Tonella tenella
Lesser baby innocence
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Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Tonella tenella (Lesser baby innocence) is a native California herb in the Plantaginaceae family, recognized by Only Tonella species in California, representing small Pacific Northwest genus.
Lesser baby innocence is a California native annual found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, northern Sierra Nevada High Country, and San Francisco Bay Area in moist, shaded places within chaparral, oak, and mixed woodland at elevations below 1,600 meters. Flowering from March to June, this delicate plant produces white and blue to violet flowers with purple spots, each small corolla measuring just 2 to 2.5 millimeters long. Growing with ascending stems 5 to 30 centimeters tall, it develops slender branches with soft, shaggy-hairy leaves. Its leaves transition from petioled and ovate to round near the stem base, becoming sessile and potentially three-lobed in the upper portions, with a soft, hairy surface. The plant produces tiny fruits 2 to 2.5 millimeters long, containing a single seed in each chamber.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Only Tonella species in California, representing small Pacific Northwest genus
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist, shaded places in chaparral, oak and mixed woodland
Elevation: < 1600 m
California counties: Humboldt, Trinity, Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma, Santa Clara, Siskiyou, Tehama, Napa, Butte, Contra Costa, San Benito, Glenn, Shasta, Colusa, Del Norte, Placer, Marin, El Dorado, Alameda, Solano, Yolo, Santa Cruz
Outside California: to Washington
Bloom period
Tonella tenella blooms Mar-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Collinsia: Tonella has stamens sticking out beyond petals; Collinsia has stamens hidden inside boat-shaped lower lip.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tonella tenella native to California?
Yes. Tonella tenella is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Tonella tenella bloom?
Tonella tenella blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Tonella tenella grow?
Tonella tenella occurs in Humboldt, Trinity, Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma, Santa Clara, Siskiyou, Tehama and other counties, at elevations of < 1600 m.
What plant family does Tonella tenella belong to?
Tonella tenella is in the Plantaginaceae family, genus Tonella.
What habitat does Tonella tenella grow in?
Tonella tenella grows in Moist, shaded places in chaparral, oak and mixed woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
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.