Lomatium insulare
San nicolas island lomatium
(c) william_hoyer, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Apiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2
Lomatium insulare (San nicolas island lomatium) is a native California herb in the Apiaceae family, recognized by . Key features: island endemic, large serrate leaflets, large fruits.
San nicolas island lomatium is a rare California native perennial ranked 1B.2 by CNPS, found on San Nicolas Island in southern Channel Islands in sandy soil among rocks at elevations below 800 meters. Flowering from February to April, this plant produces bright yellow flowers in compound umbels with 12 to 20 rays spreading up to 12 centimeters long. Growing with a short stem and stout, fleshy-thickened taproot, it reaches 10 to 35 centimeters tall with a glaucous and glabrous appearance. Its leaves are broadly triangular-ovate, ternate-pinnate with 2 to 6 centimeters wide leaflets that are pinnately lobed and sharply serrate. The fruit is 15 to 18 millimeters long, widely elliptic with wings equal to its body width.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric species. Key features: island endemic, large serrate leaflets, large fruits
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy soil among rocks
Elevation: < 800 m
California counties: Ventura, San Diego, Los Angeles
Outside California: Baja California (Guadalupe Island)
Bloom period
Lomatium insulare blooms Feb-Apr.
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 insulare native to California?
Yes. Lomatium insulare is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lomatium insulare bloom?
Lomatium insulare blooms Feb-Apr.
Where in California does Lomatium insulare grow?
Lomatium insulare occurs in Ventura, San Diego, Los Angeles, at elevations of < 800 m.
What plant family does Lomatium insulare belong to?
Lomatium insulare is in the Apiaceae family, genus Lomatium.
Is Lomatium insulare rare or endangered?
Lomatium insulare carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S2S3.
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.