Boraginaceae

Cryptantha flaccida

Weak-Stem Cryptantha

Upright, with sharp bristly hairs that mostly stand straight up. Stem branches ascending, usually divided in the inflorescence. Leaves linear to oblong, to 2 in., mostly near base, a few scattered on stem. Flowers in coils at top are small, white, sometimes touching each other, surrounded by dense calyx bristles that curve to a hooked tip. Most flowers have single nutlet. Grows in dry gravelly soils in open sites throughout our region at low to mid-elevations.

• Rarity: Common
• Flowering Time: Late Spring
• Life Cycle: Annual
• Height: 4--16 inches
• Habitat: Shrub-Steppe, East-Side Forest
• Found In: East Gorge
• Native: Yes