Rhinotropis californica
California milkwort
(c) John Hibbard, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polygalaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Rhinotropis californica (California milkwort) is a native California subshrub in the Polygalaceae family, recognized by . Key features: decumbent herb vs shrub habit, larger flowers.
California milkwort is a California native perennial found in northwestern, central western, and northern Channel Islands bioregions in coastal prairie, forest, and chaparral habitats at elevations of 10 to 1,400 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces small pink to white flowers 9 to 14.5 millimeters long with distinctive ciliate sepals. Growing with decumbent stems 5 to 35 centimeters tall from a rhizomatous base, it spreads in low, spreading clusters. Its leaves are 7 to 60 millimeters long, varying from lanceolate to elliptic or obovate in shape, positioned along the softly spreading stems. The fruit is green, 4.5 to 10.5 millimeters long, developing with small seeds that include delicate hair-like attachments.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 3 sympatric species. Key features: decumbent herb vs shrub habit, larger flowers
Habitat and range
Habitat: Coastal prairie and forest, chaparral, occasionally on serpentine
Elevation: 10-1400 m
California counties: Humboldt, Mendocino, Del Norte, Sonoma, San Mateo, Napa, Siskiyou, Marin, Lake, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, San Luis Obispo, Ventura, Trinity, Placer, Fresno, Solano, Orange
Outside California: southwestern Oregon
Bloom period
Rhinotropis californica blooms Apr-Jul.
Frequently asked questions
Is Rhinotropis californica native to California?
Yes. Rhinotropis californica is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Rhinotropis californica bloom?
Rhinotropis californica blooms Apr-Jul.
Where in California does Rhinotropis californica grow?
Rhinotropis californica occurs in Humboldt, Mendocino, Del Norte, Sonoma, San Mateo, Napa, Siskiyou, Marin and other counties, at elevations of 10-1400 m.
What plant family does Rhinotropis californica belong to?
Rhinotropis californica is in the Polygalaceae family, genus Rhinotropis.
What habitat does Rhinotropis californica grow in?
Rhinotropis californica grows in Coastal prairie and forest, chaparral, occasionally on serpentine.
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.