Plagiobothrys mollis
Creeping popcornflower, soft popcornflower, Soft Popcornflower
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Plagiobothrys mollis (Creeping popcornflower) is a native California herb in the Boraginaceae family, recognized by perennial habit and rooting stems are unique in genus.
Creeping popcornflower is a California native perennial found in coastal and central California grasslands and meadows. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces small white flowers with delicate, broad petals approximately 5 to 10 millimeters in diameter. Growing with prostrate to decumbent stems 10 to 30 centimeters long that root at the nodes, it forms dense, soft-hairy mats across the ground. Its cauline leaves range from 4 to 8 centimeters long, varying from lower opposite to upper alternate arrangements. The fruit consists of tiny nutlets about 1.5 millimeters long with irregular cross-ribs and an ovate or triangular scar near the center.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 29 sympatric species - perennial habit and rooting stems are unique in genus
Habitat and range
California counties: Plumas, Lassen, Modoc, Sierra, Calaveras, Kern
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 mollis native to California?
Yes. Plagiobothrys mollis is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Plagiobothrys mollis grow?
Plagiobothrys mollis occurs in Plumas, Lassen, Modoc, Sierra, Calaveras, Kern.
What plant family does Plagiobothrys mollis belong to?
Plagiobothrys mollis is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Plagiobothrys.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Plagiobothrys mollis var. mollis — Downy popcorn flower
- Plagiobothrys mollis var. vestitus — Petaluma popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys nitens — Shiny-nutlet popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys nothofulvus — Rusty popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys parishii — Parish's popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys reticulatus — Tracy's 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.