Perideridia californica
California yampah
(c) Rajan Rao, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Apiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Perideridia californica (California yampah) is a native California herb in the Apiaceae family, recognized by distinctive heteromorphic leaflets.
California yampah is a California native perennial found in central Sierra Nevada Foothills, San Francisco Bay Area, and south Coast Ranges in damp soils near streams at elevations of 300 to 1,250 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces delicate white flowers in small umbel clusters with spreading rays. Growing 50 to 150 centimeters tall with generally branched stems, it develops distinctive tuberous roots clustered in groups of two to five. Its complex basal leaves are large and intricate, measuring 15 to 45 centimeters long, with finely dissected ovate blades divided into lance-linear segments. The plant produces small oblong fruits 5 to 8 millimeters long with delicate thread-like ribs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 5 sympatric species; distinctive heteromorphic leaflets
Habitat and range
Habitat: Damp soil by streams
Elevation: 300-1250 m
California counties: Stanislaus, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara, Merced, Alameda, San Benito, Mariposa, Contra Costa, Tuolumne, Los Angeles, Calaveras
Bloom period
Perideridia californica blooms Apr-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Ligusticum: Perideridia grows from tubers in grasslands; Ligusticum grows from taproots in mountain forests.; vs Daucus: Perideridia fruits are rounded with thin ribs; Daucus fruits are bristly and form a bird's-nest cluster.; vs Eriogonum: Eriogonum is in the buckwheat family with papery flowers; Perideridia has carrot-family umbels.; vs Angelica: Perideridia has small rounded fruits; Angelica has large flattened fruits with broad wings.; vs Achillea: Achillea is in the sunflower family with flat-topped flower heads; Perideridia has carrot-family umbels.
Frequently asked questions
Is Perideridia californica native to California?
Yes. Perideridia californica is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Perideridia californica bloom?
Perideridia californica blooms Apr-May.
Where in California does Perideridia californica grow?
Perideridia californica occurs in Stanislaus, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara, Merced, Alameda, San Benito, Mariposa and other counties, at elevations of 300-1250 m.
What plant family does Perideridia californica belong to?
Perideridia californica is in the Apiaceae family, genus Perideridia.
What habitat does Perideridia californica grow in?
Perideridia californica grows in Damp soil by streams.
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.