Hosackia gracilis
Benth.
Harlequin lotus
Hosackia gracilis is a perennial herb that is native to California, and also found elsewhere in western North America.
California Rare Plant Rank:
4.2 (limited distribution)
Bloom Period
one or more occurrenceswithin a 7.5-minute quadrangle
The blue points on the map indicate observations in Calflora.
Click on the map to view observations within a specific county.
Click on the map to view observations within a specific county.
Jepson eFlora section:
eudicot
USDA PLANTS group:
Dicot
Occurs usually in wetlands, occasionally in non wetlands
Northern Coastal Scrub, Closed-cone Pine Forest, Mixed Evergreen Forest, wetland-riparian
[Wikipedia] Range, Habitat, Caterpillar Host: Hosackia gracilis, synonym Lotus formosissimus, is a species of legume native to western North America from British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to California. It was first described by George Bentham.[1] It is known by the common names harlequin lotus[2] and seaside bird's-foot trefoil.[3] It grows in moist spots in the coastal mountains and down to the oceanside bluffs. It is believed that the caterpillars of the critically endangered lotis blue butterfly (syn. Lycaeides idas lotis, Lycaeides argyrognomon lotis, Plebejus anna lotis) feed on Hosackia gracilis on the Mendocino coast in damp coastal prairies.[4][5] (link added by Mary Ann Machi)
