Floerkea proserpinacoides
False mermaidweed
(c) Jensyn Scott, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Limnanthaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Floerkea proserpinacoides (False mermaidweed) is a native California herb in the Limnanthaceae family, recognized by Relict species of a small North American genus, representing an eastern North American element in California's mountain flora.
False mermaidweed is a California native annual found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, high Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, and Modoc Plateau in moist open places within conifer forest or sagebrush scrub at elevations of 1,500 to 3,200 meters. Flowering from May to July, this delicate plant produces small white spoon-shaped petals in tiny clusters. Growing with decumbent to erect stems less than 20 centimeters tall, it has a fleshy and glabrous appearance. Its leaves are intricately divided into 3 to 5 oblong leaflets, each up to 2 centimeters long, creating a delicate, lacy structure. The fruit consists of 2 to 3 wrinkled, nearly spherical mericarps about 3 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Relict species of a small North American genus, representing an eastern North American element in California's mountain flora
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist open places in conifer forest or sagebrush scrub
Elevation: 1500-3200 m
California counties: Mono, Modoc, Siskiyou, Tulare, Tehama, Plumas, Alpine, Madera, Shasta, Mendocino, Sierra, Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Placer, Tuolumne, Nevada, Humboldt, Trinity
Outside California: to British Columbia, eastern North America
Bloom period
Floerkea proserpinacoides blooms May-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Limnanthes: Floerkea has 3 petals shorter than sepals; Limnanthes has 4-5 showy petals longer than sepals.; vs Triglochin: Floerkea has compound leaves with 3-5 leaflets; Triglochin has grass-like leaves.; vs Phoenix: Floerkea is a tiny annual herb under 6 cm; Phoenix is a palm tree.; vs Fraxinus: Floerkea is a low annual with 3-petaled flowers; Fraxinus is a tree with no petals.; vs Berberis: Floerkea has 3 petals and annual growth; Berberis is a woody shrub with 6 petals.
Frequently asked questions
Is Floerkea proserpinacoides native to California?
Yes. Floerkea proserpinacoides is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Floerkea proserpinacoides bloom?
Floerkea proserpinacoides blooms May-Jul.
Where in California does Floerkea proserpinacoides grow?
Floerkea proserpinacoides occurs in Mono, Modoc, Siskiyou, Tulare, Tehama, Plumas, Alpine, Madera and other counties, at elevations of 1500-3200 m.
What plant family does Floerkea proserpinacoides belong to?
Floerkea proserpinacoides is in the Limnanthaceae family, genus Floerkea.
What habitat does Floerkea proserpinacoides grow in?
Floerkea proserpinacoides grows in Moist open places in conifer forest or sagebrush scrub.
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.