Phacelia platyloba
Broad lobed phacelia
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Family: Hydrophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Phacelia platyloba (Broad lobed phacelia) is a native California herb in the Hydrophyllaceae family, recognized by NONE sympatric - geographically isolated.
Broad lobed phacelia is a California native annual found in the central Sierra Nevada Foothills in gravelly or rocky soils of chaparral and woodland habitats at elevations of 300 to 1,200 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces widely bell-shaped flowers 4 to 5 millimeters long in soft blue to lavender colors. Growing with erect stems 9 to 45 centimeters tall that are simple or branched at the base and covered in fine puberulent hairs, it has a delicate upright structure. Its leaves are 15 to 90 millimeters long, with elliptic to ovate blades that are 1 to 2 times compound, featuring leaflets that are distinctively lobed or toothed. The fruit is small, about 2 to 3 millimeters long, and densely covered in fine hairs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: NONE sympatric - geographically isolated
Habitat and range
Habitat: Gravelly or rocky soils, chaparral, woodland
Elevation: 300-1200 m
California counties: Fresno, Mariposa, Madera, Alameda, Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, Kern
Bloom period
Phacelia platyloba blooms Apr-Jun.
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 platyloba native to California?
Yes. Phacelia platyloba is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Phacelia platyloba bloom?
Phacelia platyloba blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Phacelia platyloba grow?
Phacelia platyloba occurs in Fresno, Mariposa, Madera, Alameda, Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, Kern, at elevations of 300-1200 m.
What plant family does Phacelia platyloba belong to?
Phacelia platyloba is in the Hydrophyllaceae family, genus Phacelia.
What habitat does Phacelia platyloba grow in?
Phacelia platyloba grows in Gravelly or rocky soils, 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.