Acmispon maritimus
Coastal lotus
(c) W. Terry Hunefeld, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Acmispon maritimus (Coastal lotus) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family.
Coastal lotus is a California native annual found in coastal regions, often in sandy or rocky habitats near the ocean. Flowering from March to August, this plant produces bright yellow flowers in small clusters of two to four blooms. Growing with prostrate or ascending stems 5 to 50 centimeters long, it has a fleshy, often clustered growth habit with delicate branching. Its leaves are irregularly pinnate with three to seven leaflets, each 5 to 15 millimeters long and obovate to nearly round. The fruit is a distinctive narrowly oblong pod, generally 1.5 to 3 centimeters long, often slightly curved with a small hooked beak.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated from all other species in genus
Habitat and range
California counties: Santa Barbara, Ventura, Monterey, Los Angeles, Fresno, San Luis Obispo, Riverside, San Diego, Orange, San Bernardino, Imperial
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 maritimus native to California?
Yes. Acmispon maritimus is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Acmispon maritimus grow?
Acmispon maritimus occurs in Santa Barbara, Ventura, Monterey, Los Angeles, Fresno, San Luis Obispo, Riverside, San Diego and other counties.
What plant family does Acmispon maritimus belong to?
Acmispon maritimus 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.