Linanthus arenicola
Sand linanthus
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Linanthus arenicola (Sand linanthus) is a native California herb in the Polemoniaceae family, recognized by yellow flowers with purple throat and evening blooming.
Sand linanthus is a California native annual found in southern Mojave Desert and southern eastern Sierra Nevada regions in sandy dunes and flats at elevations of 800 to 1,400 meters. Flowering from March to April, this plant produces light yellow flowers with a purple throat, 5 to 7 millimeters long that open in the evening. Growing with delicate stems 1 to 8 centimeters tall, it has a compact and low-growing form. Its leaves have three to twelve millimeter lobes that are hairy on the upper surface and smooth underneath. The small plant produces 15 to 27 seeds in an ellipsoid fruit that is no larger than its hairy calyx.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 16 sympatric species; key features are yellow flowers with purple throat and evening blooming
Habitat and range
Habitat: Dunes, sandy flats
Elevation: 800-1400 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Inyo, Riverside, Kern
Outside California: Nevada
Bloom period
Linanthus arenicola blooms Mar-Apr.
How to tell it apart
vs Phlox: Linanthus has alternate leaves; Phlox has opposite leaves paired along the stem.; vs Leptosiphon: Linanthus has rigid, sharp leaf tips and nocturnal flowers; Leptosiphon has soft leaf tips and day-blooming flowers.; vs Gilia: Linanthus has wheel-shaped flowers with lobes longer than tube; Gilia has narrow funnel flowers with tube longer than lobes.; vs Coleonema: Linanthus has palm-divided leaves and phlox flowers; Coleonema has needle-like leaves and 5-petaled star flowers.; vs Navarretia: Linanthus has open wheel flowers and non-spiny leaves; Navarretia has tiny tube flowers hidden in spiny bracts.
Frequently asked questions
Is Linanthus arenicola native to California?
Yes. Linanthus arenicola is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Linanthus arenicola bloom?
Linanthus arenicola blooms Mar-Apr.
Where in California does Linanthus arenicola grow?
Linanthus arenicola occurs in San Bernardino, Inyo, Riverside, Kern, at elevations of 800-1400 m.
What plant family does Linanthus arenicola belong to?
Linanthus arenicola is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Linanthus.
What habitat does Linanthus arenicola grow in?
Linanthus arenicola grows in Dunes, sandy flats.
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.