Taxon Report

Gilia capitata Sims ssp. tomentosa (Brand) V. Grant

woolly-headed gilia

Print Report

Taxon Summary

Gilia capitata ssp. tomentosa, commonly known as woolly-headed gilia, is a annual herb in the Polemoniaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Coastal bluff scrub, and Valley and foothill grassland, growing at elevations from 10 to 220 meters. Gilia capitata ssp. tomentosa is ranked 1B.1, Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in California and Elsewhere; Seriously threatened in California.

Classification


Scientific Name:	Gilia capitata Sims ssp. tomentosa (Brand) V. Grant
Common Name:	woolly-headed gilia
Family:	Polemoniaceae
Element Code:	PDPLM040B9
USDA Plants Symbol:	GICAT2
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History


Lifeform:	annual herb
Blooming Period: May-Jul	May-Jul
Elevation:	10-220 (35-720)
General Habitats:	Coastal bluff scrub, Valley and foothill grassland
Microhabitat:	Rocky, Serpentine
Microhabitat Details:	outcrops

Conservation Status


CA Rare Plant Rank:	1B.1
Global Rank:	G5T2
State Rank:	S2
State List:	None
Fed List:	None
Other Status:	SB_CalBG/RSABG
CRPR Changes:

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB


Total Occurrences:	18
Element Occurrence Ranks:
Excellent (A)	2
Good (B)	3
Fair (C)	0
Poor (D)	0
None (X)	3
Unknown (U)	10

Location


California Endemic: True
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Marin (MRN), Sonoma (SON)(?)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Arched Rock (3812342), Bodega Head (3812331), Bolinas (3712286), Camp Meeker (3812248), Duncans Mills (3812341), Inverness (3812217), Plantation (3812353)(?), Point Reyes NE (3812227), San Geronimo (3812216), Stewarts Point (3812364), Tomales (3812228), Valley Ford (3812238)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB


Threat List Total:	7
EOs with Threat Listed:	Total EOs	% of EOs
	6	33 %
Non-native plant impacts	4	22%
Other	3	16%
Foot traffic/trampling	3	16%
Grazing	3	16%
Improper burning regime	3	16%
Road/trail construction/maint.	2	11%
Erosion/runoff	1	5%

Notes



Threatened by urbanization, road maintenance, and erosion. Intergrades with ssp. capitata in northeastern San Francisco Bay area. See Aliso 2(3):304 (1950) for revised nomenclature.
Threats:

Taxonomy:

Selected References

Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 7 December 2025].