Loeseliastrum matthewsii – “Desert Calico”

Family: Phlox (Polemoniaceae)
Bloom Period: Mar-Jul
Form: Annual herb
Habitat: Washes and sandy flats
Leaves: Linear, quite fuzzy; bunched at the ends of the stems, just below the flowers
Translation: “Loeseliastrum” is Latin for “like Loeselia,” which is a plant named after Johannes Loesel (1607-1655), a German botanist and physician who never visited the Americas, where every species in this genus is found; “matthewsii” is named for Dr. Washington Matthews (1843-1905), U.S. Army, stationed in Owens Valley, California, in 1875. This scientific name is near the top of my list of species that need better scientific names. This plant’s lovely charm – especially delightful given its tiny size – is not at all reflected in the commemoration of these two men.
Native American Uses: The Tübatulabal took a decoction of the plant to treat colds.