Plagiobothrys collinus
Cooper's popcornflower
(c) Millie Basden, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Plagiobothrys collinus (Cooper's popcornflower) is a native California herb in the Boraginaceae family.
Cooper's popcornflower is a California native annual found in dry, open areas at low to moderate elevations. Flowering from March to June, this delicate plant produces small white flowers with limbs 1 to 8 millimeters in diameter. Growing with prostrate to erect stems 2 to 40 centimeters tall, the plant has fine or spreading hairs covering its slender structure. Its leaves vary from opposite at the base to alternate toward the stem tips, measuring 1 to 4 centimeters long. The fruit consists of small, ovate nutlets with sharp ridges and a narrow scar near the middle.
Habitat and range
California counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Santa Cruz, Marin, El Dorado
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 collinus native to California?
Yes. Plagiobothrys collinus is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Plagiobothrys collinus grow?
Plagiobothrys collinus occurs in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura and other counties.
What plant family does Plagiobothrys collinus belong to?
Plagiobothrys collinus is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Plagiobothrys.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Plagiobothrys collinus var. californicus — California popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys collinus var. fulvescens — Rough-stemmed popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys collinus var. gracilis — San diego popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys collinus var. ursinus — Bear valley popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys cusickii — Cusick's popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys diffusus — San francisco 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.