Duration: Annual

Nativity: Native

Lifeform: Forb/Herb

General: Annual forb mostly several-branched from near base, 4-20 cm; herbage, inflorescences and calyx with dense stiff white hairs and sessile glands.

Leaves: Mostly basal and on lower stem 3-6 cm, pinnately lobed to pinnatifid, mostly narrowly oblong; upper leaves reduced.

Flowers: Cymes moderately helicoids, especially on larger plants, flowers few to numerous; calyx lobes oblanceolate to spoon-shaped, glandular; corollas white (rarely pale purple) with a pale yellow-green throat; filaments whitish, the anthers included and cream colored.

Fruits: Many seeds nearly 1 mm, brown, reticulate transversely corrugated.

Ecology: Found along streams, washes, arroyos, often on limestone from 2,000-4,000 ft (610-1219 m); flowers March-May.

Notes: These plants are known to cause light dermatitis.

Ethnobotany: Unknown

Etymology: Phacelia is based on Greek phakelos, meaning cluster alluding to crowded spikes, while affinis means bordering on or related or similar to. 

Synonyms: None

Editor: SBuckley, 2010