Navarretia ojaiensis is a rare species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common name Ojai navarretia.[1]
The plant is endemic to Southern California. It occurs in Ventura County, California, where it is known from the Ojai Valley, the Santa Clarita Valley, and the Santa Susana Mountains.[2] It also occurs in the Santa Monica Mountains within Los Angeles County.[3]
It is found in open areas of chaparral, coastal sage scrub, and grassland habitats.[1] It grows at elevations of 275m-620mm (902feet-2,030feetm).[4]
Navarretia ojaiensis plant is a Critically endangered species on the California Native Plant Society Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants.[4]
Many of the known occurrences may no longer exist, because they are in areas that have experienced urban development.[2] All but one of the remaining populations are in locations which are likely to be developed or altered.[2]
Two populations known in the Santa Monica Mountains may have been extirpated.[5] One was on land that was converted to a parking lot at the home of the composer Marco Beltrami.[6] Another population was on a slope in Agoura Hills, which was slated to be cleared for the construction of the new headquarters for the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.[7]
Navarretia ojaiensis is an annual herb with a spreading, upright stem growing up to 33cm (13inches) long. The hairy, glandular leaves have blades divided into narrow, pointed lobes lined with tiny teeth.[8]
The inflorescence has narrow, pointed bracts and sepals around the flowers which are densely coated in shiny hairs and resin glands. The tubular flower corolla is roughly a centimeter long and white in color with purple markings in the throat. The five corolla lobes are pointed and the stamens protrude from within the throat.[8] The bloom period is May to July.[1]
This plant is new to science, having been officially described in 2007, accompanied by an updated key to the genus.[9]