Pectiantia pentandra
Alpine mitrewort
(c) Jared Shorma, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Saxifragaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Pectiantia pentandra (Alpine mitrewort) is a native California herb in the Saxifragaceae family, recognized by stamen position opposite petals and sharp leaf teeth are key distinguishing features.
Alpine mitrewort is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, high Cascades, Sierra Nevada, and Warner Mountains in streambanks and wet meadows at elevations of 1,500 to 2,500 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces green flowers with 5 to 10 linear petals arranged in delicate clusters. Growing 10 to 40 centimeters tall with an upright habit, it develops multiple slender stems emerging from its base. Its leaves feature broad ovate blades 1.5 to 8 centimeters wide with 5 to 9 sharply toothed lobes, typically with smooth petioles. The flower's hypanthium is 3 to 5 millimeters wide, with stamens positioned opposite the petals.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species; stamen position opposite petals and sharp leaf teeth are key distinguishing features
Habitat and range
Habitat: Streambanks, wet meadows
Elevation: 1500-2500 m
California counties: Siskiyou, Plumas, Butte, Shasta, Tehama, Lassen, Glenn, Modoc, Nevada, Trinity, Alpine, Fresno, Mono
Outside California: to Alaska, Colorado
Bloom period
Pectiantia pentandra blooms Jun-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Mitella: Pectiantia lacks stem leaves; Mitella has 1-3 small leaves along the flowering stem; vs Bolandra: Pectiantia has fringed petals split into many narrow lobes; Bolandra has smooth, uncut petals; vs Heuchera: Pectiantia has fringed fan-like petals; Heuchera has smooth entire petals or none at all; vs Mitellastra: Pectiantia has only basal leaves and blooms bottom-to-top; Mitellastra has stem leaves and blooms top-to-bottom; vs Ozomelis: Pectiantia's petals split into 4-10 narrow segments; Ozomelis petals have 3 broader triangular lobes
Frequently asked questions
Is Pectiantia pentandra native to California?
Yes. Pectiantia pentandra is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Pectiantia pentandra bloom?
Pectiantia pentandra blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Pectiantia pentandra grow?
Pectiantia pentandra occurs in Siskiyou, Plumas, Butte, Shasta, Tehama, Lassen, Glenn, Modoc and other counties, at elevations of 1500-2500 m.
What plant family does Pectiantia pentandra belong to?
Pectiantia pentandra is in the Saxifragaceae family, genus Pectiantia.
What habitat does Pectiantia pentandra grow in?
Pectiantia pentandra grows in Streambanks, wet meadows.
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.