The genus Gilia is highly inclusive and variable and many of its members hybridize.  A Utah Flora, The Intermountain Flora, and Colorado Flora, Western Slope give various names, descriptions, and keys for the Gilia genus.  Many Four Corners Gilias are lumped into Gilia inconspicua by the first two books and into Gilia ophthalmoides in the latter.

     Utah flora expert, Stanley Welsh, says, "the large number of names [given to each Gilia species] is indicative of the variation within... annual, small-flowered Gilias".

     The Gilia genus has been reexamined often. Especially from the work of Verne Grant, Alva Day, and Mark Porter a number of Gilia species have been placed in other genera: Giliastrum, Saltugilia, Navarretia, Ipomopsis, Aliciella, Allophyllum, and Linanthus.

     Ruiz and Pavon collected the first Gilia, Gilia laciniata, in Peru or Chile and they described it in their 1794, Prodromus Florae Peruvianal et Chilensis (A Preliminary Treatise on the Flora of Peru and Chile).  Ruiz and Pavon named Gilia for Filippo Luigi Gilii (1756-1821), Italian clergyman and naturalist.  The species name should be pronounced with a soft g: "Gee lee uh".  See Biographies of Naturalists for more information.

     More Gilia species.

Semi-desert, foothills. Openings. Spring.
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, April 2, 2005 and
Lower Cross Canyon, Utah, April 10, 2016.

Gilia ophthalmoides' lower stem is often twice the diameter of the upper stem, especially when the plants are young.  Cobwebby hairs cover the stem on young plants.  Hairs are not evident on the older plant above.  It is common for plants to lose their hairs as the plants age.

A close look with a hand lens or a close-up camera lens shows a myriad of ball-tipped glandular hairs. Depending on the species, such hairs can impart a stickiness and/or a pleasant smell to the plant.

Semi-desert, foothills. Openings. Spring, summer.
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, April 2, 2005.

This is a species primarily of Northern California with rare occurrences in Oregon, Nevada, and Colorado.  In the Four Corners area it is known only from Montezuma County, Colorado.

The most obvious characteristic that separates Navarretia sinistra from Gilia ophthalmoides is Navarretia sinistra's lack of a basal rosette of leaves.  Further, Navarretia sinistra is branched from the base; Gilia ophthalmoides branches above the base.  And finally, notice, as shown in the photographs below, the more numerous, tack-like, glandular hairs on the stem of Navarretia sinistra.

This species was first named Gilia sinistra by M. E. Jones and was renamed Navarretia sinistra subspecies sinistra by L. A. Johnson.  "Sinistra" is Latin for "on the left hand", but the reference is unknown. 

The common name, "Alva Day's Gilia", honors Alva Day, who, with her husband, Verne Grant, was the 20th century authority on the Phlox Family (Polemoniaceae). Alva Day wrote a widely accepted key to Gilia. 

The "Navarretia" genus was named by Ruiz and Pavon (who also named the Gilia genus).  Francisco Navarrete was a Spanish botanist and physician of the 18th century.

Semi-desert, foothills. Openings. Spring, summer.
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, April 2, 2005.

Notice the minute, tack-like, glandular hairs on the stem.

Semi-desert, foothills. Openings. Spring, summer.
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, April 18, 2007.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Range map for Gilia ophthalmoides

Range map for Navarretia sinistra

Note: The Navarretia sinistra shown on this page extends this range map into the southwest corner of Colorado, Montezuma County.