Collomia is a genus of about 15 species of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae (the phlox family), placed in the order Ericales. Species are commonly known as trumpets, mountain trumpets, or trumpet flowers — names that reflect the characteristic tubular, funnel-shaped corollas. The genus was described by Thomas Nuttall and takes its name from the Greek kolla ("glue"), a reference to the seeds, which develop a sticky, gelatinous coating when moistened.
The plants are typically annual or short-lived perennial herbs with simple, alternate leaves. Flowers are borne in head-like clusters and range in color from white and pale pink to salmon, lavender, and deep red-orange depending on the species. Collomia linearis, the narrow-leaf mountain trumpet, is among the most widespread species, found across much of western North America from low elevations to subalpine zones. Collomia rawsoniana, the flaming trumpet, produces striking orange-red blooms and is restricted to a narrow range in the Sierra Nevada. Collomia diversifolia is a specialist of serpentine soils in California.
The genus is native to western North America, with a secondary center of diversity in southern South America. Most species are found in open, often disturbed or rocky habitats — roadsides, talus slopes, alpine meadows, and sagebrush scrub. Several species have highly restricted ranges and are of conservation interest.
Etymology
The genus name Collomia derives from the Greek kolla, meaning "glue," an allusion to the seeds, which become sticky and gelatinous in texture when wet — a trait useful for dispersal in arid and rocky environments.
Distribution
Collomia species are native primarily to western North America, where they occur from British Columbia south through the Rocky Mountains and Pacific states to the deserts and mountains of the American Southwest. A secondary distribution exists in southern South America. Most species favor open, disturbed, or rocky habitats including roadsides, talus slopes, sagebrush scrub, and subalpine meadows.
