Plant of the Month Pages
| Common Name(s): | Prickly Popcorn Flower |
| Scientific Name: | Cryptantha muricata |
| Family: | Boraginaceae (Borage) |
| Plant Type: | Annual |
| Size: | up to 36 inches |
| Habitat: | open areas on rocky slopes |
| Blooms: | January to June |
| Fire Response: | Fire Follower |
Prickly Popcorn Flower is an erect branching annual up to 3 feet tall. A field full of this plant in bloom can resemble a dusting of snow.
Small white popcorn-looking flowers form clusters at the ends of main branches. They have 5 petals and yellow centers. Blooming occurs from March through June. Leaves are linear and alternate, upt to 2 inches long. Stems are stout and contain many branches. The plant's foliage is covered with short bristles.
The genus name Cryptantha means "hidden flower", a carryover from another species in the genus whose flowers self-fertilized. The species name muricata means "small spines". There are several other species of Cryptanthas or Popcorn Flowers in the Santa Monica Mountains.
Contributed by Liz Baumann
