Osmorhiza brachypoda Torr. ex Durand

Growth Form

Osmorhiza brachypoda is a hairy, aromatic perennial herb that reaches heights between 30 and 80 centimeters (12 to 31 inches).

Leaf Morphology

Its green leaves have blades up to 20 centimeters long, divided into toothed or lobed leaflets, and each leaf blade is attached to a long petiole.

Inflorescence

The inflorescence is a compound umbel made of many tiny greenish yellow flowers, located at the tip of a stem-like peduncle.

Fruit Characteristics

It produces narrow, elongated fruit that is ribbed and bristly, measuring up to 2 centimeters long.

Native Range

This species is native to mountainous and wooded areas of California and Arizona, growing at elevations between 200 and 2,000 meters (660 and 6,560 feet).

Habitat & Specific Distribution

Its common habitats include chaparral, woodlands, and coniferous forests, and it occurs specifically in the Southern California Coast Ranges, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, and the central and southern Sierra Nevada foothills.

Ecological Role

Ecologically, this plant is the only known host plant for Greya suffusca, a moth endemic to California.