Phacelia phacelioides
Mount diablo phacelia, Mount Diablo Phacelia
(c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Hydrophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2
Phacelia phacelioides (Mount diablo phacelia) is a native California herb in the Hydrophyllaceae family, recognized by entire leaves and long marginal calyx hairs diagnostic.
Mount diablo phacelia is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native annual found in eastern San Francisco Bay Area and south coastal ranges in open, rocky slopes at elevations of 500 to 1,400 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces white to light lavender flowers with violet-streaked lobes in delicate clusters. Growing with ascending to erect stems 5 to 20 centimeters tall that are sparsely branched and puberulent, it has a slender, compact form. Its leaves are elliptic to lanceolate, 20 to 80 millimeters long, with entire margins that are slightly shorter than their petioles. The fruit is a small, ovoid structure 3.5 to 4 millimeters long, bearing 5 to 15 pitted seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 26 sympatric species; entire leaves and long marginal calyx hairs diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, rocky slopes
Elevation: 500-1400 m
California counties: Contra Costa, Santa Clara, Stanislaus, San Benito, Alameda, Alpine
Bloom period
Phacelia phacelioides blooms Apr-Jun.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.2
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 phacelioides native to California?
Yes. Phacelia phacelioides is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Phacelia phacelioides bloom?
Phacelia phacelioides blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Phacelia phacelioides grow?
Phacelia phacelioides occurs in Contra Costa, Santa Clara, Stanislaus, San Benito, Alameda, Alpine, at elevations of 500-1400 m.
What plant family does Phacelia phacelioides belong to?
Phacelia phacelioides is in the Hydrophyllaceae family, genus Phacelia.
Is Phacelia phacelioides rare or endangered?
Phacelia phacelioides carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S2.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.