Phacelia egena
Kaweah river phacelia
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Hydrophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Phacelia egena (Kaweah river phacelia) is a native California herb in the Hydrophyllaceae family, recognized by perennial, white flowers, prominent leaf veins, longitudinally pitted seeds diagnostic.
Kaweah river phacelia is a California native perennial herb found in northwestern California, the Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Central Valley, central western California, western Transverse Ranges, and southern Great Basin in slopes, streambanks, flats, chaparral, and woodland at elevations of 50 to 2,500 meters. Flowering from April to August, this plant produces white to cream flowers 5 to 9 millimeters long with a bell-shaped corolla and limb 4 to 8 millimeters in diameter. Growing with ascending stems 15 to 60 centimeters tall that are stiff-hairy and not glandular, it has a robust habit. Its mostly basal leaves feature complex dissected blades 100 to 250 millimeters long with 7 to 11 distinct segments and prominent veins, while cauline leaves remain generally entire. The small ovoid fruit is approximately 3 millimeters long and covered in stiff hairs, containing one to two pitted seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 78 sympatric species - perennial, white flowers, prominent leaf veins, longitudinally pitted seeds diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Slopes, streambanks, flats, chaparral, woodland
Elevation: 50-2500 m
California counties: Humboldt, Kern, Fresno, Los Angeles, Calaveras, Tulare, Santa Clara, Napa, Ventura, Tehama, Siskiyou, Glenn, Mendocino, Yolo, Amador, Butte, Madera, Inyo, Shasta, Mariposa, Colusa, Sutter, El Dorado, Tuolumne, Solano, San Bernardino, Trinity, San Luis Obispo, Placer, Santa Barbara, Nevada, Sonoma, Modoc, Monterey, Alameda, Yuba, Lake, Marin, Del Norte, San Benito, San Diego
Bloom period
Phacelia egena blooms Apr-Aug.
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 egena native to California?
Yes. Phacelia egena is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Phacelia egena bloom?
Phacelia egena blooms Apr-Aug.
Where in California does Phacelia egena grow?
Phacelia egena occurs in Humboldt, Kern, Fresno, Los Angeles, Calaveras, Tulare, Santa Clara, Napa and other counties, at elevations of 50-2500 m.
What plant family does Phacelia egena belong to?
Phacelia egena is in the Hydrophyllaceae family, genus Phacelia.
What habitat does Phacelia egena grow in?
Phacelia egena grows in Slopes, streambanks, flats, chaparral, woodland.
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.