Horkelia fusca
Dusky horkelia
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Steve Matson · licence
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Horkelia fusca (Dusky horkelia) is a native California herb in the Rosaceae family.
Dusky horkelia is a California native perennial found in coastal and mountain regions in meadows and open woodlands. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces white to pale pink flowers in compact, head-like clusters with petals approximately wedge-shaped. Growing with green to grayish stems 10 to 60 centimeters tall and forming a tufted or matted appearance, it spreads with a distinctive clustered growth habit. Its compound leaves have entire stipules and feature intricate leaflet arrangements typical of the horkelia genus. The plant's delicate flower structure includes a hypanthium 2 to 3.5 millimeters wide with 10 to 20 pistils, creating an elegant botanical profile.
Habitat and range
California counties: Placer, Lassen, Mono, Tuolumne, Mariposa, Modoc, Plumas, Fresno, Madera, Nevada, Tulare, Siskiyou, El Dorado, Ventura, Alpine, Amador
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 fusca native to California?
Yes. Horkelia fusca is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Horkelia fusca grow?
Horkelia fusca occurs in Placer, Lassen, Mono, Tuolumne, Mariposa, Modoc, Plumas, Fresno and other counties.
What plant family does Horkelia fusca belong to?
Horkelia fusca is in the Rosaceae family, genus Horkelia.
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.