About Phacelia vallicola Congdon ex Brand
Phacelia vallicola, a species of phacelia, has the common name mariposa phacelia. This plant is endemic to California, and is only found in the Sierra Nevada and the adjacent southernmost slopes of the Cascade Range. It grows in coniferous forest, chaparral, and other mountain and foothill habitats. It is an annual herb that grows erect to a maximum height of around 27 centimeters. The entire plant is coated in a mixture of soft and stiff hairs. Its leaves are oval or lance-shaped, have smooth edges, and grow on short petioles. The hairy inflorescence is a one-sided curving or coiling cyme made up of bell-shaped flowers. Each flower is roughly half a centimeter long, purple in color, and has a paler purple throat.
