Phacelia corymbosa
Serpentine phacelia
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Family: Hydrophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Phacelia corymbosa (Serpentine phacelia) is a native California herb in the Hydrophyllaceae family, recognized by perennial habit, serpentine soils, and white cylindric flowers diagnostic.
Serpentine phacelia is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, northern California Coast Ranges, and northern Sierra Nevada Mountains on serpentine soils, slopes, and ridges at elevations of 120 to 2,950 meters. Flowering from April to September, this plant produces delicate white flowers in small clusters with corollas 5 to 7 millimeters long. Growing 15 to 40 centimeters tall with ascending to erect stems that are stiff-hairy and densely glandular, it forms a compact plant with distinctive foliage. Its basal leaves are lanceolate to oblanceolate, 20 to 150 millimeters long, with 3 to 7 leaf segments and prominent veins. The fruit is a small 3 to 4 millimeter narrowly ovoid structure covered in stiff hairs, containing one to two pitted seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 52 sympatric species; perennial habit, serpentine soils, and white cylindric flowers diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Generally serpentine soils, slopes, flats, ridges
Elevation: 120-2950 m
California counties: Trinity, Del Norte, Butte, Siskiyou, Shasta, Mendocino, Humboldt, Calaveras, Napa, Colusa, Sonoma, Alpine, El Dorado, Tehama, Alameda, Lake, Glenn, Nevada
Outside California: Oregon
Bloom period
Phacelia corymbosa blooms Apr-Sep.
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 corymbosa native to California?
Yes. Phacelia corymbosa is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Phacelia corymbosa bloom?
Phacelia corymbosa blooms Apr-Sep.
Where in California does Phacelia corymbosa grow?
Phacelia corymbosa occurs in Trinity, Del Norte, Butte, Siskiyou, Shasta, Mendocino, Humboldt, Calaveras and other counties, at elevations of 120-2950 m.
What plant family does Phacelia corymbosa belong to?
Phacelia corymbosa is in the Hydrophyllaceae family, genus Phacelia.
What habitat does Phacelia corymbosa grow in?
Phacelia corymbosa grows in Generally serpentine soils, slopes, flats, ridges.
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.