Scientific Family
Boraginaceae
Synonyms
Amsinckia hispidissima
Other common names
small flowered fiddleneck
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Annual
Height
To 20 inches
Riparian
No
An upright plant with long, narrow leaves, bristly hairs covering leaves and stems. The small, yellow to yellowish-orange flowers are tubular atop a flower spike coiled in a manner resembling the neck of a fiddle, thus its common name fiddleneck.
Unbranched stems covered with long, white, firm, bristly hairs; flowers 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, 1/16 to 1/8 inch wide, yellow to yellowish-orange, petals fused into a tube for most of their length then separating into 5 rounded lobes.
Habitat
Fields, roadsides and dry open desert and upland areas.
Plant Community
Interior Chaparral
Grasslands
Disturbed Areas
Desert Scrub
Low elevation
0
High elevation
4000
Flower Characteristics
Yellow flowers are small and tubular shaped with 5 rounded yellow to orange lobes usually with red-orange marks. They are clustered along a coiled terminal flower spike. As the flowers open, the coil uncurls.
Flower color
Yellow to orange
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
Yes
First bloom month
March
Last bloom month
May
Flower clusters
Elongated
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
The long, narrow leaves and upright stems are covered in bristly hairs. Stem leaves are alternate with short or no stems.
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Narrow
Leaf margin
Smooth
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
Leaves & stems
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Nutlets are erect, triangular and have a rough, bumpy surface and each contains 1 seed.
Fruit type
Nutlet
Fruit color
Brown to black