Pectocarya penicillata
Northern pectocarya, Northern Pectocarya
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Pectocarya penicillata (Northern pectocarya) is a native California herb in the Boraginaceae family, recognized by bristled nutlets with wavy, incurved margins.
Northern pectocarya is a California native annual found in the California Floristic Province (excluding northern and central Coast Ranges), Mojave Desert, and Inyo and White Mountains in disturbed sites and roadsides at elevations of 90 to 2,100 meters. Flowering from February to May, this plant produces tiny white flowers in delicate clusters. Growing with prostrate to decumbent stems 2 to 25 centimeters long, it spreads close to the ground in open, disturbed landscapes. Its leaves are small and narrow, complementing the plant's low-growing habit. The fruit consists of distinctive nutlets with wavy margins and bristled tips, creating a delicate, intricate texture.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species; diagnostic bristled nutlets with wavy, incurved margins
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed sites, roadsides
Elevation: 90-2100 m
California counties: Riverside, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Kern, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, San Benito, Contra Costa, Fresno, Tulare, Alameda, Monterey, Ventura, Lassen, Santa Barbara, Tehama, Lake, Inyo, San Francisco, San Joaquin, Siskiyou, Madera, Orange, Sacramento, Modoc, Glenn, Sutter, Butte, Merced, Trinity, Stanislaus, Colusa, Imperial, Santa Cruz, Napa, Humboldt, Shasta, Sonoma, El Dorado, Yolo, Tuolumne, Kings, Mono
Outside California: to British Columbia, western Wyoming, Arizona, northern Baja California
Bloom period
Pectocarya penicillata blooms Feb-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Plagiobothrys: Pectocarya sepals stay equal and separate; Plagiobothrys sepals become unequal or partly fused in fruit.; vs Cryptantha: Pectocarya nutlets have hooked bristles on edges; Cryptantha nutlets are smooth or rough, not hooked.; vs Harpagonella: Pectocarya has 4 nutlets with equal sepals; Harpagonella has 2 nutlets with huge arching spiny sepals.; vs Johnstonella: Pectocarya has flattened nutlets with marginal hooks; Johnstonella has rounded nutlets with covering bristles.; vs Greeneocharis: Pectocarya has hooked marginal bristles; Greeneocharis has smooth or minutely rough nutlets without hooks.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pectocarya penicillata native to California?
Yes. Pectocarya penicillata is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Pectocarya penicillata bloom?
Pectocarya penicillata blooms Feb-May.
Where in California does Pectocarya penicillata grow?
Pectocarya penicillata occurs in Riverside, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Kern, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, San Benito, Contra Costa and other counties, at elevations of 90-2100 m.
What plant family does Pectocarya penicillata belong to?
Pectocarya penicillata is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Pectocarya.
What habitat does Pectocarya penicillata grow in?
Pectocarya penicillata grows in Disturbed sites, roadsides.
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.