Plagiobothrys hystriculus
Bearded popcornflower
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1
Plagiobothrys hystriculus (Bearded popcornflower) is a native California herb in the Boraginaceae family.
Bearded popcornflower is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native annual found in the southwestern Sacramento Valley in wet grasslands and vernal pool margins at elevations below 50 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces small white flowers with pale yellow appendages in delicate clusters. Growing with prostrate to erect stems 10 to 40 centimeters tall, it has a strigose (stiff-hairy) appearance with lower cauline leaves 2 to 6 centimeters long. Its leaves and stems are covered in stiff, spreading hairs, giving the plant a bristly texture. The fruit consists of tiny, granular nutlets 1 to 1.5 millimeters long, covered in numerous stout, blunt-tipped prickles.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated - no sympatric species
Habitat and range
Habitat: Wet grassland, vernal pool margins
Elevation: < 50 m
California counties: Solano, Napa, Monterey, Yolo
Bloom period
Plagiobothrys hystriculus blooms Mar-May.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.1
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 hystriculus native to California?
Yes. Plagiobothrys hystriculus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Plagiobothrys hystriculus bloom?
Plagiobothrys hystriculus blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Plagiobothrys hystriculus grow?
Plagiobothrys hystriculus occurs in Solano, Napa, Monterey, Yolo, at elevations of < 50 m.
What plant family does Plagiobothrys hystriculus belong to?
Plagiobothrys hystriculus is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Plagiobothrys.
Is Plagiobothrys hystriculus rare or endangered?
Plagiobothrys hystriculus carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.1, state rank S2.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Plagiobothrys infectivus — Dye popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys leptocladus — Alkali plagiobothrys
- Plagiobothrys lithocaryus — Mayacamas popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys mollis — Creeping popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys mollis var. mollis — Downy popcorn flower
- Plagiobothrys mollis var. vestitus — Petaluma popcornflower
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.