Mountain phacelia is a decumbent to erect perennial from a branched, woody root-
crown that grows to 16" high and whose stems and foliage are covered with dense, gray, minute hairs.  The leaves are mostly basal with 1-7 pairs of lateral sharply-
pointed segments and prominent lateral veins, but there are some upper cauline leaves that are simple and entire.  The flowers appear in densely-coiled inflorescences.  The corollas are cylindric to bell-shaped and are white to lavender with hispid exserted stamens.  Mountain phacelia is common in rocky places in either shade or sun below 6500' but despite its name may be found at as low an elevation as 150'.  It is a frequent resident of chaparral and yellow pine forest, and ranges from the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mts to Mt. Pinos to the Coast Ranges and the Sierra Nevada, blooming from April to June.  The name imbricata refers to the overlapping calyx lobes.  These pictures were taken on the Sturtevant Trail above Chantry Flat in the San Gabriels.

Click here for Latin name derivations: 1) Phacelia 2) imbricata.
Pronunciation: fa-SEEL-ee-a im-bri-KAY-ta.
Click here for Botanical Term Meanings.