Cycladenia humilis
Cycladenia
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Family: Apocynaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Cycladenia humilis (Cycladenia) is a native California herb in the Apocynaceae family, recognized by found only in northern CA counties.
Cycladenia is a California native perennial herb found in rocky desert habitats at elevations of 600 to 1,800 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces rose-purple flowers over 15 millimeters long with wavy-edged obovate lobes and distinctive round appendages behind the anthers. Growing with erect, fleshy stems 6 to 12 centimeters tall and covered in tomentose to glabrous herbage, it has a distinctive large root system. Its opposite leaves are 2 to 5 pairs of ovate or round blades, typically less than 9 centimeters long with bases ranging from truncate to tapered. The fruit develops 3 to 5 centimeters long, with seeds featuring a distinctive tuft of long hairs at one end.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated from all congeners; found only in northern CA counties
Habitat and range
California counties: Plumas, Butte, Modoc, Lassen, Monterey, Siskiyou, Colusa, Shasta, Tehama, Glenn, Lake, Los Angeles, Inyo, San Bernardino, Sierra, Trinity, Del Norte, Humboldt
How to tell it apart
vs Diplacus: Cycladenia has thick waxy opposite leaves and trumpet flowers with five equal lobes; Diplacus has thin leaves and two-lipped snapdragon flowers.; vs Mirabilis: Cycladenia has fleshy waxy leaves and tubular flowers with five petals; Mirabilis has thin leaves and petalless flowers with colored sepals.; vs Koenigia: Cycladenia has large showy trumpet flowers and opposite leaves; Koenigia has tiny flowers and alternate leaves.; vs Vinca: Cycladenia has thick succulent leaves and grows upright; Vinca has thin glossy leaves and trails on ground.; vs Amsonia: Cycladenia has thick waxy opposite leaves; Amsonia has thin alternate leaves spiraling up stem.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cycladenia humilis native to California?
Yes. Cycladenia humilis is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Cycladenia humilis grow?
Cycladenia humilis occurs in Plumas, Butte, Modoc, Lassen, Monterey, Siskiyou, Colusa, Shasta and other counties.
What plant family does Cycladenia humilis belong to?
Cycladenia humilis is in the Apocynaceae family, genus Cycladenia.
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.