Nuttallanthus texanus
Blue toadflax
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Nuttallanthus texanus (Blue toadflax) is a native California herb in the Plantaginaceae family, recognized by North American genus segregated from Old World Linaria, representing New World toadflax lineage.
Blue toadflax is a California native annual found in northwestern California, Sierra Nevada foothills, Central Valley, central western California, southwestern deserts, and desert mountains in sandy or gravelly habitats at elevations below 1,800 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces violet to blue flowers with white-ridged throats, 10 to 24 millimeters long including a slender 6 to 11 millimeter spur. Growing with slender stems 10 to 60 centimeters tall that have decumbent non-flowering shoots, it forms delicate branching structures. Its leaves are narrowly linear, 5 to 25 millimeters long and blunt-tipped, arranged along the stem. The fruit is approximately 3 millimeters long with small tubercled seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: North American genus segregated from Old World Linaria, representing New World toadflax lineage
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sand or gravel
Elevation: < 1800 m
California counties: Los Angeles, Merced, Monterey, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Sacramento, San Luis Obispo, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Marin, Santa Clara, Stanislaus, Ventura, Alameda, Humboldt, Amador, Sutter, Orange, Contra Costa, Napa, Colusa, Lake, Tehama, Madera, San Joaquin, Tulare, Mendocino, Del Norte, Fresno, San Mateo, Mariposa, Solano
Outside California: southwestern and south-central United States, Mexico, temperate South America
Bloom period
Nuttallanthus texanus blooms Mar-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Kickxia: Nuttallanthus stands upright; Kickxia sprawls flat along ground with scattered flowers.; vs Linaria: Nuttallanthus has blue to violet flowers; Linaria has yellow, purple, or red-violet flowers.; vs Antirrhinum: Nuttallanthus has a true backward-pointing spur; Antirrhinum has only a sac-like swelling.
Frequently asked questions
Is Nuttallanthus texanus native to California?
Yes. Nuttallanthus texanus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Nuttallanthus texanus bloom?
Nuttallanthus texanus blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Nuttallanthus texanus grow?
Nuttallanthus texanus occurs in Los Angeles, Merced, Monterey, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Sacramento and other counties, at elevations of < 1800 m.
What plant family does Nuttallanthus texanus belong to?
Nuttallanthus texanus is in the Plantaginaceae family, genus Nuttallanthus.
What habitat does Nuttallanthus texanus grow in?
Nuttallanthus texanus grows in Sand or gravel.
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.