Sidalcea hickmanii subsp. napensis

Napa checkerbloom, Napa Checkerbloom

Family: Malvaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1

Napa checkerbloom is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native perennial found in the northern Coast Ranges in Napa County, specifically in chamise chaparral with rocky rhyolitic volcanic soil at elevations of 450 to 500 meters. Flowering in May, this plant produces pale pink flowers approximately 9 to 11 millimeters long with delicate overlapping petals. Growing to about 3 decimeters tall with few to several stems that are maroon-tinged and covered in stellate hairs, the plant develops an elongate caudex. Its mid-stem leaves are distinctively 3 to 5-lobed, with the middle lobe being the largest and having toothed tips, and measuring 14 to 18 millimeters long and 20 to 25 millimeters wide. The plant's flower calyces are 7 to 10 millimeters long with acuminate lobes, creating an intricate botanical profile.

Habitat: Chamise chaparral, rocky rhyolitic volcanic soil

Bloom period: May

Elevation: 450-500 m

Bioregions: NCoRI (Napa Co.).

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