Phacelia sp.
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Jim Morefield · licence
Family: Hydrophyllaceae · Type: Perennial · Variable; species dependent
Phacelia sp. is a non-native California perennial in the Hydrophyllaceae family.
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 sp. native to California?
No. Phacelia sp. is not native to California (recorded as variable; species dependent).
What plant family does Phacelia sp. belong to?
Phacelia sp. is in the Hydrophyllaceae family, genus Phacelia.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.