{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}} {{Automatic taxobox |image = Hesperochironcalifornicus.JPG |image_caption = ''Hesperochiron nanus'', syn. ''Hesperochiron californicus'' |taxon = Hesperochiron |authority = S.Wats. |subdivision_ranks = Species |subdivision = See text. }}
'''''Hesperochiron''''' is a small genus of plants in the waterleaf family containing two species native to western North America. These are thick-rooted perennial herbs growing in squat patches at ground level and producing bluish-white flowers with yellow throats. They grow in wet areas such as seepy meadows.
The species are generally similar in appearance, with oblong green leaves up to 7 or 8 centimeters long and 2 to 3 wide, often coated with tiny hairs. ''Hesperochiron nanus'', the California hesperochiron, produces slightly larger flowers than the dwarf hesperochiron, ''Hesperochiron pumilus''.
The ''H. pumilus'' flower resembles wild strawberry, but has only five stamens and distinct elliptical leaves. They bloom briefly in early spring in the sagebrush steppe.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Taylor|first=Ronald J.|title=Sagebrush Country: A Wildflower Sanctuary|publisher=Mountain Press Pub. Co|year=1994|isbn=0-87842-280-3|edition=rev.|location=Missoula, MT|pages=172|language=en|oclc=25708726|orig-year=1992}}</ref>
==Species== {{As of|2025|December}}, the number of accepted species varied. Plants of the World Online (PoWO) accepted only two:<ref name="POWO_331653-2">{{citation |title=''Hesperochiron'' S.Watson |work=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew|url=http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:331653-2 |access-date=2025-12-23 }}</ref> *''Hesperochiron nanus'' <small>(Lindl.) Greene</small> *''Hesperochiron pumilus'' <small>(Griseb.) Porter </small> World Flora Online accepted two species treated as synonyms by PoWO:<ref name=WFO_4000017625>{{Cite WFO |title=''Hesperochiron'' S.Watson |id=4000017625 |access-date=2025-12-23}}</ref> *''Hesperochiron californicus'' <small>(Benth.) S.Watson</small> (syn. of ''H. nanus'') *''Hesperochiron campanulatus'' <small>(Greene) Brand</small> (syn. of ''H. pumilus'')
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} *[http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?4518,4543 Jepson Manual Treatment] *[http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?query_src=photos_index&where-taxon=Hesperochiron+californicus Photos: ''H. californicus''] *[http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?query_src=photos_index&where-taxon=Hesperochiron+pumilus Photos: ''H. pumilus'']
thumb|Hesperochiron pumilus|left
{{Taxonbar|from=Q5745951}}
Category:Hydrophyllaceae Category:Flora of the California desert regions Category:Flora of the Sierra Nevada (United States) Category:Flora of the West Coast of the United States Category:Flora of the Western United States Category:Boraginales genera
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