Navarretia myersii subsp. deminuta

Small pincushion navarretia, Small Pincushion Navarretia

Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1

Small pincushion navarretia is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native annual found in the northern Coast Ranges Interior (Lake County) in vernal pools at elevations of 20 to 90 meters. Flowering from April to May, this delicate plant produces blue flowers with corollas 12 to 14 millimeters long nestled among distinctive pincushion-like bracts. Growing with slender stems typically less than 20 centimeters tall, the plant forms compact, intricate clusters. Its leaves are finely divided with narrow, needle-like segments that contribute to its distinctive pincushion-like appearance. In vernal pool habitats, this rare navarretia represents a remarkable example of California's unique annual wildflower diversity.

Habitat: Vernal pools

Bloom period: Apr-May

Elevation: 20-90 m

Bioregions: NCoRI (1 site, Lake Co.).

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.