Potentilla hickmanii

Hickman's cinquefoil

Family: Rosaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1 · Endangered

Hickman's cinquefoil is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native perennial found in central Coast Ranges in San Mateo and Monterey counties, inhabiting vernally wet meadows and open pine forests at elevations below 100 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces white flowers with petals 6 to 12 millimeters long in small clusters of 2 to 5 blossoms. Growing with prostrate to decumbent stems 5 to 25 centimeters long, it emerges from a thick taproot and forms a low rosette. Its pinnate leaves have 3 to 6 leaflets on each side, with wedge-shaped leaflets 5 to 20 millimeters long, each evenly toothed along half to two-thirds of its length. The plant produces smooth, tan fruits approximately 2 millimeters in size, creating delicate clusters close to the ground.

Habitat: Vernally wet meadows, open pine forest

Bloom period: Apr-Jun

Elevation: < 100 m

Bioregions: c CCo (San Mateo, Monterey cos.).

California counties: Sonoma, San Mateo, Monterey, Tulare

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