Leptosiphon parviflorus
Variable linanthus
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Leptosiphon parviflorus (Variable linanthus) is a native California herb in the Polemoniaceae family, recognized by flowers closing at night and long thread-like tube.
Variable linanthus is a California native annual found in California Floristic Province in open or wooded areas at elevations below 2,200 meters. Flowering from March to June, this delicate plant produces flowers in a remarkable range of colors, including pink, white, yellow, and purple, often marked with red at the base of the petals. Growing with hairy stems 4 to 40 centimeters tall, it forms loose, open clusters of flowers that close during nighttime hours. Its leaves are divided into narrow, obovate to linear lobes 2 to 18 millimeters long, with each middle lobe having an acute tip. The flower's slender tube ranges from maroon to pink to yellow, with a colorful throat that can be yellow, purple, or orange.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 34 sympatric species; flowers closing at night and long thread-like tube are diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Abundant. Open or wooded areas
Elevation: < 2200 m
California counties: Mendocino, Kern, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, Napa, Santa Clara, Santa Barbara, Lake, San Mateo, Monterey, Marin, San Diego, Riverside, Orange, Ventura, Butte, San Bernardino, San Benito, Tulare, Sonoma, Shasta, Colusa, San Francisco, Fresno, Glenn, Tehama, Alameda, Madera, Santa Cruz, El Dorado, Solano
Bloom period
Leptosiphon parviflorus blooms Mar-Jun.
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 parviflorus native to California?
Yes. Leptosiphon parviflorus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Leptosiphon parviflorus bloom?
Leptosiphon parviflorus blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Leptosiphon parviflorus grow?
Leptosiphon parviflorus occurs in Mendocino, Kern, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, Napa, Santa Clara, Santa Barbara, Lake and other counties, at elevations of < 2200 m.
What plant family does Leptosiphon parviflorus belong to?
Leptosiphon parviflorus is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Leptosiphon.
What habitat does Leptosiphon parviflorus grow in?
Leptosiphon parviflorus grows in Abundant. 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.