Lappula redowskii var. cupulata
Crowned stickseed, Crowned Stickseed
(c) Andrey Zharkikh, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Lappula redowskii var. cupulata (Crowned stickseed) is a native California herb in the Boraginaceae family, recognized by fused prickle bases forming crown on nutlets.
Crowned stickseed is a California native annual found in the Great Basin and Mojave Desert bioregions in very dry, open, rocky, and often disturbed sites at elevations of 600 to 2,200 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces small white flowers in delicate clusters. Growing with slender stems 10 to 30 centimeters tall, it spreads in loose, branching formations across rocky ground. Its leaves are narrow and lance-shaped, becoming smaller and more sparse toward the stem tips. The fruit is distinctive, with nutlet margins forming a distinctive swollen crown of wide, fused prickles that help distinguish this plant from other stickseed varieties.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric species; key feature is fused prickle bases forming crown on nutlets
Habitat and range
Habitat: Very dry, open, rocky, often disturbed sites
Elevation: 600-2200 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Inyo, Mono, Lassen, Sierra
Outside California: western North America
Bloom period
Lappula redowskii var. cupulata blooms Mar-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Cryptantha: Lappula seeds have marginal barbs; Cryptantha seeds are smooth without hooks.; vs Pectocarya: Both have barbed seeds, but Lappula seeds sit in deep cups; Pectocarya seeds are flat combseeds.; vs Plagiobothrys: Lappula seeds have hooked barbs on margins; Plagiobothrys seeds are smooth-edged.; vs Amsinckia: Lappula has tiny white flowers and barbed seeds; Amsinckia has orange-yellow flowers and smooth seeds.; vs Hackelia: Lappula fruit stalks stay upright; Hackelia stalks curve downward in fruit.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lappula redowskii var. cupulata native to California?
Yes. Lappula redowskii var. cupulata is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lappula redowskii var. cupulata bloom?
Lappula redowskii var. cupulata blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Lappula redowskii var. cupulata grow?
Lappula redowskii var. cupulata occurs in San Bernardino, Inyo, Mono, Lassen, Sierra, at elevations of 600-2200 m.
What plant family does Lappula redowskii var. cupulata belong to?
Lappula redowskii var. cupulata is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Lappula.
What habitat does Lappula redowskii var. cupulata grow in?
Lappula redowskii var. cupulata grows in Very dry, open, rocky, often disturbed sites.
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.