Lomatium grayi
Gray's lomatium
(c) Daughter Dad, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Apiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3
Lomatium grayi (Gray's lomatium) is a native California herb in the Apiaceae family, recognized by . Key features: tall stature, thread-like segments, long pedicels.
Gray's lomatium is a rare California native (CNPS 2B.3) perennial found in the Modoc Plateau in rocky banks and slopes at elevations of 1,300 to 1,400 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces yellow flowers in delicate umbels with 7 to 22 spreading rays. Growing with a long, thickened taproot and almost no visible stem, it reaches 15 to 50 centimeters tall. Its finely dissected leaf blades are approximately ovate, with thread-like to linear segments 1 to 11 millimeters long, creating a delicate, lacy appearance. The fruit is an oblong shape with wings more than half as wide as its body, featuring distinctive oil tubes along its ribs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 19 sympatric species. Key features: tall stature, thread-like segments, long pedicels
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky banks, slopes
Elevation: 1300-1400 m
Outside California: to Washington, Wyoming, Utah
Bloom period
Lomatium grayi blooms May-Jun.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.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 grayi native to California?
Yes. Lomatium grayi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lomatium grayi bloom?
Lomatium grayi blooms May-Jun.
What plant family does Lomatium grayi belong to?
Lomatium grayi is in the Apiaceae family, genus Lomatium.
Is Lomatium grayi rare or endangered?
Lomatium grayi carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.3, state rank S1S2.
What habitat does Lomatium grayi grow in?
Lomatium grayi grows in Rocky banks, slopes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.