Pleuricospora fimbriolata
Fringed pinesap
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Family: Ericaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Pleuricospora fimbriolata (Fringed pinesap) is a native California herb in the Ericaceae family, recognized by Pacific Coast endemic in heath family - distinguished from related genera by fringed petals and stigma structure.
Fringed pinesap is a California native perennial found in northern coastal, Klamath, and Sierra Nevada mountain regions in mixed and conifer forests at elevations of 150 to 2,800 meters. Flowering from June to August, this non-green plant produces delicate yellow-cream flowers with jagged petal margins emerging directly from the ground. Growing without a visible stem, this fleshy and glabrous plant emerges as a pale, translucent raceme approximately 6 to 10 centimeters tall. Its unique structure lacks typical leaves, instead presenting as a delicate, ephemeral structure that dries brown or black at the tips after flowering. The plant produces small cream to white berries containing multiple ovate seeds, highlighting its distinctive parasitic nature in forest understories.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Pacific Coast endemic in heath family - distinguished from related genera by fringed petals and stigma structure
Habitat and range
Habitat: Mixed or conifer forest
Elevation: 150-2800 m
California counties: Fresno, Tulare, Tuolumne, Butte, Siskiyou, Mendocino, Humboldt, Mariposa, Tehama, Plumas, Madera, El Dorado, Monterey, Nevada, Santa Cruz, Trinity, Calaveras, Placer, San Mateo, Shasta, Sierra, Del Norte, Lassen
Outside California: to British Columbia
Bloom period
Pleuricospora fimbriolata blooms Jun-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Pterospora: Pleuricospora produces fleshy berries; Pterospora has dry capsules that split open.; vs Pityopus: Pleuricospora flowers smooth inside; Pityopus flowers densely hairy inside.; vs Hemitomes: Pleuricospora has separate petals; Hemitomes has fused petals forming a tube.; vs Kopsiopsis: Pleuricospora has radially symmetrical flowers; Kopsiopsis has two-lipped tubular flowers.; vs Sarcodes: Pleuricospora is pinkish with elongated anthers; Sarcodes is bright red with normal anthers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pleuricospora fimbriolata native to California?
Yes. Pleuricospora fimbriolata is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Pleuricospora fimbriolata bloom?
Pleuricospora fimbriolata blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Pleuricospora fimbriolata grow?
Pleuricospora fimbriolata occurs in Fresno, Tulare, Tuolumne, Butte, Siskiyou, Mendocino, Humboldt, Mariposa and other counties, at elevations of 150-2800 m.
What plant family does Pleuricospora fimbriolata belong to?
Pleuricospora fimbriolata is in the Ericaceae family, genus Pleuricospora.
What habitat does Pleuricospora fimbriolata grow in?
Pleuricospora fimbriolata grows in Mixed or conifer forest.
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.