Linanthus bernardinus
Pioneertown linanthus, Pioneertown Linanthus
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Annual · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2
Linanthus bernardinus (Pioneertown linanthus) is a native California annual in the Polemoniaceae family, recognized by distinctive maroon tube and single red petal mark.
Pioneertown linanthus is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native annual found in eastern San Bernardino Mountains (Sawtooths) in Joshua tree and pinyon-juniper woodland at elevations of 1,100 to 1,550 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces flowers with maroon to purple tubes, white throats, and lavender-pink to whitish lobes with a distinctive reddish mark at the base. Growing with delicate glandular-hairy stems 1.5 to 9 centimeters tall, it forms small clusters of 2 to 3 flowers in gravelly granitic soils. Its leaves have linear lobes 1.5 to 7 millimeters long, creating a sparse, delicate appearance. The tiny fruits are smaller than the flower's calyx, containing 2 to 10 slightly gelatinous seeds per chamber.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 8 sympatric species; distinctive maroon tube and single red petal mark
Habitat and range
Habitat: Joshua tree or pinyon-juniper woodland, mixed scrub, in gravelly granitic soils
Elevation: 1100-1550 m
Bloom period
Linanthus bernardinus blooms Mar-May.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.2
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 bernardinus native to California?
Yes. Linanthus bernardinus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Linanthus bernardinus bloom?
Linanthus bernardinus blooms Mar-May.
What plant family does Linanthus bernardinus belong to?
Linanthus bernardinus is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Linanthus.
Is Linanthus bernardinus rare or endangered?
Linanthus bernardinus carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S1.
What habitat does Linanthus bernardinus grow in?
Linanthus bernardinus grows in Joshua tree or pinyon-juniper woodland, mixed scrub, in gravelly granitic soils.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.