California macrophylla
Round-leaved filaree
(c) Joe Decruyenaere, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Geraniaceae · Type: Annual · Native
Conservation status: CNPS CBR
California macrophylla (Round-leaved filaree) is a native California annual in the Geraniaceae family, recognized by Monotypic genus endemic to California and northern Mexico, representing a unique evolutionary lineage within Geraniaceae.
Round-leaved filaree is a California native annual found in northern California Coast Ranges, southern Sierra Nevada foothills, Central Valley, central and southern coastal California, southern California coastal areas, Channel Islands, western Transverse Ranges, and Peninsular Ranges at elevations up to 1,200 meters in open grasslands, scrub, and clay habitats. Flowering from March to July, this plant produces white flowers tinged with red to purple, delicately arranged in umbels. Growing with glandular-puberulent stems less than 5 centimeters tall, it has a distinctive scapose habit. Its simple opposite leaves are 10 to 15 centimeters long, with kidney-shaped or heart-shaped blades that are crenate or shallowly lobed, featuring a blade much smaller than its petiole. The distinctive fruit consists of glandular-puberulent mericarp bodies 8 to 10 millimeters long with a persistent style column and stiffly hairy beak segments.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Monotypic genus endemic to California and northern Mexico, representing a unique evolutionary lineage within Geraniaceae
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open sites, grassland, scrub, vertic clay, occasionally serpentine
Elevation: < 1200 m
California counties: Kern, Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, Alameda, Colusa, Contra Costa, Fresno, Kings, Tehama, Merced, Monterey, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Yolo, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Glenn, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Santa Clara, Napa
Outside California: to northern Mexico
Bloom period
California macrophylla blooms Mar-Jul.
Conservation status
CNPS CBR
How to tell it apart
vs Pelargonium: California is herbaceous with simple rounded leaves; Pelargonium is shrubby with lobed or divided leaves.; vs Erodium: California has simple rounded leaves with palm-like veining; Erodium has feathery pinnately-divided leaves.; vs Geranium: California has simple rounded leaves, often unlobed; Geranium has deeply palm-divided leaves with distinct finger-like segments.
Frequently asked questions
Is California macrophylla native to California?
Yes. California macrophylla is native to California (recorded as native).
When does California macrophylla bloom?
California macrophylla blooms Mar-Jul.
Where in California does California macrophylla grow?
California macrophylla occurs in Kern, Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, Alameda, Colusa, Contra Costa, Fresno and other counties, at elevations of < 1200 m.
What plant family does California macrophylla belong to?
California macrophylla is in the Geraniaceae family, genus California.
Is California macrophylla rare or endangered?
California macrophylla carries California Rare Plant Rank CBR.
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
Last updated 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.