Phacelia perityloides
Panamint phacelia
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Family: Hydrophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Phacelia perityloides (Panamint phacelia) is a native California herb in the Hydrophyllaceae family, recognized by perennial habit and pendant stems diagnostic.
Panamint phacelia is a California native perennial herb found in the desert mountain ranges at elevations between 1,000 to 2,500 meters. Flowering from April to May, this aromatic plant produces white to pale lavender flowers in delicate clusters with yellow flower tube centers. Growing with pendant to spreading stems 5 to 40 centimeters tall and covered in glandular hairs, it has a distinctive branching habit. Its leaves are approximately round, 5 to 25 millimeters long with irregular teeth or shallow lobes, carried on slender petioles 3 to 50 millimeters in length. The plant produces small, narrowly ovoid fruits 2 to 4 millimeters long, containing 50 to 200 tiny angular seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 35 sympatric species; perennial habit and pendant stems diagnostic
Habitat and range
California counties: Inyo, San Bernardino, Mono, Contra Costa
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 perityloides native to California?
Yes. Phacelia perityloides is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Phacelia perityloides grow?
Phacelia perityloides occurs in Inyo, San Bernardino, Mono, Contra Costa.
What plant family does Phacelia perityloides belong to?
Phacelia perityloides 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.