Horkelia daucifolia var. indicta
Jepson's horkelia
Photo: parent species Horkelia daucifolia · (c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1
Horkelia daucifolia var. indicta (Jepson's horkelia) is a native California perennial in the Rosaceae family, recognized by many narrow leaf lobes and green coloration.
Jepson's horkelia is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native perennial found in northern Coast Ranges Interior and California Rocky Foothills in dry open places, often on serpentine clay at elevations of 240 to 670 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces white to pale pink flowers 4 to 8 millimeters wide with delicate obovate-cordate petals. Growing with slender stems 20 to 40 centimeters tall, it develops short glandular-hairy branches. Its finely divided leaves feature 5 to 15 leaflet clusters, each leaflet 5 to 15 millimeters long with narrow lobes less than 1 millimeter wide, presenting a delicate, lacy green appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 9 sympatric species; key features are many narrow leaf lobes and green coloration
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry open places, often on serpentine clay
Elevation: 240-670 m
California counties: Shasta, Tehama
Outside California: Nevada
Bloom period
Horkelia daucifolia var. indicta blooms Apr-Jun.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.1
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. indicta native to California?
Yes. Horkelia daucifolia var. indicta is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Horkelia daucifolia var. indicta bloom?
Horkelia daucifolia var. indicta blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Horkelia daucifolia var. indicta grow?
Horkelia daucifolia var. indicta occurs in Shasta, Tehama, at elevations of 240-670 m.
What plant family does Horkelia daucifolia var. indicta belong to?
Horkelia daucifolia var. indicta is in the Rosaceae family, genus Horkelia.
Is Horkelia daucifolia var. indicta rare or endangered?
Horkelia daucifolia var. indicta carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.1, state rank S1.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.