Lomatium congdonii
Congdon's lomatium
http://www.blm.gov/ca/pa/ssp/plants/lomatium_congdonii.html (via Wikimedia Commons) · CC0
Family: Apiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2
Lomatium congdonii (Congdon's lomatium) is a native California herb in the Apiaceae family, recognized by . Key features: pale yellow flowers, persistent sheaths, serpentine habitat.
Congdon's lomatium is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in central Sierra Nevada foothills in Tuolumne and Mariposa counties, specifically in serpentine woodland and rocky areas at elevations of 300 to 1,200 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces pale yellow flowers in delicate umbels with 6 to 18 ascending rays. Growing 18 to 36 centimeters tall with a short stem and distinctive taprooted structure, it features a glaucous and glabrous appearance. Its complex leaves are wide-oblong and ternately or pinnately dissected, with linear leaf segments 3 to 10 millimeters long ending in sharp-pointed tips. The fruit is ovate to obovate, 7 to 10 millimeters long with wings approximately half the body width.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species. Key features: pale yellow flowers, persistent sheaths, serpentine habitat
Habitat and range
Habitat: Serpentine, woodland
Elevation: 300-1200 m
California counties: Tuolumne, Mariposa, Mendocino, Calaveras, Siskiyou
Bloom period
Lomatium congdonii blooms Mar-Jun.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.2
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 congdonii native to California?
Yes. Lomatium congdonii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lomatium congdonii bloom?
Lomatium congdonii blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Lomatium congdonii grow?
Lomatium congdonii occurs in Tuolumne, Mariposa, Mendocino, Calaveras, Siskiyou, at elevations of 300-1200 m.
What plant family does Lomatium congdonii belong to?
Lomatium congdonii is in the Apiaceae family, genus Lomatium.
Is Lomatium congdonii rare or endangered?
Lomatium congdonii carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S2.
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 2026-10-08
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.