Phacelia calthifolia
Caltha leafed phacelia
(c) Dawn Endico, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Hydrophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Phacelia calthifolia (Caltha leafed phacelia) is a native California herb in the Hydrophyllaceae family, recognized by round heart-shaped leaves and purple flowers diagnostic.
Caltha leafed phacelia is a California native annual found in the Mojave Desert in sandy creosote-bush scrub soils at elevations below 1,500 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces violet to purple flowers 8 to 12 millimeters long in delicate funnel-shaped blooms. Growing with spreading to erect stems 10 to 30 centimeters tall, it has a fleshy and somewhat brittle structure covered in dark glandular hairs. Its leaves are approximately round, 10 to 35 millimeters long, with entire to slightly scalloped edges and a lobed base. The fruit is a small spherical capsule 4 to 5 millimeters long, containing 30 to 50 tiny seeds with shallow cross-furrows.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 35 sympatric species; round heart-shaped leaves and purple flowers diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy soils, generally in creosote-bush scrub
Elevation: < 1500 m
California counties: Inyo, San Bernardino, Kern
Outside California: western Nevada
Bloom period
Phacelia calthifolia blooms Mar-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Nemophila: Phacelia has flowers in coiled scorpion-tail clusters; Nemophila has solitary showy flowers at leaf axils.; vs Eucrypta: Phacelia is typically non-sticky with seeds that fall out cleanly; Eucrypta feels very sticky and retains 1-2 seeds in fruit.; vs Pholistoma: Phacelia has coiled flower clusters; Pholistoma has flowers scattered along stems with backward-pointing stem bristles.; vs Echium: Phacelia has coiled clusters of small flowers; Echium has large showy blue-purple flowers in tall spike-like clusters.; vs Gilia: Phacelia has coiled flower clusters and bristly foliage; Gilia has flowers in round heads or loose clusters with smoother foliage.
Frequently asked questions
Is Phacelia calthifolia native to California?
Yes. Phacelia calthifolia is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Phacelia calthifolia bloom?
Phacelia calthifolia blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Phacelia calthifolia grow?
Phacelia calthifolia occurs in Inyo, San Bernardino, Kern, at elevations of < 1500 m.
What plant family does Phacelia calthifolia belong to?
Phacelia calthifolia is in the Hydrophyllaceae family, genus Phacelia.
What habitat does Phacelia calthifolia grow in?
Phacelia calthifolia grows in Sandy soils, generally in creosote-bush scrub.
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.