Linaria maroccana

Moroccan toad flax

Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: annual · Not Native

Moroccan toad flax is a naturalized annual found in northern coastal California, the Great Valley, central western California, southwestern California, western Mojave Desert, and western Sonoran Desert in disturbed areas at elevations below 830 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces red-violet to magenta flowers with a distinctive swollen throat in white, red, or yellow, typically 20 to 38 millimeters long. Growing with slender stems up to 50 centimeters tall and becoming slightly glandular-puberulent, it spreads in open, loose clusters. Its narrow linear leaves measure 20 to 40 millimeters long, providing a delicate green backdrop to the vibrant blooms. The small black seeds are pyramid-shaped with distinctive ridges, approximately 1 millimeter in size.

Habitat: Disturbed areas

Bloom period: Mar-Jun

Elevation: < 830 m

Bioregions: NCoRO, GV, CW (exc SCoRI), SW (exc ChI, SnJt), w DMoj (Joshua Tree National Park), w DSon (Coachella Valley)

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