Phacelia curvipes
Washoe phacelia
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Hydrophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Phacelia curvipes (Washoe phacelia) is a native California herb in the Hydrophyllaceae family, recognized by curved fruiting pedicels highly diagnostic.
Washoe phacelia is a California native annual herb found in southern Sierra Nevada, Tehachapi, Transverse, Peninsular, and eastern Sierra Nevada ranges, and Mojave Desert in sandy to rocky slopes, chaparral, oak and pine woodland, and conifer forest at elevations of 500 to 2,700 meters. Flowering from April to June, this delicate plant produces blue to violet flowers with white throats in small, open clusters. Growing 4 to 15 centimeters tall with spreading to ascending stems that are short-hairy and many-branched, it has a compact, intricate form. Its leaves are elliptic to oblanceolate, measuring 10 to 40 millimeters long, with proximal and distal leaves of approximately equal size. The fruit is a small, ovoid structure 4 to 5 millimeters long, containing 6 to 16 pitted seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 86 sympatric species - curved fruiting pedicels highly diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy to rocky slopes, chaparral, oak/pine woodland, conifer forest
Elevation: 500-2700 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Kern, Inyo, Riverside, San Diego, Tulare, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Orange, Mono, El Dorado
Outside California: to southwestern Utah, northwestern Arizona
Bloom period
Phacelia curvipes blooms Apr-Jun.
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 curvipes native to California?
Yes. Phacelia curvipes is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Phacelia curvipes bloom?
Phacelia curvipes blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Phacelia curvipes grow?
Phacelia curvipes occurs in San Bernardino, Kern, Inyo, Riverside, San Diego, Tulare, Los Angeles, Ventura and other counties, at elevations of 500-2700 m.
What plant family does Phacelia curvipes belong to?
Phacelia curvipes is in the Hydrophyllaceae family, genus Phacelia.
What habitat does Phacelia curvipes grow in?
Phacelia curvipes grows in Sandy to rocky slopes, chaparral, oak/pine woodland, conifer forest.
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.