Cryptantha angustifolia – “Narrow-Leaved Forget-Me-Not”

Also Known As: Panamint Catseye, Bristlelobe Cryptantha, Narrow-Leaved Cryptantha, Narrow-Leaved Johnstonella
Other Botanical Names: Johnstonella angustifolia, Cryptantha inaequata, Eremocarya angustifolia
Family: Borage (Boraginaceae)
Bloom Period: Jan-Jun
Form: Annual ephemeral herb
Habitat: Sandy soils, disturbed areas
Leaves: Linear to lanceolate; basal, scattered along stem
Translation: “Cryptantha” is Greek for “hidden flower,” which refers to the tiny – virtually invisible – flowers in this genus; “angustifolia” is Latin for “narrow-leaved”; “inaequata” is Latin for “unequal,” and might refer to the nutlets because one is generally larger than the others; “Eremocarya” is Greek for “desert nut”; “Johnstonella” is named for Ivan Murray Johnston (1898-1960), a botanist and worldwide authority on the family Boraginaceae.
Notes: It is easy to miss this inconspicuous plant in the sandy, disturbed places it often grows, but it’s worth a closer look if you do spot it.