Plagiobothrys chorisianus
Artist's popcornflower
(c) Dean Wm. Taylor, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Plagiobothrys chorisianus (Artist's popcornflower) is a native California herb in the Boraginaceae family.
Artist's popcornflower is a California native annual found in coastal areas with sparse coastal scrub and grassland habitats. Flowering from March to June, this delicate plant produces small white flowers with yellow appendages approximately 5 to 10 millimeters in diameter. Growing with prostrate to erect stems 10 to 40 centimeters tall, it has a sparse short-strigose appearance. Its cauline leaves measure 3 to 7 centimeters long, with lower leaves being particularly prominent. The fruit consists of small brown nutlets approximately 0.8 to 1.5 millimeters long, featuring a distinctive adaxial ridge extending 60 to 75 percent of the nutlet's length.
Habitat and range
California counties: San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Francisco, Kern, Marin, San Bernardino, Santa Clara, Alameda, San Diego, Sonoma, San Luis Obispo, Solano, San Benito, Del Norte
How to tell it apart
vs Cryptantha: Seeds have a raised ridge down the inner face, not a groove like Cryptantha.; vs Pectocarya: Seeds lack the comb-like marginal barbs of Pectocarya; attachment scar is raised.; vs Myosotis: Flowers are smaller and more tubular; Myosotis has wider, flatter blue flowers with yellow centers.; vs Nemophila: Nemophila has much larger, showier blue-white flowers and broader leaves.; vs Leptosiphon: Leptosiphon has needle-like divided leaves; Plagiobothrys has simple narrow leaves.
Frequently asked questions
Is Plagiobothrys chorisianus native to California?
Yes. Plagiobothrys chorisianus is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Plagiobothrys chorisianus grow?
Plagiobothrys chorisianus occurs in San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Francisco, Kern, Marin, San Bernardino, Santa Clara and other counties.
What plant family does Plagiobothrys chorisianus belong to?
Plagiobothrys chorisianus is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Plagiobothrys.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Plagiobothrys chorisianus var. chorisianus — Choris' popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys chorisianus var. hickmanii — Hickman's popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys cognatus — Cognate popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys collinus — Cooper's popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys collinus var. californicus — California popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys collinus var. fulvescens — Rough-stemmed popcornflower
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.