Navarretia viscidula
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Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Navarretia viscidula is a native California herb in the Polemoniaceae family, recognized by glandular stems and large purple flowers.
Sticky navarretia is a California native annual found in the northern Coast Ranges, northern Sierra Nevada foothills, Sierra Nevada, and San Francisco Bay Area in open sandy or clay flats, near pools, marshes, and meadows at elevations of 100 to 900 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces purple to red-purple flowers 9 to 16 millimeters long with distinctive glandular-hairy features. Growing with erect stems 3 to 24 centimeters tall, often branching above the base with ascending to spreading branches. Its leaves are pinnate-lobed with lower leaves 2 to 5 centimeters long, featuring thread-like lobes and upper leaves typically strap-shaped and more than 1 millimeter wide. The plant's inflorescence is characterized by leaf-like outer bracts and shorter inner bracts with a distinctive palmate shape and acuminate tips.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 43 sympatric species; distinguished by glandular stems and large purple flowers
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, sandy or clay flats, near pools, marshes, meadows
Elevation: 100-900 m
California counties: Tehama, Sutter, Humboldt, Marin, Butte, El Dorado, Sonoma, Amador, San Mateo, Colusa, Mendocino, Solano, Shasta, Fresno, Stanislaus, Calaveras, Napa, Mariposa, Merced, Placer, Madera, Lake, Contra Costa, Glenn, Tulare, Tuolumne, San Benito, Trinity, San Joaquin
Bloom period
Navarretia viscidula blooms Jun-Jul.
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 viscidula native to California?
Yes. Navarretia viscidula is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Navarretia viscidula bloom?
Navarretia viscidula blooms Jun-Jul.
Where in California does Navarretia viscidula grow?
Navarretia viscidula occurs in Tehama, Sutter, Humboldt, Marin, Butte, El Dorado, Sonoma, Amador and other counties, at elevations of 100-900 m.
What plant family does Navarretia viscidula belong to?
Navarretia viscidula is in the Polemoniaceae family, genus Navarretia.
What habitat does Navarretia viscidula grow in?
Navarretia viscidula grows in Open, sandy or clay flats, near pools, marshes, meadows.
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.