Oreocarya hoffmannii
White mountains oreocarya, White Mountains Cryptantha
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Oreocarya hoffmannii (White mountains oreocarya) is a native California subshrub in the Boraginaceae family, recognized by non-woody caudex and white bristles diagnostic.
White mountains oreocarya is a California native perennial found in the western Inyo Mountains and northern Desert Mountains in rocky limestone or volcanic pinyon and juniper woodland at elevations of 1,740 to 2,900 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces off-white flowers with yellow appendages in cylindric inflorescences. Growing 17 to 30 centimeters tall with multiple stems, the central stem is erect and conspicuously white-bristly. Its basal rosette leaves are spoon-shaped, 2 to 5 centimeters long, thick and gray-green, densely covered with strigose to silky-tomentose hairs and bulbous-based bristles. The fruit consists of 2 to 4 ovate nutlets, 2.7 to 3.5 millimeters long, with a brown, dull surface marked by coarse tubercles and wrinkles.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species; non-woody caudex and white bristles diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Locally common. Rocky, loose soils, generally limestone or volcanic, generally pinyon/juniper woodland
Elevation: 1740-2900(3100) m
California counties: Inyo, San Bernardino, Mono
Outside California: western Nevada
Bloom period
Oreocarya hoffmannii blooms Jun-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Cryptantha: Cryptanthas are slender annuals with tiny inconspicuous white flowers; Oreocarya are stout perennials from a woody branched caudex with showier, densely clustered white or yellow flowers.; vs Hackelia: Stickseed nutlets bear hooked marginal prickles that cling to clothing; Oreocarya nutlets are smooth to roughened but lack hooked prickles.; vs Plagiobothrys: Popcornflowers are annuals of moist ground, often red-staining, in open coils; Oreocarya are harsh, bristly perennials forming cushions on dry rocky or desert sites.; vs Cynoglossum: Hound's-tongue is a tall, leafy-stemmed biennial with broad soft leaves and reddish-blue flowers; Oreocarya is low and cushion-like with narrow bristly leaves and white or yellow flowers.; vs Cryptantha: Beyond size, Oreocarya has persistent basal rosettes and a woody caudex, whereas Cryptantha germinates fresh each year with no woody base.
Frequently asked questions
Is Oreocarya hoffmannii native to California?
Yes. Oreocarya hoffmannii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Oreocarya hoffmannii bloom?
Oreocarya hoffmannii blooms Jun-Jul.
Where in California does Oreocarya hoffmannii grow?
Oreocarya hoffmannii occurs in Inyo, San Bernardino, Mono, at elevations of 1740-2900(3100) m.
What plant family does Oreocarya hoffmannii belong to?
Oreocarya hoffmannii is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Oreocarya.
What habitat does Oreocarya hoffmannii grow in?
Oreocarya hoffmannii grows in Locally common. Rocky, loose soils, generally limestone or volcanic, generally pinyon/juniper woodland.
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.