Leptosiphon ciliatus
Whisker brush
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Leptosiphon ciliatus (Whisker brush) is a native California herb in the Polemoniaceae family, recognized by white-ciliate bracts and spot-based corolla lobes diagnostic.
Whisker brush is a California native annual herb found in the California Floristic Province and North Coast Ranges in open and wooded areas at elevations below 3,000 meters. Flowering from March to July, this plant produces white or pink flowers with yellow throats, typically 10 to 25 millimeters long, featuring delicate rounded lobes with a distinctive darker pink or red spot at the base. Growing with hairy stems 2 to 30 centimeters tall, it has a delicate, spreading form. Its leaves are composed of narrow linear lobes 5 to 20 millimeters long, with white-fringed bracts adding to its distinctive appearance. The flowers, which are salverform in shape and hairy on the exterior, emerge in compact heads with stamens extending beyond the corolla.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 35 sympatric species; white-ciliate bracts and spot-based corolla lobes diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Open or wooded areas
Elevation: < 3000 m
California counties: Mendocino, San Luis Obispo, Fresno, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, San Bernardino, San Diego, Riverside, Tulare, Nevada, Sierra, Lassen, Butte, Mariposa, El Dorado, Calaveras, Madera, Amador, Tuolumne, Colusa, Alpine, Siskiyou, Lake, Trinity, Placer, Santa Barbara, Yolo, San Benito, Contra Costa, Solano, Shasta, Tehama, Orange, Ventura, Inyo, Modoc, Plumas, Napa, Monterey, Sonoma, Sutter, Merced, Del Norte, Humboldt, Stanislaus, Santa Clara, Yuba
Bloom period
Leptosiphon ciliatus blooms Mar-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Linanthus: Leptosiphon flowers open in daytime on stalks >2mm; Linanthus flowers often open at dusk/night on very short stalks.; vs Phlox: Leptosiphon leaves are deeply divided into fingers; Phlox leaves are completely undivided.; vs Navarretia: Leptosiphon has soft, flexible leaf lobes; Navarretia has rigid, spine-tipped leaf lobes and bracts.; vs Gilia: Leptosiphon has opposite palmately-lobed leaves; Gilia has alternate pinnately-lobed leaves.; vs Sabulina: Leptosiphon has tubular 5-petaled flowers and lobed leaves; Sabulina has 5 separate petals and needle-like leaves.
Frequently asked questions
Is Leptosiphon ciliatus native to California?
Yes. Leptosiphon ciliatus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Leptosiphon ciliatus bloom?
Leptosiphon ciliatus blooms Mar-Jul.
Where in California does Leptosiphon ciliatus grow?
Leptosiphon ciliatus occurs in Mendocino, San Luis Obispo, Fresno, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, San Bernardino, San Diego and other counties, at elevations of < 3000 m.
What plant family does Leptosiphon ciliatus belong to?
Leptosiphon ciliatus is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Leptosiphon.
What habitat does Leptosiphon ciliatus grow in?
Leptosiphon ciliatus grows in Common. Open or wooded areas.
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.