Phacelia humilis
Low phacelia
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Hydrophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Phacelia humilis (Low phacelia) is a native California herb in the Hydrophyllaceae family.
Low phacelia is a California native annual found in dry, open areas at moderate elevations. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces delicate lavender to violet bell-shaped flowers approximately 4 to 7 millimeters long. Growing with erect stems 5 to 20 centimeters tall that are short-stiff-hairy and sometimes branched at the base, it has a distinctive sparse and glandular appearance. Its leaves are primarily elliptic to ovate, measuring 10 to 40 millimeters long, with the lowest leaves appearing opposite and having blades significantly longer than their petioles. The fruit is small, ovoid, and short-hairy, containing one to four finely pitted seeds.
Habitat and range
California counties: Tuolumne, Inyo, Modoc, Plumas, Mono, Calaveras, Alpine, Placer, Sierra, Lassen, El Dorado, Nevada, Siskiyou, Mariposa, Tulare, Kern, Fresno, San Bernardino
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 humilis native to California?
Yes. Phacelia humilis is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Phacelia humilis grow?
Phacelia humilis occurs in Tuolumne, Inyo, Modoc, Plumas, Mono, Calaveras, Alpine, Placer and other counties.
What plant family does Phacelia humilis belong to?
Phacelia humilis is in the Hydrophyllaceae family, genus Phacelia.
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.