Plagiobothrys stipitatus var. micranthus

Common vernal pool allocarya

Plagiobothrys stipitatus — parent species of Plagiobothrys stipitatus var. micranthus

Photo: parent species Plagiobothrys stipitatus · (c) L. Wood, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence

Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Herb · Native

Plagiobothrys stipitatus var. micranthus (Common vernal pool allocarya) is a native California herb in the Boraginaceae family, recognized by Stipitate nutlets like var. stipitatus but with smaller flowers.

Common vernal pool allocarya is a California native annual found in the Klamath Ranges, North Coast, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada Foothills, northern and central Sierra Nevada, Great Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, South Coast, Peninsular Ranges, and Great Basin in vernal pools, wet grasslands, conifer forests, and sagebrush scrub at elevations below 2,130 meters. Flowering from April to July, this delicate plant produces small white flowers with a corolla limb 2 to 4 millimeters in diameter. Growing with slender branching stems that spread close to the ground, it forms dense low-growing clusters in seasonal wetland habitats. Its small leaves are typically narrow and clustered along the stems, adapting to the ephemeral wet environments where it thrives. The plant's diminutive size and ability to complete its lifecycle in the brief window of seasonal pools make it a characteristic species of California's unique vernal ecosystems.

Identification and appearance

Key characters: Stipitate nutlets like var. stipitatus but with smaller flowers

Habitat and range

Habitat: Common. Vernal pools, wet sites in grassland, conifer forest, sagebrush scrub

Elevation: < 2130 m

California counties: Placer, Butte, Madera, Amador, Stanislaus, Monterey, San Joaquin, Fresno, Merced, Lake, Contra Costa, Sacramento, Modoc, Humboldt, Glenn, Solano, El Dorado, Colusa, Sonoma, Tehama, San Benito, Yuba, Sutter, Calaveras, Mariposa, Lassen, Yolo, Tulare, San Luis Obispo, Alameda, Shasta, Napa, Trinity, Tuolumne, San Diego, Nevada, Santa Clara, Riverside

Outside California: southeastern Oregon, western Nevada

Bloom period

Plagiobothrys stipitatus var. micranthus blooms Apr-Jul.

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 var. micranthus native to California?

Yes. Plagiobothrys stipitatus var. micranthus is native to California (recorded as native).

When does Plagiobothrys stipitatus var. micranthus bloom?

Plagiobothrys stipitatus var. micranthus blooms Apr-Jul.

Where in California does Plagiobothrys stipitatus var. micranthus grow?

Plagiobothrys stipitatus var. micranthus occurs in Placer, Butte, Madera, Amador, Stanislaus, Monterey, San Joaquin, Fresno and other counties, at elevations of < 2130 m.

What plant family does Plagiobothrys stipitatus var. micranthus belong to?

Plagiobothrys stipitatus var. micranthus is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Plagiobothrys.

What habitat does Plagiobothrys stipitatus var. micranthus grow in?

Plagiobothrys stipitatus var. micranthus grows in Common. Vernal pools, wet sites in grassland, conifer forest, sagebrush scrub.

Related species

Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.

All Plagiobothrys species · All Boraginaceae

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.