Lomatium canbyi
Canby's lomatium, Canby's Lomatium
(c) James H. Thomas, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Apiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Lomatium canbyi (Canby's lomatium) is a native California herb in the Apiaceae family, recognized by . Key features: white flowers, low stature, spherical tuber.
Canby's lomatium is a California native perennial found in the high Cascade Range and Modoc Plateau in barren or rocky sagebrush steppe at elevations around 2,000 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces delicate white flowers in umbrella-like clusters with 5 to 17 thin rays spreading up to 6 centimeters wide. Growing to 7 to 25 centimeters tall with no visible stem, it emerges from a small spherical tuber less than 4 centimeters wide. Its finely dissected leaves have conspicuous papery sheaths, with blades 1 to 9 centimeters long divided into narrow linear segments 1 to 5 millimeters long. The fruit is widely oblong, 6 to 13 millimeters long with thin, narrow wings and 1 to 3 oil tubes between its ribs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 23 sympatric species. Key features: white flowers, low stature, spherical tuber
Habitat and range
Habitat: Barren or rocky places, sagebrush steppe
Elevation: 2000 m
California counties: Modoc, Lassen, Plumas
Outside California: to Washington, Idaho, Nevada
Bloom period
Lomatium canbyi blooms Apr-May.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
How to tell it apart
vs Tauschia: Lomatium fruits have prominent marginal wings; Tauschia fruits lack wings or have only slight ribs.; vs Sanicula: Lomatium has typical umbrella-shaped flower clusters; Sanicula has dense ball-like flower heads with hooked bristles.; vs Cymopterus: Lomatium grows upright with a stem; Cymopterus is stemless and grows flat to the ground.; vs Conium: Lomatium grows in dry natural habitats; Conium has purple-spotted stems and grows in moist disturbed areas.; vs Daucus: Lomatium fruits are flat with thin wings; Daucus fruits are cylindrical with spiny bristles.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lomatium canbyi native to California?
Yes. Lomatium canbyi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lomatium canbyi bloom?
Lomatium canbyi blooms Apr-May.
Where in California does Lomatium canbyi grow?
Lomatium canbyi occurs in Modoc, Lassen, Plumas, at elevations of 2000 m.
What plant family does Lomatium canbyi belong to?
Lomatium canbyi is in the Apiaceae family, genus Lomatium.
Is Lomatium canbyi rare or endangered?
Lomatium canbyi carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S3S4.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.