Phacelia vallicola
Mariposa phacelia
(c) Chris Winchell, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Hydrophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Phacelia vallicola (Mariposa phacelia) is a native California herb in the Hydrophyllaceae family, recognized by entire leaves with sunken veins and bicolored flowers.
Mariposa phacelia is a California native annual found in eastern Klamath Ranges, northern and central Sierra Nevada Forests, and Sierra Nevada at elevations of 600 to 2,400 meters in open, gravelly to rocky soils within chaparral, oak and pine woodlands, and conifer forests. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces white to lavender flowers with purple lobes, forming bell-shaped blossoms 4 to 6 millimeters long. Growing 6 to 27 centimeters tall with erect stems that are simple to branched, it has a delicate, puberulent appearance with sparse stiff hairs. Its leaves range 10 to 35 millimeters long, with lower leaves opposite and blade shapes varying from lanceolate to ovate, featuring sunken veins and entire margins. The fruit is a small, short-hairy ovoid structure 4 to 6 millimeters long, containing 8 to 14 pitted seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 41 sympatric species; distinguished by entire leaves with sunken veins and bicolored flowers
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, gravelly to rocky soils, chaparral, oak/pine woodland, conifer forest
Elevation: 600-2400 m
California counties: Tuolumne, Mariposa, Plumas, Sierra, Butte, Placer, Madera, Shasta, Nevada, Alameda, Fresno, Calaveras
Bloom period
Phacelia vallicola blooms Mar-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 vallicola native to California?
Yes. Phacelia vallicola is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Phacelia vallicola bloom?
Phacelia vallicola blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Phacelia vallicola grow?
Phacelia vallicola occurs in Tuolumne, Mariposa, Plumas, Sierra, Butte, Placer, Madera, Shasta and other counties, at elevations of 600-2400 m.
What plant family does Phacelia vallicola belong to?
Phacelia vallicola is in the Hydrophyllaceae family, genus Phacelia.
What habitat does Phacelia vallicola grow in?
Phacelia vallicola grows in Open, gravelly to rocky soils, chaparral, oak/pine 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.