Large-flowered phacelia is an erect, simple or branched, glandular-hairy annual that grows to some 40" tall and is a frequent and abundant fire-follower.  The alternate, ovate 2"-6" leaves are coarsely serrate, ± cordate at the base, and on short stems. The showy pale blue to violet flowers are in dense cymes.  They are rotate to widely bell-shaped with five hairy sepals and a five-lobed corolla that has a lighter center and is often veined with purple.  There are 10-20 long, exserted, purple stamens with large anthers and a one-inch style that is short-hairy and cleft to 3/4 of its length.  A close microscopic inspection of this plant will reveal resinous, amber-colored globules on the ends of the hairs.  Large-flowered phacelia occupies sandy soils in chaparral and coastal sage scrub below 2500' and ranges north to Santa Barbara Co, blooming from April to June.  Phacelia is one of the largest genera in Southern California, having over four dozen species and many subspecies and/or varieties.  These pictures were taken on the Backbone Trail in the Santa Monica Mts.

Click here for Latin name derivations: 1) Phacelia 2) grandiflora.
Pronunciation: fa-SEEL-ee-a gran-di-FLOR-a.
Click here for Botanical Term Meanings.