Lewisia cantelovii
Cantelow's lewisia
Family: Montiaceae · Type: perennial · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2
Cantelow's lewisia is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges and northern Sierra Nevada high country on granite cliff faces, rocky outcrops, serpentine seeps, and woodland areas at elevations of 385 to 1,370 meters. Flowering from May to October, this plant produces delicate white to pale pink flowers with 5 to 7 petals, each 6 to 9 millimeters long and arranged in wide, open panicles above its rosette of leaves. Growing with several flowering stems 15 to 30 centimeters tall, it forms a distinctive spreading rosette of spoon-shaped leaves. Its leaves are 2.5 to 8 centimeters long, with finely toothed edges, truncate or notched tips, and a wide petiole that creates an elegant basal arrangement. The plant produces small fruits approximately 3 millimeters long, containing 1 to 3 tiny seeds.
Habitat: Granite cliff faces, rocky outcrops, ravines, serpentine seeps, chaparral, woodland, conifer forest
Bloom period: May-Oct
Elevation: 385-1370 m
Bioregions: KR, n&s SNH.
California counties: Nevada, Plumas, Fresno, El Dorado, Sierra, Marin, Butte, Placer, Shasta
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.