Phacelia davidsonii
Davidson's phacelia
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Family: Hydrophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Phacelia davidsonii (Davidson's phacelia) is a native California herb in the Hydrophyllaceae family, recognized by unequal fruiting pedicels and white tube/violet lobes diagnostic.
Davidson's phacelia is a California native annual found in central and southern California mountain ranges including Sierra Nevada, Tehachapi, Santa Lucia, and Transverse Ranges in sandy to rocky chaparral and conifer forest at elevations of 150 to 2,500 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces violet-lobed white flowers with delicate rotate or bell-shaped corollas 7 to 15 millimeters wide. Growing with decumbent to erect stems 5 to 30 centimeters tall that are sparsely hairy and sometimes branched at the base, it has a low-growing and delicate structure. Its leaves range from 8 to 70 millimeters long, with proximal leaves deeply lobed or compound and distal leaves entire to moderately lobed, featuring elliptic to oblanceolate blades. The fruit is a small ovoid structure 4 to 7 millimeters long, containing 7 to 15 tiny pitted seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 49 sympatric species - unequal fruiting pedicels and white tube/violet lobes diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy to rocky soils, slopes, chaparral, conifer forest
Elevation: 150-2500 m
California counties: Kern, Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Inyo, Tulare, Santa Barbara
Bloom period
Phacelia davidsonii 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 davidsonii native to California?
Yes. Phacelia davidsonii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Phacelia davidsonii bloom?
Phacelia davidsonii blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Phacelia davidsonii grow?
Phacelia davidsonii occurs in Kern, Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Inyo and other counties, at elevations of 150-2500 m.
What plant family does Phacelia davidsonii belong to?
Phacelia davidsonii is in the Hydrophyllaceae family, genus Phacelia.
What habitat does Phacelia davidsonii grow in?
Phacelia davidsonii grows in Sandy to rocky soils, slopes, chaparral, 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.