Pediomelum californicum

California indian breadroot

Family: Fabaceae · Type: perennial · Native

California indian breadroot is a California native perennial found in northern Coast Ranges, southern Sierra Nevada foothills, central western California, Transverse Ranges, and Peninsular Ranges in open chaparral and woodland at elevations of 1,000 to 2,500 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces flowers typically 8 to 12 millimeters long with a distinctive banner 10 to 11 millimeters in size. Growing with erect stems and a complex underground structure, it develops a robust root system characteristic of breadroot species. Its compound leaves feature 5 to 7 leaflets with prominent stipules 7 to 10 millimeters long, and petioles extending 8 to 11 centimeters. The fruit develops as an ovate to round structure with a straight linear beak 1 to 4 millimeters long, containing reddish-brown reniform seeds 5 to 5.5 millimeters in size.

Habitat: Open chaparral, woodland

Bloom period: Apr-Jul

Elevation: 1000-2500 m

Bioregions: NCoRI, s SNF (Kern Co.), CW, TR, PR

California counties: Ventura, Kern, Alameda, San Benito, Contra Costa, Inyo, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Santa Barbara, Glenn, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Lake, Tehama, Colusa, Santa Clara, San Diego, Monterey, Fresno

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.