Mertensia sp.
Bluebell, Bluebell
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Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Mertensia sp. (Bluebell) is a native California perennial in the Boraginaceae family.
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 sp. native to California?
Yes. Mertensia sp. is native to California (recorded as native).
What plant family does Mertensia sp. belong to?
Mertensia sp. is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Mertensia.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Mertensia bella — Oregon lungwort
- Mertensia ciliata var. stomatechoides — Streamside bluebell
- Mertensia cusickii — Toiyabe bluebells
- Mertensia longiflora — Long bluebells
- Mertensia oblongifolia — Sagebrush bluebell
- Mertensia oblongifolia var. amoena — Beautiful sagebrush bluebells
- Myosotis discolor — Changing forget-me-not
- Myosotis latifolia — Broadleaved forget-me-not
- Myosotis laxa — Bay forget-me-not
- Myosotis micrantha — Small-flowered forget-me-not
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.