Horkelia fusca var. tenella
Tawny horkelia
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Steve Matson · licence
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Horkelia fusca var. tenella (Tawny horkelia) is a native California herb in the Rosaceae family, recognized by extremely finely divided feathery leaves.
Tawny horkelia is a California native perennial found in southern California Range and High Sierra Nevada Mountains in lodgepole-pine forest at elevations of 1,200 to 2,200 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces white to pale yellow flowers in small clusters of 5 to 10 blooms. Growing with delicate stems 10 to 30 centimeters tall, it forms compact clusters with a somewhat spreading habit. Its finely divided leaves feature 8 to 15 leaflets on each side, with each leaflet widely obovate and deeply lobed into 5 to 15 narrow oblanceolate segments. The small petals measure just 2 to 4 millimeters long, contributing to its subtle and intricate botanical character.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species; key features are extremely finely divided feathery leaves
Habitat and range
Habitat: Generally lodgepole-pine forest
Elevation: 1200-2200 m
Bloom period
Horkelia fusca var. tenella blooms Jun-Aug.
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 var. tenella native to California?
Yes. Horkelia fusca var. tenella is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Horkelia fusca var. tenella bloom?
Horkelia fusca var. tenella blooms Jun-Aug.
What plant family does Horkelia fusca var. tenella belong to?
Horkelia fusca var. tenella is in the Rosaceae family, genus Horkelia.
What habitat does Horkelia fusca var. tenella grow in?
Horkelia fusca var. tenella grows in Generally lodgepole-pine forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.