Phacelia calthifolia – “Caltha-Leafed Phacelia”

Also Known As: Cleftleaf Wildheliotrope, Heliotrope Phacelia
Family: Borage (Boraginaceae)
Bloom Period: Mar-May
Form: Annual
Habitat: Sandy soils, generally in Creosote Bush scrub
Leaves: Oblong to elliptical, deeply lobed; mostly basal
Translation: “Phacelia” is Greek for “a cluster,” which refers to the crowded flowers in many species of this genus; “crenulata” is derived from Latin and means wavy, lobed or scalloped, which describes the leaves.
Native American Uses: The Western Keres treated sore throats with a tea of the plant, and rubbed an infusion of the root on swellings. The Hopi used it as a veterinary medicine to treat injurites in animals, especially horses.