Lomatium hooveri
Hoover's lomatium
(c) Jonathan Curley, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Apiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Lomatium hooveri (Hoover's lomatium) is a native California herb in the Apiaceae family, recognized by . Key features: purple flowers, densely puberulent, scarious bractlets.
Hoover's lomatium is a California native perennial found in the northern California Coast Ranges interior in serpentine woodland and chaparral at elevations of 300 to 600 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces purple flowers in compound umbels with 3 to 14 rays extending 3 to 10 centimeters long. Growing as a slender plant 15 to 30 centimeters tall, with an erect to spreading form and densely fine-haired stems. Its finely divided leaves have long petioles 3 to 7 centimeters long, with delicate linear segments that are sharp-tipped and loosely arranged. The fruit features distinctively wide wings, characteristic of this subtle and elegant wildflower.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 17 sympatric species. Key features: purple flowers, densely puberulent, scarious bractlets
Habitat and range
Habitat: Serpentine, woodland, chaparral
Elevation: 300-600 m
California counties: Lake, Colusa, Napa, Glenn, Yolo
Bloom period
Lomatium hooveri 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 hooveri native to California?
Yes. Lomatium hooveri is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lomatium hooveri bloom?
Lomatium hooveri blooms Apr-May.
Where in California does Lomatium hooveri grow?
Lomatium hooveri occurs in Lake, Colusa, Napa, Glenn, Yolo, at elevations of 300-600 m.
What plant family does Lomatium hooveri belong to?
Lomatium hooveri is in the Apiaceae family, genus Lomatium.
Is Lomatium hooveri rare or endangered?
Lomatium hooveri carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S3.
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.