Hydrophyllum alpestre
Alpine breeches, alpine waterleaf
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Family: Hydrophyllaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Hydrophyllum alpestre (Alpine breeches) is a native California perennial in the Hydrophyllaceae family, recognized by . Key features: reduced stem, flowers at soil level.
Alpine breeches is a native perennial found in the northern Sierra Nevada Mountains, Modoc Plateau, and Sierra Nevada Eastern regions in moist slopes, meadows, and flats at elevations of 800 to 2,600 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces white, purple, or blue-purple flowers with lavender markings in small spherical clusters near the ground surface. Growing 10 to 30 centimeters tall with a short underground rhizome, it emerges with reduced stems and leaves directly from the rhizome. Its first leaves are 2 to 5 centimeters long with pinnately lobed blades featuring 5 to 7 entire or slightly toothed lobes, while later leaves become larger and more complex. The delicate flowers have short recurved peduncles and bell-shaped corollas, producing 1 to 3 light or dark brown seeds approximately 2 to 3 millimeters in diameter.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species. Key features: reduced stem, flowers at soil level
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist slopes, meadows, flats
Elevation: [700]800-2600[3000] m
Outside California: to Oregon, Idaho, Utah
Bloom period
Hydrophyllum alpestre blooms Apr-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Phacelia: Hydrophyllum is a large perennial with stamens extending beyond petals; Phacelia is typically annual with included stamens.; vs Petasites: Hydrophyllum has leaves lobed to the midrib; Petasites has very large unlobed heart-shaped or kidney-shaped leaves.; vs Eucrypta: Hydrophyllum is a robust perennial; Eucrypta is a delicate sticky annual with much smaller flowers.; vs Emmenanthe: Hydrophyllum has stamens extending beyond spreading flowers; Emmenanthe has drooping bell flowers with included stamens.; vs Nama: Hydrophyllum is a large woodland perennial; Nama is a low mat-forming plant of dry sandy areas.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hydrophyllum alpestre native to California?
Yes. Hydrophyllum alpestre is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Hydrophyllum alpestre bloom?
Hydrophyllum alpestre blooms Apr-Jul.
What plant family does Hydrophyllum alpestre belong to?
Hydrophyllum alpestre is in the Hydrophyllaceae family, genus Hydrophyllum.
What habitat does Hydrophyllum alpestre grow in?
Hydrophyllum alpestre grows in Moist slopes, meadows, flats.
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.