Loeseliastrum matthewsii
Desert calico
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Loeseliastrum matthewsii (Desert calico) is a native California herb in the Polemoniaceae family, recognized by differentiated primarily by larger flower size and upper lip length.
Desert calico is a California native annual found in northern Transverse Ranges, northern Peninsula Ranges, Southeastern Nevada, Death Valley Mountains, and western Sonoran Desert in desert washes, flats, and slopes at elevations generally below 1,800 meters. Flowering from March to July, this plant produces white to deep rose-purple flowers 11 to 21 millimeters long with striking maroon arches and white blotches on the upper lip. Growing with delicate stems, it forms low-spreading clusters across sandy and gravelly desert landscapes. Its leaves are characterized by oblanceolate shapes with coarse, bristle-tipped teeth, creating a distinctive textural appearance. The flower's bilateral structure features a lower lip with truncate, 3-toothed lobes and an upper lip with intricate maroon and white patterning.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric species; differentiated primarily by larger flower size and upper lip length
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Desert washes, flats, slopes, sandy to gravelly soils
Elevation: generally < 1800 m
California counties: Inyo, Riverside, San Bernardino, Kern, San Diego, Los Angeles, Mono, Fresno, Imperial
Outside California: Nevada
Bloom period
Loeseliastrum matthewsii blooms Mar-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Langloisia: Loeseliastrum flowers are bilateral/lopsided; Langloisia flowers are radially symmetric in all directions.; vs Eriastrum: Loeseliastrum has simple straight hairs and bilateral flowers; Eriastrum has woolly tufted hairs and radial flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Loeseliastrum matthewsii native to California?
Yes. Loeseliastrum matthewsii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Loeseliastrum matthewsii bloom?
Loeseliastrum matthewsii blooms Mar-Jul.
Where in California does Loeseliastrum matthewsii grow?
Loeseliastrum matthewsii occurs in Inyo, Riverside, San Bernardino, Kern, San Diego, Los Angeles, Mono, Fresno and other counties, at elevations of generally < 1800 m.
What plant family does Loeseliastrum matthewsii belong to?
Loeseliastrum matthewsii is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Loeseliastrum.
What habitat does Loeseliastrum matthewsii grow in?
Loeseliastrum matthewsii grows in Common. Desert washes, flats, slopes, sandy to gravelly soils.
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.