The species was first discovered in San Benito County, part of the California Floristic Province, in 1926 by federal scientist Orator Cook and formally described by Cook and Harold F. Loomis in 1928.
A especie descubriuna en San Benito County, que está dentro da Provincia Florística de California, en 1926 o científico federal Orator Cook e describírona formalmente Cook e Harold F. Loomis en 1928.