Foothills, montane. Openings, woodlands. Summer.
Near Narraguinnep Canyon Natural Area, June 10, 2010.

This short-lived annual grows from one-half to four inches tall and has minute flowers.  It escapes notice because of its short stature and short life-span but when it is in bloom it is often so numerous that it eventually attracts attention.  Flowers are only 5-7 millimeters long and little more than two millimeters across.

Leaves are often three-parted, narrow linear, no more than an inch long, and lower leaves are often withered by flowering time.  Bracts are similar in shape to leaves but shorter, in a tight cluster, bright green, and sticky glandular.  The bract cluster almost appears burr-like.

Asa Gray named this species Gilia breweri in 1870 from a specimen collected by William Brewer in the California Sierras. Edward Greene renamed it Navarretia breweri in 1887. Francisco Navarrete was an 18th century Spanish botanist and William Brewer was a California botanist and Professor at Yale.  (Click for more biographical information about Navarrete and click again for more biographical information about Breweri.)

Navarretia breweri  (Navarretia)
Polemoniaceae (Phlox Family)

Foothills, montane. Openings, woodlands. Summer.
Near Narraguinnep Canyon Natural Area, June 10, 2010.

Navarretia breweri  (Navarretia)
Polemoniaceae (Phlox Family)

Foothills, montane. Openings, woodlands. Summer.
Near Narraguinnep Canyon Natural Area, June 10, 2010.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Range map for Navarretia breweri