Phacelia linearis
Linear leaf phacelia
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Family: Hydrophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Phacelia linearis (Linear leaf phacelia) is a native California herb in the Hydrophyllaceae family, recognized by linear entire leaves highly distinctive in genus.
Linear leaf phacelia is a California native annual found in eastern Klamath Ranges, Cascade Range, northern Sierra Nevada, and Modoc Plateau in sandy or gravelly soils within scrub, juniper woodland, and conifer forest at elevations of 800 to 2,000 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces white to pale blue flowers with violet lobes in a widely bell-shaped corolla 6 to 10 millimeters long. Growing 8 to 60 centimeters tall with erect stems that are simple to branched and covered in fine puberulent or short stiff hairs. Its linear to narrowly lanceolate leaves are 10 to 80 millimeters long, often with 1 to 2 linear basal lobes and tapering to a narrow petiole. The fruit is an ovoid capsule 5 to 8 millimeters long containing 6 to 15 small pitted seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 52 sympatric species; linear entire leaves highly distinctive in genus
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy or gravelly soils, scrub, juniper woodland, conifer forest
Elevation: 800-2000 m
California counties: Modoc, Plumas, Siskiyou, Lassen, Shasta, Trinity, Sierra, Alpine, Lake, El Dorado, Monterey, San Bernardino, Mendocino, Santa Cruz, Tulare, Mariposa
Outside California: to western Canada, Wyoming
Bloom period
Phacelia linearis blooms May-Jul.
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 linearis native to California?
Yes. Phacelia linearis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Phacelia linearis bloom?
Phacelia linearis blooms May-Jul.
Where in California does Phacelia linearis grow?
Phacelia linearis occurs in Modoc, Plumas, Siskiyou, Lassen, Shasta, Trinity, Sierra, Alpine and other counties, at elevations of 800-2000 m.
What plant family does Phacelia linearis belong to?
Phacelia linearis is in the Hydrophyllaceae family, genus Phacelia.
What habitat does Phacelia linearis grow in?
Phacelia linearis grows in Sandy or gravelly soils, scrub, juniper 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.