Phacelia cicutaria

Species of plant

Phacelia cicutaria

Scientific classification
Kingdom:  | Plantae
Clade:  | Tracheophytes
Clade:  | Angiosperms
Clade:  | Eudicots
Clade:  | Asterids
Order:  | Boraginales
Family:  | Boraginaceae
Genus:  | Phacelia
Species:  |

P. cicutaria

Binomial name
Phacelia cicutaria

Greene

Subspecies

P. cicutaria var. cicutaria
P. cicutaria var. hispida (Gray) J.T. Howell
P. cicutaria var. hubbyi

Phacelia cicutaria, with the common names caterpillar phacelia or caterpillar scorpionweed, is an annual species of Phacelia.

It is native to California, southern Nevada, and Baja California. It grows mainly in chaparral habitats, frequently in burnt areas[1] or on rocky slopes.

## Description[edit]

Phacelia cicutaria is an upright annual shrub growing up to 0.6 m (2') high. Its foliage is deeply lobed, 2–15 cm (1-6") long, with spiked segments.[2]

The flower buds are held in tight, hairy coils which uncoil as the flowers open one by one. The flowering stems' resemblance of caterpillars lends this plant its common name. Flowers appear between March and May and are dirty-white to pale lavender in color.

Closeup of flower.

## Cultivation[edit]

Phacelia cicutaria is cultivated as an ornamental plant, in native plant and wildlife gardens, and for natural landscaping designs and habitat restoration projects. Its drought tolerance makes it well suited for water conserving gardens.

It can be propagated by seed, germination of which may be stimulated with aqueous extracts of charred wood, or the charred wood itself.[3]

## References[edit]

1. ^ Dale 1986, pg. 124
2. ^ Jepson Manual 1993
3. ^ Baskin 2002

### Further reading[edit]

* Dale, Nancy; Flowering Plants of the Santa Monica Mountains, Capra Press, 1986
* Baskin, Carol C.; Baskin, Jerry M. 2002. Propagation protocol for production of container Phacelia cicutaria Greene plants

## External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Phacelia cicutaria.

* Jepson Manual Treatment — Phacelia cicutaria
* Calflora database: Phacelia cicutaria
* Phacelia cicutaria — U.C. Photo gallery

Taxon identifiers|

* Wikidata: Q7179873
* Wikispecies: Phacelia cicutaria
* Calflora: 6298
* CoL: 4FJSX
* EoL: 467064
* GBIF: 2928208
* GRIN: 463067
* iNaturalist: 50857
* IPNI: 1152635-2
* IRMNG: 10205226
* ITIS: 31469
* NatureServe: 2.137936
* NCBI: 1241242
* Open Tree of Life: 450335
* Plant List: tro-16200381
* PLANTS: PHCI
* POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:1152635-2
* Tropicos: 16200381
* WFO: wfo-0001066865

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