Cryptantha (7)
Plants in the Cryptantha genus are commonly known as Cat's Eyes. They have tiny white flowers with a yellow center and have rough hairs on the whole plant. They produce nutlets that vary in size, shape and color and are used for identification. These are differentiated by their growth habit and location.
Roughseed Cryptantha
Cryptantha flavoculata (Oreocarya flavoculata)
Family:
Borage (Boraginaceae)
AKA:
Cat's Eye
Photo taken on:
May 9, 2005
Location:
Almont Triangle, CO
Life Zones:
Plains to foothills
Habitat:
Dry meadows
Grows in clumps to 8" high covered with hairs. The tiny white flowers have a touch of yellow in the center.
James' Cryptantha
Cryptantha cinerea var. jamesii
Family:
Borage (Boraginaceae)
AKA:
James' Hiddenflower, James' Cat's Eye
Photo taken on:
May 15, 2009
Location:
White Rock, NM
Life Zones:
Plains to foothills
Habitat:
Disturbed sandy, rocky areas, roadsides
Grows to 12" covered with hairs. Flowers are tiny and grow in S-shaped clusters.
Wingnut Cryptantha
Cryptantha pterocarya
Family:
Borage (Boraginaceae)
AKA:
Photo taken on:
June 25, 2010
Location:
Bandelier Nat Mon, NM
Life Zones:
Plains
Habitat:
Pinyon-juniper woodlands
Grows to 20" but is often shorter under trees. It is tall and slender compared to other Cryptanthas but it is also hairy and the flower is similar, tiny and white.
Tawny Cryptantha
Cryptantha fulvocanescens (Oreocarya fulvocanescens)
Family:
Borage (Boraginaceae)
AKA:
Tawny Cat's Eye
Photo taken on:
April 26, 2010
Location:
White Rock, NM
Life Zones:
Plains to foothills
Habitat:
Dry areas, waste ground
Grows to 6" in clumps with gray stems and bristly leaves. It grows in similar habitat to Thicksepal Cryptantha below but is a bit taller and has larger flowers.
Thicksepal Cryptantha
Cryptantha crassisepala var. elachantha
Family:
Borage (Boraginaceae)
AKA:
Bractless Cryptantha, Thicksepal Cats Eye
Photo taken on:
April 26, 2014
Location:
Abiquiu, NM
Life Zones:
Plains to foothills
Habitat:
Dry areas, waste ground
Grows to 4" in clumps with bristly stems and leaves. The flowers have no bracts. It produces four nutlets, one of which is taller than the others.
Little Cryptantha
Cryptantha minima
Family:
Borage (Boraginaceae)
AKA:
Little Cat's-eye, Small Cryptantha
Photo taken on:
May 9, 2016
Location:
CR 142, Abiquiu, NM
Life Zones:
Plains to foothills
Habitat:
Dry areas, woodlands
A tiny plant with flowers ⅛" across. Very similar to Thicksepal Cryptantha growing in similar habitat but the flowers have bracts. It produces four nutlets, one of which is totally smooth.
Sand Dune Cryptantha
Cryptantha fendleri
Family:
Borage (Boraginaceae)
AKA: Sand
Dune Cat's Eye
Photo taken on:
July 19, 2018
Location:
Almont Triangle, GV, CO
Life Zones:
Plains and foothills
Habitat:
Sandy areas in sagebrush habitat
Grows 4" to 20" high with a single erect stem branching above and narrow leaves. Flowers are ⅛" across and grow in tight, coiled clusters which elongate and straighten as the plant matures. It produces four smooth shiny nutlets.
