Lithophragma parviflorum
Pink woodland star
(c) Peter L Achuff, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Saxifragaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Lithophragma parviflorum (Pink woodland star) is a native California herb in the Saxifragaceae family, recognized by Long-obconic hypanthium (fused part > free), deeply cut/near-compound basal leaves; 10 congeners.
Pink woodland star is a California native perennial found in western foothill woodland and northern coastal habitats at elevations of 10 to 1,000 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces white to pale pink flowers with three-lobed petals 7 to 16 millimeters long. Growing with delicate stems 10 to 50 centimeters tall, it forms an elegant upright structure with fine branching. Its basal leaves are deeply divided, with blades cut nearly to the base into three major lobes, each of those lobes further subdivided with sharp-tipped teeth. The flower's distinctive hypanthium is long and obconic, with more than half of the ovary embedded within the flower structure.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Long-obconic hypanthium (fused part > free), deeply cut/near-compound basal leaves; 10 congeners
Habitat and range
California counties: Kern, San Francisco, San Benito, Siskiyou, Mariposa, San Luis Obispo, Tuolumne, Trinity, Del Norte, Placer, Lassen, Lake, Fresno, Mendocino, Modoc, Napa, Monterey, Butte, Plumas, Los Angeles, Riverside, Nevada, San Bernardino, Shasta, El Dorado, Tulare, Alameda, Amador, Calaveras, Glenn, Marin, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara, Sierra, Sutter, Sacramento, Stanislaus, Merced, Tehama, Ventura, Humboldt, Colusa, Alpine, Yolo
How to tell it apart
vs Delphinium: Lithophragma has regular 5-petaled flowers; Delphinium has irregular spurred flowers with hood-like upper petals.; vs Bowlesia: Lithophragma has showy pink-white flowers in clusters; Bowlesia has tiny greenish flowers in tight umbels.; vs Geranium: Lithophragma petals are fringed/lobed and has 3 styles; Geranium petals are entire and has 5 styles.; vs Lysimachia: Lithophragma has 3 styles and deeply lobed leaves; Lysimachia has 1 style and simple leaves.; vs Horkelia: Lithophragma has 3 styles and palmately lobed leaves; Horkelia has many styles and pinnately compound leaves.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lithophragma parviflorum native to California?
Yes. Lithophragma parviflorum is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Lithophragma parviflorum grow?
Lithophragma parviflorum occurs in Kern, San Francisco, San Benito, Siskiyou, Mariposa, San Luis Obispo, Tuolumne, Trinity and other counties.
What plant family does Lithophragma parviflorum belong to?
Lithophragma parviflorum is in the Saxifragaceae family, genus Lithophragma.
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.