Caterpillar Phacelia
Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida
Color: Pale lavender
Common name: Caterpillar Phacelia
Latin name: Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida
Family: BORAGINACEAE
Height: 18-60 cm
Description: Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida is an upright annual shrub with flower buds that are held in tight, hairy coils which uncoil as the flowers open one by one. The flowering stems' resemblance of caterpillars lends this plant its common name. The stems are ascending to erect, simple to branched, stiff-hairy and glandular.
Leaf: Its foliage is deeply lobed, 2–15 cm long, with spiked segments.
Range: w Desert, South Coast Ranges, Southwestern California
Habitat: Rocky slopes, oak/pine woodland, grassland
Elevation: < 1400 m.
Flowering time: Mar-Jun
Notes: Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida is drought tolerant, making it ideal for xeriscaping. It can be propagated by seed, germination of which may be stimulated with aqueous extracts of charred wood, or the charred wood itself. Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida is a dicot that is native to California. Phacelias can cause dermatitis. This photo was taken on June 18, 2006.
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Photo tips: Most digital point-and-shoot cameras have a macro function - usually symbolized by the icon of a little flower. When you turn on that function, you allow your camera to get closer to the subject, looking into a flower for example. Or getting up close and personal with a bug. More on desert photography.
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