Oreocarya roosiorum
Bristlecone oreocarya
Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2
Oreocarya roosiorum (Bristlecone oreocarya) is a native California subshrub in the Boraginaceae family, recognized by location diagnostic.
Bristlecone oreocarya is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in the southern White and Inyo Mountains in rocky, dry meadows within open bristlecone pine-limber pine forest at elevations of 2,570 to 3,230 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces pale yellow flowers with delicate white appendages in dense, head-like clusters. Growing with multiple spreading stems 1 to 3 centimeters tall that are soft and bristly, it forms numerous basal rosettes with distinctive gray-green leaves. Its leaves are oblanceolate to narrow spoon-shaped, densely covered in silky hairs with mostly appressed bristles that have bulbous bases. The fruit consists of 1 to 3 shiny dark gray nutlets, each 2 to 2.5 millimeters long with sharp-angled margins.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; location diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky, dry meadows in open bristlecone pine-limber pine forest
Elevation: 2570-3230 m
California counties: Inyo
Bloom period
Oreocarya roosiorum blooms Jun-Jul.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.2
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 roosiorum native to California?
Yes. Oreocarya roosiorum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Oreocarya roosiorum bloom?
Oreocarya roosiorum blooms Jun-Jul.
Where in California does Oreocarya roosiorum grow?
Oreocarya roosiorum occurs in Inyo, at elevations of 2570-3230 m.
What plant family does Oreocarya roosiorum belong to?
Oreocarya roosiorum is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Oreocarya.
Is Oreocarya roosiorum rare or endangered?
Oreocarya roosiorum carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S2.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-10-08
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.