Navarretia nigelliformis
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Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Navarretia nigelliformis is a native California herb in the Polemoniaceae family.
navarretia nigelliformis is a California native annual herb found in lower montane and foothill regions at elevations of 300 to 1,400 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces yellow flowers with distinctive purple or brown spots in the throat. Growing with erect to spreading stems 9 to 32 centimeters tall, the plant is delicately branched and covered in white, recurved hairs. Its leaves are intricately 2-pinnate-lobed with very narrow linear segments less than 1 millimeter wide, spreading from the main stem. The plant's flowers feature strap-shaped calyx lobes with hairs near the middle and small paired stigmas.
Habitat and range
California counties: Monterey, Contra Costa, Fresno, Colusa, Butte, San Luis Obispo, Tehama, Merced, Kings, Placer, Mariposa, Stanislaus, Tulare
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 nigelliformis native to California?
Yes. Navarretia nigelliformis is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Navarretia nigelliformis grow?
Navarretia nigelliformis occurs in Monterey, Contra Costa, Fresno, Colusa, Butte, San Luis Obispo, Tehama, Merced and other counties.
What plant family does Navarretia nigelliformis belong to?
Navarretia nigelliformis is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Navarretia.
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.