout, woody base, it has stems with sparse to minimal hair coverage. Its basal leaves are narrow and elliptic, measuring 6 to 33 centimeters long and 0.7 to 3.7 centimeters wide, with a green appearance during flowering. The fruit consists of small nutlets 3 to 5 millimeters long with 4 to 10 abaxial prickles.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 10 sympatric species; key features are woody caudex, sparse stem hairs, open throat
Habitat and range
Habitat: Meadows, streambanks, shrubby slopes, open forest
Elevation: 1200-3500 m
California counties: Mariposa, Mono, Modoc, Siskiyou, Fresno, Plumas, Trinity, Inyo, Alpine, El Dorado, Madera, Tulare, Tuolumne, Nevada, Lassen, Placer, Mendocino, Shasta, Glenn, Butte, Tehama, Colusa, Humboldt, Lake, Del Norte, Sierra, San Bernardino
Outside California: western North America
Bloom period
Hackelia micrantha blooms Jun-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Myosotis: Hackelia has downward-curved fruit stalks and barbed seeds; Myosotis has smooth seeds.; vs Adelinia: Hackelia fruit stalks curve downward; Adelinia stalks remain upright or spreading.; vs Cynoglossum: Hackelia seeds sit in shallow cups; Cynoglossum seeds are deeply embedded in dense burrs.; vs Phlox: Hackelia has barbed seeds and coiled clusters; Phlox has capsules and open flower arrangements.; vs Mertensia: Hackelia has flat-faced flowers and barbed seeds; Mertensia has bell-shaped flowers and smooth seeds.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hackelia micrantha native to California?
Yes. Hackelia micrantha is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Hackelia micrantha bloom?
Hackelia micrantha blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Hackelia micrantha grow?
Hackelia micrantha occurs in Mariposa, Mono, Modoc, Siskiyou, Fresno, Plumas, Trinity, Inyo and other counties, at elevations of 1200-3500 m.
What plant family does Hackelia micrantha belong to?
Hackelia micrantha is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Hackelia.
What habitat does Hackelia micrantha grow in?
Hackelia micrantha grows in Meadows, streambanks, shrubby slopes, open forest.
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.