Modiola caroliniana
Modiola, Modiola
(c) Don Loarie, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Don Loarie · licence
Family: Malvaceae · Type: Subshrub · Not Native
Modiola caroliniana (Modiola) is a non-native California subshrub in the Malvaceae family, recognized by South American species widely naturalized, distinctive fruit morphology separates it from other California Malvaceae.
Modiola is a naturalized perennial herb found in California's Central Valley and Foothills in grasslands and disturbed areas at elevations generally below 400 meters. Flowering from March to November, this plant produces distinctive red-orange flowers 3 to 8 millimeters long with darker bases. Growing with prostrate to creeping stems 15 to 50 centimeters long that root near the base, it spreads across the ground with a sprawling habit. Its leaves are broadly rounded or triangular, 2 to 8 centimeters wide, with deeply toothed or lobed edges that are often further subdivided into smaller lobes. The distinctive fruit consists of 15 to 25 black, kidney-shaped segments with bristly tops that separate into two distinct chambers.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: South American species widely naturalized, distinctive fruit morphology separates it from other California Malvaceae
Habitat and range
Habitat: Grassland, disturbed areas
Elevation: generally < 400 m
Outside California: to southeastern United States, probably native to southern South America, widely naturalized
Bloom period
Modiola caroliniana blooms Mar-Nov.
How to tell it apart
vs Lysimachia: Modiola has 5 petals and mallow flowers; Lysimachia has 5-7 separate petals radiating star-like from center.; vs Geranium: Modiola fruit segments are two-chambered; Geranium fruits have a long beak that coils upward when ripe.; vs Glechoma: Modiola has round 5-petaled flowers; Glechoma has two-lipped tubular flowers and kidney-shaped leaves.; vs Malva: Modiola has salmon-orange petals and rooting prostrate stems; Malva has pink-purple petals and upright or trailing non-rooting stems.; vs Sidalcea: Modiola has salmon-orange flowers; Sidalcea has pink to purple flowers in terminal spike-like clusters.
Frequently asked questions
Is Modiola caroliniana native to California?
No. Modiola caroliniana is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Modiola caroliniana bloom?
Modiola caroliniana blooms Mar-Nov.
What plant family does Modiola caroliniana belong to?
Modiola caroliniana is in the Malvaceae family, genus Modiola.
What habitat does Modiola caroliniana grow in?
Modiola caroliniana grows in Grassland, disturbed areas.
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.