About Sanicula bipinnatifida Douglas
This plant is a perennial herb that grows from a taproot, reaching a maximum height of around 60 centimeters. Its color ranges from bright green to dark purple. Its leaves grow on long petioles, with leaf blades reaching up to 19 centimeters long and divided into several toothed lobes. The inflorescence consists of one or more heads holding both bisexual flowers and male-only flowers; the flowers have tiny, curving petals that can be reddish, purple, or yellow. The plant produces prickly fruits that are just a few millimeters in length. Sanicula bipinnatifida is native to the west coast of North America, ranging from British Columbia to Baja California. It grows in many habitat types, including grassland, woodlands, and mountain slopes with serpentine soils. In Canada, it is classified as a threatened species under the Species At Risk Act, and only 20 living populations exist, all located on southern Vancouver Island and the surrounding Gulf Islands.
