Keckiella rothrockii var. rothrockii
Rothrock's keckiella
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Keckiella rothrockii var. rothrockii (Rothrock's keckiella) is a native California shrub in the Plantaginaceae family.
Rothrock's keckiella is a California native shrub found in the central Sierra Nevada Mountains, eastern Sierra Nevada, and desert mountains in conifer forest and pinyon/juniper woodland at elevations of 1,600 to 3,100 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces flowers with corollas 10 to 12 millimeters long that become glabrous as they mature. Growing with distinctive canescent leaves that give the shrub a soft, silvery-gray appearance, it forms a compact and textured growth habit. Its leaves are covered in a dense, felt-like layer of fine hairs, creating a distinctive silvery-white surface that helps the plant reflect intense mountain sunlight. The shrub's dense, hairy foliage and delicate flowers make it a resilient and visually striking component of its high-elevation mountain habitats.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 5 sympatric species. Key differentiators: low wide habit, canescent leaves, high elevation eastern ranges
Habitat and range
Habitat: Conifer forest, pinyon/juniper woodland
Elevation: 1600-3100 m
California counties: Kern, Inyo, Tulare, Mono
Outside California: Nevada
Bloom period
Keckiella rothrockii var. rothrockii 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 rothrockii var. rothrockii native to California?
Yes. Keckiella rothrockii var. rothrockii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Keckiella rothrockii var. rothrockii bloom?
Keckiella rothrockii var. rothrockii blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Keckiella rothrockii var. rothrockii grow?
Keckiella rothrockii var. rothrockii occurs in Kern, Inyo, Tulare, Mono, at elevations of 1600-3100 m.
What plant family does Keckiella rothrockii var. rothrockii belong to?
Keckiella rothrockii var. rothrockii is in the Plantaginaceae family, genus Keckiella.
What habitat does Keckiella rothrockii var. rothrockii grow in?
Keckiella rothrockii var. rothrockii grows in Conifer forest, pinyon/juniper woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Keckiella sp. — Bush penstemon
- Keckiella ternata — Blue stemmed keckiella
- Keckiella ternata var. septentrionalis — Northern blue stemmed keckiella
- Keckiella ternata var. ternata — Blue stemmed keckiella
- Keckiella antirrhinoides — Chaparral beard tongue
- Keckiella antirrhinoides var. antirrhinoides — Chaparral beard tongue
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.