Sessile-leaved Yerba Santa
Eriodictyon sessilifolium
The name 'Sessile-leaved' refers to the leaves lacking a petiole (stalk), appearing to clasp the stem directly.
- Scientific name
- Eriodictyon sessilifolium
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Boraginales › Boraginaceae › Eriodictyon
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Coastal sage scrub, chaparral, and rocky slopes of the Baja California peninsula.
- Diet
- Photosynthetic (Sunlight, Water, CO2)
- Range
- Baja California, Mexico
- Size
- 1-2 meters tall, woody shrub
- Lifespan
- 15-30 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Coastal development, invasive grasses, and increased wildfire frequency.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. The plant is non-toxic to touch but very sticky due to protective resins. Observe the purple blooms from a distance to avoid disturbing local pollinators like native bees.
Eriodictyon sessilifolium , known by the common names Baja California yerba santa , sessile-leaved yerba santa or sessileleaf yerba santa is a perennial shrub in the Boraginaceae family, near-endemic to Baja California but also rarely found in the southern California, in a locality near Poway.
Photo: Alan Rockefeller, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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