Horkelia daucifolia var. daucifolia
Carrot leafed horkelia
Photo: parent species Horkelia daucifolia · (c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Horkelia daucifolia var. daucifolia (Carrot leafed horkelia) is a native California perennial in the Rosaceae family, recognized by carrot-like leaves with broad lobes and gray-hairy appearance.
Carrot leafed horkelia is a California native perennial found in western Klamath Ranges and northern California Ranges, especially in Shasta and Scott valleys, in dry open places often on serpentine clay at elevations of 500 to 1,650 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces white petals 4 to 6 millimeters long, wedge-shaped to obovate, with delicate pale flowers. Growing with fine stems up to 15 centimeters tall, it features distinctively gray-hairy foliage. Its leaves are complex, with 5 to 25 millimeter leaflets divided into 2 to 5 narrow lobes, each 1 to 3 millimeters wide and covered in soft gray hairs. The plant's intricate, compact structure makes it well-adapted to challenging serpentine soil environments.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 9 sympatric species; key features are carrot-like leaves with broad lobes and gray-hairy appearance
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry open places, often on serpentine clay
Elevation: 500-1650 m
California counties: Siskiyou, Trinity, Shasta
Outside California: Oregon (southwestern Klamath Co.)
Bloom period
Horkelia daucifolia var. daucifolia blooms Apr-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Drymocallis: Horkelia has exactly 10 stamens and white-pink flowers; Drymocallis has 20+ stamens and yellow-white flowers.; vs Erodium: Horkelia has pinnate leaves and rose-family flowers; Erodium has lobed/divided leaves and long-beaked fruits.; vs Phacelia: Horkelia has rose-family flowers with separate petals; Phacelia has bell-shaped fused corollas with protruding stamens.; vs Potentilla: Horkelia has exactly 10 stamens and flattened filaments; Potentilla has 20+ stamens and thread-like filaments.; vs Ivesia: Horkelia has flat leaves with 2-15 separated leaflets; Ivesia has cylindrical bottlebrush leaves with overlapping leaflets.
Frequently asked questions
Is Horkelia daucifolia var. daucifolia native to California?
Yes. Horkelia daucifolia var. daucifolia is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Horkelia daucifolia var. daucifolia bloom?
Horkelia daucifolia var. daucifolia blooms Apr-Jul.
Where in California does Horkelia daucifolia var. daucifolia grow?
Horkelia daucifolia var. daucifolia occurs in Siskiyou, Trinity, Shasta, at elevations of 500-1650 m.
What plant family does Horkelia daucifolia var. daucifolia belong to?
Horkelia daucifolia var. daucifolia is in the Rosaceae family, genus Horkelia.
What habitat does Horkelia daucifolia var. daucifolia grow in?
Horkelia daucifolia var. daucifolia grows in dry open places, often on serpentine clay.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.