Plagiobothrys nitens

Shiny-nutlet popcornflower

Family: Boraginaceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.1

Shiny-nutlet popcornflower is a rare (CNPS 2B.1) California native annual found in the eastern Sierra Nevada near Deep Springs Lake in wet areas below springs at an elevation of 1,510 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces small white flowers with a corolla limb 1 to 2 millimeters in diameter. Growing with ascending to erect stems 10 to 15 centimeters tall that are generally branched above the base, it displays a delicate, sparse structure. Its cauline leaves range 2 to 5 centimeters long, providing a subtle green backdrop to the plant's fine form. The distinctive nutlets are ovate, 1 to 1.5 millimeters long, with a shiny gray to tan surface and an asymmetric shape that adds intricate detail to its reproductive strategy.

Habitat: Wet areas below springs

Bloom period: May-Jul

Elevation: 1510 m

Bioregions: SNE (Deep Springs Lake, ne Inyo Co.)

California counties: Inyo, Modoc, Mono

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.