Hosackia crassifolia var. crassifolia

Broad leaved lotus

Hosackia crassifolia — parent species of Hosackia crassifolia var. crassifolia

Photo: parent species Hosackia crassifolia · (c) Don Loarie, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence

Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native

Hosackia crassifolia var. crassifolia (Broad leaved lotus) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by . Key features: robust habit, large leaflets, large flower clusters.

Broad leaved lotus is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern California Coast Ranges, high Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, San Francisco Bay Area, southern Coast Ranges, southern California, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, and Modoc Plateau in chaparral, pine woodland, and disturbed areas at elevations of 300 to 2,100 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces yellow to orange flowers in compact clusters with distinctive legume-like blooms. Growing with low-spreading stems 10 to 40 centimeters tall, it forms dense clumps with a somewhat woody base. Its compound leaves have multiple leaflets that are thick and somewhat fleshy, typically arranged in 5 to 7 rounded or oblong segments. The plant can be glabrous or slightly hairy, with variations in hairiness depending on its geographic population.

Identification and appearance

Key characters: 9 sympatric species. Key features: robust habit, large leaflets, large flower clusters

Habitat and range

Habitat: Common. Chaparral, pine or mixed woodland, roadsides, disturbed places

Elevation: 300-2100 m

California counties: Fresno, Los Angeles, Kern, San Bernardino, Calaveras, Placer, Tehama, Butte, Sierra, Plumas, Lassen, Siskiyou, Trinity, Tulare, San Diego, Alpine, Nevada, Humboldt, Mariposa, Madera, Riverside, Ventura, Del Norte, Tuolumne, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Lake, Shasta, Santa Clara, Napa, Colusa

Outside California: to Washington, Nevada, Baja California

Bloom period

Hosackia crassifolia var. crassifolia blooms May-Aug.

How to tell it apart

vs Acmispon: Hosackia has conspicuous papery or leafy stipules; Acmispon stipules tiny or absent.; vs Lathyrus: Hosackia has umbrella clusters; Lathyrus flowers on stalks with leaves having tendrils.; vs Lotus: Hosackia is native perennial in natural habitats; Lotus is introduced in disturbed sites.; vs Vicia: Hosackia flowers in umbels; Vicia flowers in rows with leaves ending in tendrils.; vs Securigera: Hosackia pods split open straight; Securigera pods break into curved segments.

Frequently asked questions

Is Hosackia crassifolia var. crassifolia native to California?

Yes. Hosackia crassifolia var. crassifolia is native to California (recorded as native).

When does Hosackia crassifolia var. crassifolia bloom?

Hosackia crassifolia var. crassifolia blooms May-Aug.

Where in California does Hosackia crassifolia var. crassifolia grow?

Hosackia crassifolia var. crassifolia occurs in Fresno, Los Angeles, Kern, San Bernardino, Calaveras, Placer, Tehama, Butte and other counties, at elevations of 300-2100 m.

What plant family does Hosackia crassifolia var. crassifolia belong to?

Hosackia crassifolia var. crassifolia is in the Fabaceae family, genus Hosackia.

What habitat does Hosackia crassifolia var. crassifolia grow in?

Hosackia crassifolia var. crassifolia grows in Common. Chaparral, pine or mixed woodland, roadsides, disturbed places.

Related species

Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.

All Hosackia species · All Fabaceae

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.