Leptosiphon pygmaeus subsp. continentalis

Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: annual · Native

Leptosiphon pygmaeus subsp. continentalis is a California native annual found in the Sierra Nevada Foothills, Great Valley, central western, and southwestern California in dry openings at elevations below 1,700 meters. Flowering from March to June, this delicate plant produces pure white flowers with subtle, intricate petals. Growing with slender stems typically less than 15 centimeters tall, it forms small, compact clusters in open grassland environments. Its leaves are finely divided, creating a soft, feathery appearance that helps the plant blend into its dry, rocky habitats. This diminutive annual demonstrates remarkable adaptability to sparse, arid landscapes across multiple California bioregions.

Habitat: dry openings

Bloom period: Mar-Jun

Elevation: < 1700 m

Bioregions: SNF, GV, CW, SW (exc ChI).

California counties: San Luis Obispo, Kern, Riverside, San Diego, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Monterey, Los Angeles, Colusa, Fresno, Glenn, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Plumas, Tehama, San Benito, Napa, Santa Cruz

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.