Angelica lucida
Sea-watch, Sea-Watch, sea-watch, sea-watch
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Family: Apiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.2
Angelica lucida (Sea-watch) is a native California herb in the Apiaceae family, recognized by A. hendersonii by glabrous habit and corky-winged fruits.
Sea-watch is a California native perennial found in the northern California Coast bioregion on coastal bluffs and beaches at elevations below 50 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces white flowers in umbrella-like clusters with 20 to 45 branching rays. Growing 1 to 1.5 meters tall with smooth, glabrous stems, it forms an elegant coastal herb. Its large leaves are intricately divided, with 2 to 3 levels of pinnate leaflets that are widely lanceolate to ovate, 4 to 10 centimeters long and sharply serrated along the edges. The fruit is distinctive, with nearly equal ribs and widely corky wings, measuring 4 to 9 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species; distinguished from A. hendersonii by glabrous habit and corky-winged fruits
Habitat and range
Habitat: Coastal bluffs, beaches
Elevation: < 50 m
California counties: Humboldt, Mendocino, Del Norte
Outside California: to Alaska, coastal eastern North America, eastern Asia
Bloom period
Angelica lucida blooms May-Aug.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.2
How to tell it apart
vs Heracleum: Angelica has uniform petals across the flower cluster; Heracleum has dramatically enlarged outer petals.; vs Oenanthe: Angelica has coarse leaf segments; Oenanthe has finely divided, almost feathery leaflets.; vs Cicuta: Angelica has a smooth stem base; Cicuta stem base has chambered cross-sections visible when cut.; vs Sambucus: Angelica has umbrella-shaped flower clusters and divided leaves; Sambucus has flat-topped clusters and opposite leaves.; vs Ligusticum: Angelica has a smooth stem base; Ligusticum stem base is wrapped in fibrous leaf remains.
Frequently asked questions
Is Angelica lucida native to California?
Yes. Angelica lucida is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Angelica lucida bloom?
Angelica lucida blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Angelica lucida grow?
Angelica lucida occurs in Humboldt, Mendocino, Del Norte, at elevations of < 50 m.
What plant family does Angelica lucida belong to?
Angelica lucida is in the Apiaceae family, genus Angelica.
Is Angelica lucida rare or endangered?
Angelica lucida carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.2, state rank S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.