Keckiella ternata var. septentrionalis
Northern blue stemmed keckiella
(c) Madeleine Claire, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Madeleine Claire · licence
Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Keckiella ternata var. septentrionalis (Northern blue stemmed keckiella) is a native California shrub in the Plantaginaceae family.
Northern blue stemmed keckiella is a California native shrub found in the Tehama and Western Transverse Ranges in mixed-hardwood forest and chaparral at elevations of 800 to 1,900 meters. Flowering from June to September, this plant produces flowers with glandular-hairy inflorescences. Growing with blue-green stems that become woody with age, it forms a compact shrub reaching approximately one to two meters tall. Its leaves are arranged in distinctive whorls of three, creating a structured and architectural appearance. The flower calyx is relatively small, measuring 3.8 to 5.5 millimeters long and covered in glandular hairs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 8 sympatric species. Key differentiators: glandular inflorescence vs glabrous in var. ternata
Habitat and range
Habitat: Mixed-hardwood forest, chaparral
Elevation: 800-1900 m
California counties: Kern, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Bernardino
Bloom period
Keckiella ternata var. septentrionalis blooms Jun-Sep.
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 ternata var. septentrionalis native to California?
Yes. Keckiella ternata var. septentrionalis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Keckiella ternata var. septentrionalis bloom?
Keckiella ternata var. septentrionalis blooms Jun-Sep.
Where in California does Keckiella ternata var. septentrionalis grow?
Keckiella ternata var. septentrionalis occurs in Kern, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Bernardino, at elevations of 800-1900 m.
What plant family does Keckiella ternata var. septentrionalis belong to?
Keckiella ternata var. septentrionalis is in the Plantaginaceae family, genus Keckiella.
What habitat does Keckiella ternata var. septentrionalis grow in?
Keckiella ternata var. septentrionalis grows in Mixed-hardwood forest, chaparral.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Keckiella ternata var. ternata — Blue stemmed keckiella
- Keckiella antirrhinoides — Chaparral beard tongue
- Keckiella antirrhinoides var. antirrhinoides — Chaparral beard tongue
- Keckiella antirrhinoides var. microphylla — Chaparral beard tongue
- Keckiella breviflora — Bush beardtongue
- Keckiella breviflora var. breviflora — Gaping keckiella
- Kickxia elatine — Sharp leaved fluellin
- Kickxia sp.
- Kickxia spuria — Fluellin
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.