Limnanthes montana
Mountain meadowfoam
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Limnanthaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Limnanthes montana (Mountain meadowfoam) is a native California herb in the Limnanthaceae family, recognized by no sympatric species.
Mountain meadowfoam is a California native annual found in central Sierra Nevada Mountains in wet meadows and stream edges at elevations of 200 to 1,800 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces white flowers with occasional yellow bases and purple veins, 7 to 12 millimeters long with a delicate funnel shape. Growing 10 to 40 centimeters tall with ascending to erect stems that are glabrous to sparsely long-hairy, it forms an elegant meadow presence. Its compound leaves feature 7 to 11 leaflets ranging from linear to ovate, which can be entire or deeply 3-lobed with intricate edge variations. The fruit develops with low, conic tubercles, characteristic of this distinctive meadow-dwelling species.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; no sympatric species
Habitat and range
Habitat: Wet meadows, stream edges
Elevation: 200-1800 m
California counties: Tulare, Kern, Fresno, Calaveras, El Dorado, Mariposa, Madera, Tuolumne, Ventura
Bloom period
Limnanthes montana blooms Mar-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Cerastium: Limnanthes has jagged petal tips and entire leaves; Cerastium has deeply notched petals.; vs Layia: Limnanthes has separate 4-5 petals in a simple flower; Layia is a composite with many ray flowers.; vs Sabulina: Limnanthes has pinnately divided fern-like leaves; Sabulina has simple narrow leaves.; vs Nemophila: Limnanthes has 4 petals with jagged tips; Nemophila has 5 petals with smooth edges.; vs Sidalcea: Limnanthes has 4-5 petals and pinnate leaves; Sidalcea has 5 petals and palmately lobed leaves.
Frequently asked questions
Is Limnanthes montana native to California?
Yes. Limnanthes montana is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Limnanthes montana bloom?
Limnanthes montana blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Limnanthes montana grow?
Limnanthes montana occurs in Tulare, Kern, Fresno, Calaveras, El Dorado, Mariposa, Madera, Tuolumne and other counties, at elevations of 200-1800 m.
What plant family does Limnanthes montana belong to?
Limnanthes montana is in the Limnanthaceae family, genus Limnanthes.
What habitat does Limnanthes montana grow in?
Limnanthes montana grows in Wet meadows, stream edges.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
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.