Glehnia littoralis subsp. leiocarpa

American glehnia, American Glehnia

Family: Apiaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.2

American glehnia is a California native perennial found in the northern coastal bioregion on ocean beaches at sea level. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces white flowers in compound umbels with widely lanceolate petals. Growing as a low, prostrate herb with a taproot, it spreads horizontally across sandy coastal environments. Its fleshy leaves are broadly ovate, 2.5 to 15 centimeters wide, with ternate or ternate-pinnate structure featuring leaflets that are often three-lobed and serrated. The distinctive fruit is 4 to 12 millimeters long, with conspicuously corky-winged ribs that help distinguish this unique coastal plant.

Habitat: Ocean beaches

Bloom period: May-Jun

Elevation: +- 0 m.

Bioregions: NCo

California counties: Humboldt, Mendocino, San Mateo, Marin, Del Norte

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.