Scientific Family
Hydrophyllaceae
Synonyms
Phacelia intermedia
Other common names
Baby blue Phacelia
sky-blue scorpion-weed
skyblue scorpionweed
caterpillar weed
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Annual
Similar species
Phacelia crenulata
Height
2 to 24 inches
Riparian
No
Stems slender, erect, simple or freely branching throughout, and brittle, which break easily when picked up, covered with stiff gland-tipped hairs; basal leaves larger and strongly lobed; stamens within corolla or only slightly extended beyond.
Annual; glandular, stiff hairs; leaves alternate, smooth margined to twice pinnate, basal leaves larger;Â flowers light blue, in coiled elongated clusters, stamens included within or only slightly extend beyond the petals; seeds have prominent ridge.
Habitat
Found in sandy or gravelly soils, on rocky slopes among creosote and other warm desert shrub communities.
Plant Community
Desert Scrub
Low elevation
2000
High elevation
5000
Flower Characteristics
Flowers in scorpioid (curling) seedhead at tips of branches; light blue, or aging to white, with yellow tube; sepals 5, spatula-like, glandular-hairy; corollas bell-shaped, 5-lobed; stamens included within corolla or slightly extended <1/16 inch beyond.
Flower color
Light blue, aging to white
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
Yes
First bloom month
March
Last bloom month
June
Flower clusters
Elongated
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Alternate along the stems, sometimes in basal cluster; basal and stem leaves on slender stalks; blades oblong, 3/4 to 3 inches long; margins wavy to pinnatifid with broadly rounded lobes; leaf surfaces glandular with stiff hairs.
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Pinnatifid
Leaf margin
Lobed
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
Leaves & stems
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Round capsules about 1/8 to 1/4 inch long, sparsely hairy.
Fruit type
Capsule
Capsule with 1 to 4 boat-shaped seeds which are rough to the touch; lower surface pitted; upper surface with central ridge separating 2 longitudinal grooves, ridge corrugated along 1 side.