Plagiobothrys tener var. tener
Slender popcornflower
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Family: Boraginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Plagiobothrys tener var. tener (Slender popcornflower) is a native California herb in the Boraginaceae family, recognized by flower size and wet habitat preference.
Slender popcornflower is a California native annual found in northern Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, and western Modoc Plateau in wet places including vernal pools within chaparral, oak woodland, and conifer forest at elevations of 160 to 1,340 meters. Flowering from April to July, this delicate plant produces small white flowers with corolla limbs 4 to 9 millimeters in diameter. Growing with spreading to erect stems that are sparse-strigose, it reaches variable heights with thin, sparse-strigose leaves. Its narrow leaves are lightly covered with stiff, appressed hairs, giving the plant a soft, textured appearance. The fruit consists of small brown nutlets approximately 1.2 to 1.8 millimeters long, with a narrow-ovate to triangular scar typically near the base.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 35 sympatric species - distinguished by flower size and wet habitat preference
Habitat and range
Habitat: Wet places, vernal pools in chaparral, oak woodland, conifer forest
Elevation: 160-1340 m
California counties: Lake, Sonoma, Shasta, Napa, Tehama, Modoc
Bloom period
Plagiobothrys tener var. tener 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 tener var. tener native to California?
Yes. Plagiobothrys tener var. tener is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Plagiobothrys tener var. tener bloom?
Plagiobothrys tener var. tener blooms Apr-Jul.
Where in California does Plagiobothrys tener var. tener grow?
Plagiobothrys tener var. tener occurs in Lake, Sonoma, Shasta, Napa, Tehama, Modoc, at elevations of 160-1340 m.
What plant family does Plagiobothrys tener var. tener belong to?
Plagiobothrys tener var. tener is in the Boraginaceae family, genus Plagiobothrys.
What habitat does Plagiobothrys tener var. tener grow in?
Plagiobothrys tener var. tener grows in Wet places, vernal pools in chaparral, oak woodland, conifer forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Plagiobothrys torreyi — High sierra popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys torreyi var. diffusus — Torrey's popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys torreyi var. perplexans — Chaparral popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys torreyi var. torreyi — Yosemite popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys trachycarpus — Rough-nutlet popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys uncinatus — Hooked 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.