Plagiobothrys shastensis
Shasta popcornflower
(c) Konshau Duman, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Plagiobothrys shastensis (Shasta popcornflower) is a native California herb in the Boraginaceae family, recognized by cross-shaped arched seeds with wide papillate cross-ribs diagnostic.
Shasta popcornflower is a California native annual found in northwestern California, the Cascade Range foothills, northern Sierra Nevada, San Francisco Bay Area, and southern Coast Ranges in dry slopes, grasslands, and woodlands at elevations below 800 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces small white flowers less than 3 millimeters in diameter, occasionally with reddish staining on stems and lower leaves. Growing with erect stems 5 to 30 centimeters tall, the plant develops a sparse branching structure with few stems emerging from a basal rosette. Its leaves form a basal rosette 1 to 3 centimeters long, with a few alternate cauline leaves along the stem. The distinctive fruit consists of shiny, cross-shaped nutlets 2 to 3 millimeters long, with wide cross-ribs and a distinctive gray to tan coloration.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 44 sympatric species - cross-shaped arched seeds with wide papillate cross-ribs diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Dry slopes, flats, grassland, woodland
Elevation: < 800 m
California counties: Lassen, Trinity, Tehama, Shasta, Placer, Butte, Mendocino, Glenn, Colusa, San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus, Merced, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Lake, Amador, Siskiyou, Plumas, San Diego, Calaveras
Outside California: southwestern Oregon
Bloom period
Plagiobothrys shastensis blooms Mar-Jun.
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 shastensis native to California?
Yes. Plagiobothrys shastensis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Plagiobothrys shastensis bloom?
Plagiobothrys shastensis blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Plagiobothrys shastensis grow?
Plagiobothrys shastensis occurs in Lassen, Trinity, Tehama, Shasta, Placer, Butte, Mendocino, Glenn and other counties, at elevations of < 800 m.
What plant family does Plagiobothrys shastensis belong to?
Plagiobothrys shastensis is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Plagiobothrys.
What habitat does Plagiobothrys shastensis grow in?
Plagiobothrys shastensis grows in Uncommon. Dry slopes, flats, grassland, woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Plagiobothrys sp. — Popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys stipitatus — Great valley popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys stipitatus var. micranthus — Common vernal pool allocarya
- Plagiobothrys stipitatus var. stipitatus — Showy great valley popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys strictus — Calistoga popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys tenellus — Pacific 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.