Limnanthes alba subsp. parishii

Parish's meadowfoam

Family: Limnanthaceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Parish's meadowfoam is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native annual found in the Peninsular Ranges in wet meadows and along edges of ephemeral streams at elevations of 600 to 2,000 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces pure white flowers with cream-colored bases that delicately age to pink, with petals 8 to 10 millimeters long and tips elegantly recurved. Growing as a low-spreading annual with glabrous herbage, it forms compact clusters close to the ground. Its leaves are delicate and entire, complementing the pristine white flowers that emerge in spring. The small fruits are approximately 3 millimeters long, bearing short, wide tubercles that add subtle texture to the plant's appearance.

Habitat: Wet meadows, edges of ephemeral streams

Bloom period: Apr-May

Elevation: 600-2000 m

Bioregions: PR.

California counties: San Diego, Riverside

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.