Coastal gilia facts for kids

Gilia diegensis is a special kind of flowering plant. It is commonly known as the coastal gilia. This plant belongs to the phlox family.

You can find coastal gilia growing naturally in southern California and Baja California in Mexico. It likes to live in different places like forests, scrublands, and even deserts. It grows in mountain ranges such as the Transverse Ranges and Peninsular Ranges.

What Does Coastal Gilia Look Like?

Coastal gilia plants usually have a straight stem. This stem can grow up to 40 centimeters (about 16 inches) tall. The stem often feels a bit sticky because it has small glands.

At the bottom of the plant, there is a flat group of leaves. This group is called a basal rosette. These leaves can be up to 7 centimeters (about 3 inches) long. They have sharp, deep cuts or lobes. Higher up on the stem, there are smaller leaves. These stem leaves are shaped like a spearhead and have small teeth along their edges.

The flowers of the coastal gilia grow in a cluster. Each flower has a purple and yellow center, which is called the throat. The petals, or corolla lobes, can be white to light purple. You will also see stamens sticking out from the flower. These stamens have blue anthers at their tips.