Navarretia leucocephala
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Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Navarretia leucocephala is a native California herb in the Polemoniaceae family.
White-flowered navarretia is a California native annual herb found in varied bioregions in open grasslands, meadows, and vernal pool habitats at moderate elevations. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces delicate white flowers in small, compact clusters with distinctive needle-like bracts. Growing with erect to prostrate stems 3 to 15 centimeters tall, it has intricate branching with ascending or spreading growth habit. Its leaves are finely divided with linear lobes, lower leaves smooth and upper leaves slightly hairy at the base, creating a delicate, lace-like foliage structure. The plant's translucent fruits uniquely dehisce when moistened, a fascinating adaptation to its likely seasonal wetland environments.
Habitat and range
California counties: Yuba, Yolo, Sutter, Sacramento, Placer, Solano, Lake, Shasta, Butte, Lassen, Plumas, Stanislaus, Glenn, Tehama, San Joaquin, Mendocino, Siskiyou, Merced, Alameda, Madera, San Benito, Calaveras, Amador, El Dorado, Humboldt, Nevada, Mariposa, Tuolumne
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 leucocephala native to California?
Yes. Navarretia leucocephala is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Navarretia leucocephala grow?
Navarretia leucocephala occurs in Yuba, Yolo, Sutter, Sacramento, Placer, Solano, Lake, Shasta and other counties.
What plant family does Navarretia leucocephala belong to?
Navarretia leucocephala is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Navarretia.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Navarretia leucocephala subsp. bakeri — Baker's navarretia
- Navarretia leucocephala subsp. leucocephala
- Navarretia leucocephala subsp. minima
- Navarretia leucocephala subsp. pauciflora — Few-flowered navarretia
- Navarretia leucocephala subsp. plieantha — Many-flowered navarretia
- Navarretia leucocephala subsp. suksdorfii
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.