Phacelia affinis

Wiggins 1964, Martin and Hutchins 1980

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