Oreocarya humilis


Oreocarya humilis, synonym Cryptantha humilis, is a perennial plant in the borage family, native to the western United States. It may be called low cryptantha.

Description

Oreocarya humilis has small, densely leafy stems, giving it a cushion-like appearance, and is relatively low growing, hence the common name. The hairy leaves are spoon-shaped. The inflorescences have five-lobed, white flowers with a yellow ring inside the upper throat, and are less than wide. The ovate fruits are more wrinkled than those of O. nubigena.

Distribution and habitat

Oreocarya humilis is native to the western United States: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah. In the Sierra Nevada range, it is found in dry, gravely soils of the sagebrush scrub community, in subalpine forest, and the alpine zone, up to.