Nemacladus twisselmannii

Twisselmann's nemacladus

Family: Campanulaceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Twisselmann's nemacladus is a rare California native (CNPS 1B.2) annual found in southern Sierra Nevada (northern Kern County) in granitic sands and yellow-pine forest at an elevation of 2,240 meters. Flowering in July, this delicate plant produces small white flowers with subtly divided petals nestled in head-like clusters. Growing as a tiny cushion-like plant just 0.5 to 1 centimeter tall, it develops several branches from its base with stems transitioning from dull green to reddish-brown. Its leaves are small, approximately 2 to 3.5 millimeters long, spoon-shaped, hairy, and narrowed to a wide petiole. The fruit develops as a distinctive hemispheric capsule 2 to 3.5 millimeters long, splitting into a squarish box with intricately textured seeds.

Habitat: Granitic sands, rocks, yellow-pine forest

Bloom period: Jul

Elevation: 2240 m

Bioregions: s SNH (n Kern Co.).

California counties: Kern, Tulare, San Diego

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