# Hairy Yerba Santa

*Eriodictyon trichocalyx*

The sticky, aromatic resins on its leaves reduce water loss in arid environments and act as a natural deterrent against browsing herbivores.

- **Taxonomy:** Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Boraginales › Boraginaceae › Eriodictyon
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Chaparral, coastal sage scrub, dry rocky slopes, and openings in pinyon-juniper and open pine woodlands.
- **Diet:** Autotroph
- **Range:** United States (Southern California), Mexico (Northern Baja California)
- **Size:** 1–2 m tall
- **Lifespan:** 10–25 years
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Habitat loss from urban development, altered wildfire frequencies, and displacement by invasive non-native grasses.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless to humans. The foliage is coated in a sticky, aromatic resin that can transfer to skin or clothing and occasionally cause mild contact irritation in sensitive individuals. Wash skin with soap and warm water if exposed.

## About

Eriodictyon trichocalyx is a species of flowering plant in the borage family known by the common name hairy yerba santa .

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/69bed9e7-2f5f-479c-bc35-0ee900bf007d
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/76959
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eriodictyon trichocalyx
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/6268959/medium.jpg (no rights reserved, CC0, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.