Navarretia capillaris
(c) Tom Hilton, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Navarretia capillaris is a native California herb in the Polemoniaceae family, recognized by unique non-head inflorescence and bicolored flowers.
Navarretia capillaris is a native annual found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, California Ranges, Sierra Nevada, western Transverse Ranges, San Bernardino Mountains, Peninsular Ranges, and Warner Mountains in open, wet, gravelly areas, meadows, and streamsides at elevations of 200 to 3,100 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces small yellow flowers with blue-white lobes, delicately arranged with one to three blossoms per stem. Growing 4 to 20 centimeters tall with ascending branches that are glandular-puberulent, it has a slender, erect form. Its narrow cauline leaves are linear to narrowly lanceolate, ascending and measuring 1 to 2 millimeters wide, positioning closely along the stems. The flower's calyx is densely glandular-puberulent with translucent linear lobes, creating a distinctive and delicate appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 48 sympatric species; unique non-head inflorescence and bicolored flowers
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, wet, gravelly areas, meadows, streamsides, snow pockets
Elevation: 200-3100 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Nevada, Lassen, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Fresno, Madera, Plumas, Tulare, Alpine, Riverside, El Dorado, Sierra, Mono, Ventura, Siskiyou, San Diego, Butte, Placer, Modoc, Mariposa, Amador, Santa Barbara, Tehama, Humboldt, Trinity, Shasta, Del Norte, Mendocino, Kern, Glenn
Outside California: to Oregon, Idaho, Utah
Bloom period
Navarretia capillaris blooms Jun-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Leptosiphon: Navarretia has spiny, thistle-like flower heads; Leptosiphon has open flower clusters without spines.; vs Gilia: Navarretia has very short glandular hairs; Gilia has white cobwebby or bent hairs.; vs Eriastrum: Navarretia flower heads are spiny but not woolly; Eriastrum heads are densely woolly-white.; vs Saltugilia: Wet the seeds - Navarretia seeds become gelatinous; Saltugilia seeds stay dry.; vs Eryngium: Navarretia has tubular flowers in heads; Eryngium has tiny separate flowers and divided leaves.
Frequently asked questions
Is Navarretia capillaris native to California?
Yes. Navarretia capillaris is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Navarretia capillaris bloom?
Navarretia capillaris blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Navarretia capillaris grow?
Navarretia capillaris occurs in San Bernardino, Nevada, Lassen, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Fresno, Madera, Plumas and other counties, at elevations of 200-3100 m.
What plant family does Navarretia capillaris belong to?
Navarretia capillaris is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Navarretia.
What habitat does Navarretia capillaris grow in?
Navarretia capillaris grows in Open, wet, gravelly areas, meadows, streamsides, snow pockets.
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.