''Limnanthes douglasii'' is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

annual Annual may refer to: * Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year **Yearbook ** Literary annual * Annual plant * Annual report * Annual giving * Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco * Annuals (b ...

flowering plant in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Limnanthaceae The Limnanthaceae are a small family of annual herbs occurring throughout temperate North America. There are eight species and nineteen taxa currently recognized. Members of this family are prominent in vernal pool communities of California. Some ...

(meadowfoam) commonly known as Douglas' meadowfoam or poached egg plant. It is

native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entert ...

to California and Oregon, where it grows in wet, grassy habitat, such as

vernal pool Vernal pools, also called vernal ponds or ephemeral pools, are seasonal pools of water that provide habitat for distinctive plants and animals. They are considered to be a distinctive type of wetland usually devoid of fish, and thus allow the safe ...

s and spring meadows. It can grow in poorly drained clay soils. The plant was collected by the Scottish explorer and botanist David Douglas, who worked on the west coast of America in the 1820s. The plant usually bears white flowers with yellow centers, hence the name "poached egg plant", but flower color can vary across subspecies. It is a popular

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that i ...

. It attracts

hoverflies Hover flies, also called flower flies or syrphid flies, make up the insect family Syrphidae. As their common name suggests, they are often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers; the adults of many species feed mainly on nectar and pollen, whi ...

and is pollinated by

bee Bees are winged insects closely related to wasps and ants, known for their roles in pollination and, in the case of the best-known bee species, the western honey bee, for producing honey. Bees are a monophyly, monophyletic lineage within the ...

s. It is self-seeding, even in a lawn. This plant has gained the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

. There are six subspecies: *''L. douglasii'' subsp. ''douglasii'' R. Br., is native to the coastal mountains and valleys of southwestern Oregon south to the

San Francisco Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area Go ...

*''L. douglasii'' subsp. ''nivea'' (C.T. Mason) C.T. Mason, with mostly white flowers, grows in the coastal mountains of northern California *''L. douglasii'' subsp. ''ornduffii'' (E. G. Buxton), with 4 petals instead of 5, is endemic to California's San Mateo County *''L. douglasii'' subsp. ''rosea'' (Benth.) C.T. Mason, found in California's Central Valley and adjacent hills, often has pink veining on its petals *''L. douglasii'' subsp. ''sulphurea'' (C.T. Mason) C.T. Mason, is a rare yellow-petaled subspecies endemic to the Bay Area * ''L. douglasii'' subsp. ''striata'' (Jeps.) Morin, has recently been subsumed into this species; it occurs in the Klamath range and the north and central Sierra Nevada Limnanthes douglasii Limnantes Douglasa 2010-05-29 01.jpg Limnanthes douglasii Limnantes Douglasa 2010-05-29 04.jpg Limnanthes douglasii ssp rosea.jpg, ''L. douglasii'' subsp. ''rosea''

References

External links

Jepson Manual TreatmentCalPhotos
Annual plants Limnanthaceae Flora of California Flora of Oregon Garden plants of North America Plants described in 1833 Flora without expected TNC conservation status {{Brassicales-stub