Keckiella breviflora var. glabrisepala
Hairless gaping keckiella
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Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Keckiella breviflora var. glabrisepala (Hairless gaping keckiella) is a native California shrub in the Plantaginaceae family.
Hairless gaping keckiella is a California native shrub found in northern Coast Ranges, southern Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Sacramento Valley, southern Coast Ranges, and northern eastern Sierra Nevada on rocky slopes, in forests and chaparral at elevations up to 2,800 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces pale yellow to cream-colored flowers in clusters with notably smooth, glabrous calyces. Growing with erect or spreading stems 30 to 100 centimeters tall, it forms a dense, multi-branched structure. Its leaves are generally opposite, with narrow to lance-shaped blades 15 to 35 millimeters long, displaying a leathery texture and green to grayish-green coloration. The fruit is a small, dry capsule characteristic of its plant family.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 8 sympatric species. Key differentiator: glabrous vs glandular calyx
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky slopes, forest, chaparral
Elevation: < 2800 m
California counties: Fresno, Tuolumne, Butte, Kern, Amador, Inyo, Lake, Mono, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Sutter, Yuba, Alpine, Madera, Mariposa, Nevada, Merced, Tehama, Calaveras, El Dorado, Tulare, Placer, Stanislaus, Napa, Yolo, Santa Barbara
Outside California: western Nevada
Bloom period
Keckiella breviflora var. glabrisepala blooms Jun-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Penstemon: Keckiella has woody stems that persist year-round; Penstemon is herbaceous and dies back.; vs Epilobium: Keckiella has tubular two-lipped flowers with five stamens; Epilobium has four-petaled open flowers.; vs Tecomaria: Keckiella has small tubular flowers under 1 inch; Tecomaria has large showy orange-red trumpet flowers.; vs Larrea: Keckiella has tubular snapdragon-like flowers; Larrea has small yellow five-petaled flowers and resinous leaves.; vs Salvia: Keckiella has five stamens (one sterile); Salvia has only two fertile stamens and square stems.
Frequently asked questions
Is Keckiella breviflora var. glabrisepala native to California?
Yes. Keckiella breviflora var. glabrisepala is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Keckiella breviflora var. glabrisepala bloom?
Keckiella breviflora var. glabrisepala blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Keckiella breviflora var. glabrisepala grow?
Keckiella breviflora var. glabrisepala occurs in Fresno, Tuolumne, Butte, Kern, Amador, Inyo, Lake, Mono and other counties, at elevations of < 2800 m.
What plant family does Keckiella breviflora var. glabrisepala belong to?
Keckiella breviflora var. glabrisepala is in the Plantaginaceae family, genus Keckiella.
What habitat does Keckiella breviflora var. glabrisepala grow in?
Keckiella breviflora var. glabrisepala grows in Rocky slopes, forest, chaparral.
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.