Boraginaceae: Borage Family — Emmenanthe & Eriodictyon
Most members of the Borage family have their flowers arranged in coiled (scorpiod) cymes. They bloom from the base upwards, gradually unfurling like a scorpion’s tail or caterpillar, as new flowers emerge.
Whispering Bells – Emmenanthe penduliflora var. penduliflora
Blooms:
Apr–July
Plant Height:
10–50 cm
Flower Size:
Small
Origin:
Native
Habitat:
A fire follower, also found on recently disturbed ground such as shale slopes
Notes:
This is many-branched, with a loose growth habit. Leaves are simple, toothed to pinnately lobed. There are clusters of pale lemon, bell-shaped flowers, erect in bud, but becoming pendulous as the flowers mature. Photo #4 by CJH.
Pink-flowered Whispering Bells – Emmenanthe penduliflora var. rosea
Blooms:
Apr–June
Plant Height:
5–85 cm
Flower Size:
Small
Origin:
Native
Habitat:
Talus slopes or rocky or sandy soils
Notes:
These flowers are typically pink, much paler inside than out, and are much less common than the yellow-flowered Whispering Bells (var. penduliflora, see above). White flowers are occasionally found. The stem and leaf axes are commonly reddish. Leaves may be toothed or pinnately lobed.
California Yerba Santa – Eriodictyon californicum
Blooms:
Apr–July
Plant Height:
0.6–2.5 m
Flower Size:
Medium
Origin:
Native
Habitat:
Dry slopes
Notes:
This shrub has clusters of funnel-shaped white to purplish flowers, 6–10 mm long. The leaves are up to 15 cm, narrow, oblong to lanceolate, entire or toothed. The leaves may be covered in a sticky resin, which can appear black from a fungus. Photos #3-4 by CJH.
Woolly Yerba Santa – Eriodictyon tomentosum
Blooms:
May–July
Plant Height:
1–3 m
Flower Size:
Small cluster
Origin:
Native
Habitat:
Dry slopes, mainly inland and in Santa Lucias
Notes:
Like California Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon californicum, see above), this is a shrub with leaves about the same size and shape, but is otherwise quite different. Both twigs and leaves are covered in dense white-woolly hairs giving it a silvery-blue to -gray appearance. Leaves are entire to coarsely toothed. Flowers are in dense fuzzy bunches of coiled, tiny, very light lavender to white, glandular, urn-shaped flowers.
