Plagiobothrys stipitatus
Great valley popcornflower, Great Valley Popcornflower
(c) L. Wood, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Plagiobothrys stipitatus (Great valley popcornflower) is a native California herb in the Boraginaceae family, recognized by fleshy hollow stems and variable flower size.
Great valley popcornflower is a California native annual found in valley and foothill grasslands at low elevations. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces white flowers with yellow appendages in small clusters. Growing with ascending to erect stems 10 to 50 centimeters tall that are often fleshy and slightly hollow, it has delicate branching habit. Its cauline leaves are covered with short hairs that have bulbous bases, ranging from 2 to 11 centimeters long. The fruit consists of small tan nutlets with subtle cross-ribs and a distinctive V-shaped ridge, each 1 to 2 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 49 sympatric species - fleshy hollow stems and variable flower size help distinguish
Habitat and range
California counties: Solano, Contra Costa, Fresno, Alameda, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Yolo, Colusa, Butte, San Benito, Sonoma, Sutter, Tehama, Lake, Tuolumne, Inyo, Modoc, San Luis Obispo, Napa, Humboldt, Madera, Calaveras, El Dorado, Tulare, Stanislaus, Merced, Mendocino, Placer, Del Norte, Riverside, Monterey, Shasta, Mariposa
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 stipitatus native to California?
Yes. Plagiobothrys stipitatus is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Plagiobothrys stipitatus grow?
Plagiobothrys stipitatus occurs in Solano, Contra Costa, Fresno, Alameda, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Yolo, Colusa and other counties.
What plant family does Plagiobothrys stipitatus belong to?
Plagiobothrys stipitatus is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Plagiobothrys.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Plagiobothrys stipitatus var. micranthus — Common vernal pool allocarya
- Plagiobothrys stipitatus var. stipitatus — Showy great valley popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys strictus — Calistoga popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys tenellus — Pacific popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys tener — Slender popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys tener var. subglaber — Serpentine 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.