''Downingia pusilla'' is a species of flowering plant in the bellflower family known by the common name dwarf calicoflower. This wildflower is found in two separate parts of the world,

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

and the US state of

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. It grows in wet areas such as ditches and

vernal pools Vernal pools, also called vernal ponds or ephemeral pools, are seasonal pools of water that provide habitat for distinctive plants and animals. They are considered to be a distinctive type of wetland usually devoid of fish, and thus allow the safe ...

. This annual is different from the other

downingia ''Downingia'' is a genus of 13 annual plants native to western North America and Chile. Commonly known as calico flowers, they are notable for forming mass displays of small but colorful blooms around vernal pool Vernal pools, also called ver ...

s in that its flowers are much smaller, reaching 4 millimeters in width at maximum. It grows erect stems with few pointed leaves. The tiny tubular flower is white or blue, with yellow spots near the mouth of the tube. The fruit is a capsule two or three centimeters long.

External links

Jepson Manual TreatmentPhoto gallery
pusilla Flora of California Flora of Chile Flora without expected TNC conservation status {{Campanulaceae-stub