Acmispon grandiflorus
Large leaved lotus
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Steve Matson · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Acmispon grandiflorus (Large leaved lotus) is a native California subshrub in the Fabaceae family, recognized by largest flowers in genus.
Large leaved lotus is a California native perennial found in coastal and interior mountain ranges in grassland and chaparral habitats. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces green-white or yellow flowers in clusters of 3 to 9 blooms, with individual flowers 15 to 25 millimeters long. Growing with decumbent to erect stems 10 to 40 centimeters tall, it has a spreading habit with glandular black stipules. Its leaves are irregularly pinnate with 7 to 9 elliptic to obovate leaflets, each approximately 1.5 to 3 times longer than wide. The fruit is a distinctive dehiscent pod 2.5 to 6 centimeters long, generally straight and occasionally featuring small horn-like processes.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 28 sympatric species; largest flowers in genus
Habitat and range
California counties: Santa Barbara, Tulare, Los Angeles, Kern, Sonoma, San Bernardino, Shasta, Lake, San Diego, Colusa, Monterey, Riverside, Nevada, San Luis Obispo, Mendocino, Yuba, Solano
How to tell it apart
vs Lotus: Same genus - Lotus is an older name for Acmispon, now considered synonymous.; vs Ottleya: Acmispon has yellow pea-shaped flowers in umbels; Ottleya (a buckwheat relative) has tiny white/pink flowers without pea shape.; vs Eriogonum: Acmispon has compound leaves with 3 leaflets; buckwheats (Eriogonum) have simple leaves.; vs Genista: Acmispon leaves are compound with 3 leaflets; Genista (broom) has simple or very small trifoliate leaves on ridged green stems.; vs Hosackia: Acmispon has tiny gland-like stipules; Hosackia has conspicuous papery or leaf-like stipules at leaf bases.
Frequently asked questions
Is Acmispon grandiflorus native to California?
Yes. Acmispon grandiflorus is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Acmispon grandiflorus grow?
Acmispon grandiflorus occurs in Santa Barbara, Tulare, Los Angeles, Kern, Sonoma, San Bernardino, Shasta, Lake and other counties.
What plant family does Acmispon grandiflorus belong to?
Acmispon grandiflorus is in the Fabaceae family, genus Acmispon.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.