Plagiobothrys hispidulus
Harsh popcornflower
(c) Anders Hastings, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Annual · Native
Plagiobothrys hispidulus (Harsh popcornflower) is a native California annual in the Boraginaceae family.
Harsh popcornflower is a California native annual found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, high Cascades, Sierra Nevada, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, and Great Basin in moist to drying meadows and conifer forest openings at elevations of 1,200 to 3,400 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces small white flowers with delicate, spreading petals approximately 1 to 2 millimeters in diameter. Growing with prostrate to erect stems 5 to 40 centimeters tall that are strigose (covered in straight, stiff hairs), it spreads across the ground in low, sprawling clusters. Its cauline leaves are relatively small, measuring 1 to 5 centimeters long and positioned along the stem. The fruit consists of tiny brown to black nutlets about 1.2 to 1.8 millimeters long, with a distinctive papillate-dentate ridge near the tip.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 43 sympatric species - elevation and small flower size are key differentiators
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Moist to drying meadows, flats, conifer forest openings
Elevation: 1200-3400 m
California counties: Calaveras, Nevada, Modoc, Mariposa, Butte, San Bernardino, El Dorado, Santa Cruz, Mono, Tulare, Ventura, Placer, Alpine, Kern, Amador, Glenn, Humboldt, Madera, Mendocino, Lassen, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Sierra, Stanislaus, Trinity, Yuba, Fresno, Inyo, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, Tuolumne, Lake
Outside California: to Washington, Wyoming, Nevada
Bloom period
Plagiobothrys hispidulus blooms May-Aug.
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 hispidulus native to California?
Yes. Plagiobothrys hispidulus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Plagiobothrys hispidulus bloom?
Plagiobothrys hispidulus blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Plagiobothrys hispidulus grow?
Plagiobothrys hispidulus occurs in Calaveras, Nevada, Modoc, Mariposa, Butte, San Bernardino, El Dorado, Santa Cruz and other counties, at elevations of 1200-3400 m.
What plant family does Plagiobothrys hispidulus belong to?
Plagiobothrys hispidulus is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Plagiobothrys.
What habitat does Plagiobothrys hispidulus grow in?
Plagiobothrys hispidulus grows in Common. Moist to drying meadows, flats, conifer forest openings.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-08
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.