Claytonia umbellata
Great basin claytonia
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Montiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.1
Claytonia umbellata (Great basin claytonia) is a native California herb in the Montiaceae family, recognized by large tuber and mostly underground stem diagnostic.
Great basin claytonia is a rare (CNPS 2B.1) California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges and Great Basin in talus slopes, stony flats, and rock crevices at elevations of 1,900 to 3,500 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces delicate pink flowers 6 to 12 millimeters long in small clusters of 2 to 12 blooms. Growing with erect stems 5 to 25 centimeters tall, mostly underground with a distinctive brown tuberous root 1 to 5 centimeters in diameter. Its basal leaves are widely elliptic to ovate, 1 to 3 centimeters long, with acute or truncate bases and obtuse tips. The tiny round seeds are 2.5 to 3 millimeters in diameter and have a distinctive shiny appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 19 sympatric species; large tuber and mostly underground stem diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Talus slopes, stony flats, rock crevices
Elevation: 1900-3500 m
California counties: Tuolumne, Mono, Lassen, Siskiyou, Alpine, Modoc
Outside California: Oregon, Nevada
Bloom period
Claytonia umbellata blooms May-Aug.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.1
How to tell it apart
vs Montia: Claytonia has just 2 stem leaves opposite or fused; Montia has multiple stem leaves arranged alternately.; vs Stellaria: Claytonia has 2 broad stem leaves and 5 petals; Stellaria has many narrow opposite leaves and deeply notched petals.; vs Hydrocotyle: Claytonia has 5-petaled flowers above paired stem leaves; Hydrocotyle has round shield-like leaves and tiny flower clusters.; vs Lewisia: Claytonia has thin leaves on upright stems in moist areas; Lewisia forms succulent rosettes on rocky cliffs.; vs Dichondra: Claytonia has upright stems with 5-petaled flowers; Dichondra is a creeping plant with kidney-shaped leaves.
Frequently asked questions
Is Claytonia umbellata native to California?
Yes. Claytonia umbellata is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Claytonia umbellata bloom?
Claytonia umbellata blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Claytonia umbellata grow?
Claytonia umbellata occurs in Tuolumne, Mono, Lassen, Siskiyou, Alpine, Modoc, at elevations of 1900-3500 m.
What plant family does Claytonia umbellata belong to?
Claytonia umbellata is in the Montiaceae family, genus Claytonia.
Is Claytonia umbellata rare or endangered?
Claytonia umbellata carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.1, state rank S1.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Claytonia washingtoniana — Suksdorf's spring beauty
- Claytonia cordifolia — Heart leaf spring beauty
- Claytonia crawfordii — Crawford's spring beauty
- Claytonia exigua — Little spring beauty
- Claytonia exigua subsp. exigua
- Claytonia exigua subsp. glauca
- Lewisia brachycalyx — Short-sepaled lewisia
- Lewisia cantelovii — Cantelow's lewisia
- Lewisia congdonii — Congdon's lewisia
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.