viper’s-buglosses

genus Echium

Member of borage family (family Boraginaceae)
borages (order Boraginales)
dicots (class Magnoliopsida)
flowering plants (subphylum Angiospermae)

Except for extremely rare examples that I don't expect to encounter, there are no other wild species of this genus in the bay area.

similar species

Distinguishing features are listed here.

purple viper’s-bugloss
Echium plantagineum

commonly spotted near the top of Foothills Park.
much-branched stems
basal leaves are elliptic or oblong
corolla is 18–30 mm long, purple or bluish
two protruding stamens (short-exserted) and three shorter stamens

viper’s-bugloss
Echium vulgare

NRDB thinks that this can also be found at Foothills, but they are wrong.
This species has been introduced to very few US states, and California is not one of them.
mostly unbranched stems
basal leaves are oblanceolate or linear
corolla is 15–20 mm long, blue
four protuding stamens and one shorter stamen

All stamens long-exserted

pride of madeira
Echium candicans

plant many-branched
no basal rosette
flower ± radial
corolla tube ± = calyx

giant viper’s-bugloss
Echium pininana

plant generally unbranched
basal rosette present
flower ± bilateral
corolla tube 2+ × calyx

Toxicity of pride of madeira (Echium spp.):
4 – Ingestion of these plants, especially in large amounts, is expected to cause serious effects to the heart, liver, kidneys or brain. If ingested in any amount, call the poison center immediately.

3 observed taxons / 1 unobserved taxon / 1 key

Chris’s observations: 6 (all are research grade)

Locations:

Foothills Nature Preserve, Palo Alto: 3
Waterdog Lake & Open Space: 2
Switzerland

Months:

Jan.: 1
Feb.: 1
Mar.: 2
Apr.: 0
May: 0
Jun.: 0
Jul.: 2

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Not all sites include this taxon:

genus Echium → iNaturalist – Calflora – Jepson eFlora
not yet listed → FNA

Bay Area species: iNaturalist – Calflora