Trichostema austromontanum subsp. compactum

Hidden lake bluecurls, Hidden Lake Bluecurls

Family: Lamiaceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1 · Delisted

Hidden lake bluecurls is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native annual found in the San Jacinto Mountains at Hidden Lake in montane vernal pools at an elevation of 2,650 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces delicate blue to purple flowers in compact clusters. Growing with diminutive stems less than 10 centimeters tall, it forms a small, dense plant with fine branching. Its leaves are proportionally large compared to the stem, measuring up to 3 centimeters long and spreading wider than the internodes. Its compact growth and miniature stature make it a distinctive inhabitant of high-elevation vernal pool environments.

Habitat: Montane vernal pools

Bloom period: Jul-Aug

Elevation: 2650 m

Bioregions: SnJt (Hidden Lake).

California counties: Riverside

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.