Sanicula arctopoides
(Apiaceae)
Tiny 5-petaled flowers pack together to form the domed inflorescence of this species. Jutting out, star-like, beyond the flower heads are bracts which are modified leaves. The flower cluster looks like a geodesic dome on top of a wagon wheel. This umbrella-shaped grouping of flowers, or umbel, is typical of the Apiaceae or carrot family.
DISTRIBUTION: Coastal bluffs, headlands, and dunes in northern and central coastal Calif.; 0-250 m.