Lomatium caruifolium var. caruifolium
Alkali desertparsley
(c) Don Loarie, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Apiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Lomatium caruifolium var. caruifolium (Alkali desertparsley) is a native California herb in the Apiaceae family, recognized by bractlet shape and fruit wing characteristics distinguish from var. denticulatum.
Alkali desertparsley is a California native perennial found in the central Coast Ranges, central Sierra Nevada Foothills, Central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area, southern Coast Ranges, and Channel Islands in wet, clay depressions and open grasslands at elevations of 60 to 600 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces delicate white umbel flowers with distinctive bractlets that overlap side-to-side. Growing with thin, branching stems reaching 10 to 30 centimeters tall, it forms compact clusters in grassland settings. Its finely divided leaves are deeply dissected with narrow, caraway-like segments that spread in a lacy, intricate pattern. The fruit develops thin, wide wings that help distinguish this unique desertparsley variety.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 18 sympatric species; bractlet shape and fruit wing characteristics distinguish from var. denticulatum
Habitat and range
Habitat: Wet, clay depressions, open grassland
Elevation: 60-600 m
California counties: Monterey, San Luis Obispo, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Kern, El Dorado, Sacramento, Calaveras, Fresno, Contra Costa, Tuolumne, San Mateo, Alameda, Madera, Amador, Merced, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Solano, Tulare, Yolo, Santa Clara, Mendocino, Mariposa, San Joaquin, Napa, Santa Cruz, San Benito
Bloom period
Lomatium caruifolium var. caruifolium blooms Mar-May.
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 caruifolium var. caruifolium native to California?
Yes. Lomatium caruifolium var. caruifolium is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lomatium caruifolium var. caruifolium bloom?
Lomatium caruifolium var. caruifolium blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Lomatium caruifolium var. caruifolium grow?
Lomatium caruifolium var. caruifolium occurs in Monterey, San Luis Obispo, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Kern, El Dorado, Sacramento, Calaveras and other counties, at elevations of 60-600 m.
What plant family does Lomatium caruifolium var. caruifolium belong to?
Lomatium caruifolium var. caruifolium is in the Apiaceae family, genus Lomatium.
What habitat does Lomatium caruifolium var. caruifolium grow in?
Lomatium caruifolium var. caruifolium grows in Wet, clay depressions, open grassland.
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.