Mertensia ciliata var. stomatechoides
Streamside bluebell
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Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Mertensia ciliata var. stomatechoides (Streamside bluebell) is a native California herb in the Boraginaceae family, recognized by height, glabrous habit, and long corolla tubes.
Streamside bluebell is a California native perennial found in southern California Ranges, Sierra Nevada, Modoc Plateau, and White and Inyo Mountains in streamsides, wet meadows, and damp thickets at elevations of 1,310 to 3,380 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces blue to white flowers with delicate tubular corollas 10 to 17 millimeters long. Growing with clustered stems 40 to 150 centimeters tall from a thick branched taproot, it develops a leafy structure with prominent lateral veins. Its leaves range from lanceolate to ovate, with basal leaves typically larger than stem leaves, creating a distinctive green backdrop for its subtle blooms. The plant forms open panicle-like inflorescences with flowers featuring wide filaments that extend beyond the anthers.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Co-occurs with 6 species; distinguished by height, glabrous habit, and long corolla tubes
Habitat and range
Habitat: Streamsides, wet meadows, damp thickets, wet cliffs
Elevation: 1310-3380 m
California counties: Fresno, Sierra, Alpine, Tulare, Plumas, Butte, Tuolumne, Mariposa, Calaveras, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Amador, Lassen, El Dorado
Outside California: to western Nevada
Bloom period
Mertensia ciliata var. stomatechoides blooms Jun-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Hackelia: Mertensia has bell-shaped flowers and smooth seeds; Hackelia has flat flowers and barbed seeds.; vs Penstemon: Mertensia flowers are cylindrical bells; Penstemon flowers are clearly 2-lipped tubes.; vs Iochroma: Mertensia is herbaceous mountain native; Iochroma is woody tropical shrub with larger flowers.; vs Billardiera: Mertensia has bell-shaped borage flowers; Billardiera is a climbing vine with twisted petals.; vs Echium: Mertensia has symmetrical bell flowers; Echium has distinctly lopsided tubular flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mertensia ciliata var. stomatechoides native to California?
Yes. Mertensia ciliata var. stomatechoides is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Mertensia ciliata var. stomatechoides bloom?
Mertensia ciliata var. stomatechoides blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Mertensia ciliata var. stomatechoides grow?
Mertensia ciliata var. stomatechoides occurs in Fresno, Sierra, Alpine, Tulare, Plumas, Butte, Tuolumne, Mariposa and other counties, at elevations of 1310-3380 m.
What plant family does Mertensia ciliata var. stomatechoides belong to?
Mertensia ciliata var. stomatechoides is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Mertensia.
What habitat does Mertensia ciliata var. stomatechoides grow in?
Mertensia ciliata var. stomatechoides grows in Streamsides, wet meadows, damp thickets, wet cliffs.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Mertensia cusickii — Toiyabe bluebells
- Mertensia longiflora — Long bluebells
- Mertensia oblongifolia — Sagebrush bluebell
- Mertensia oblongifolia var. amoena — Beautiful sagebrush bluebells
- Mertensia oblongifolia var. nevadensis — Sagebrush bluebells
- Mertensia oblongifolia var. oblongifolia — Sagebrush bluebells
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.