The colors below indicate the kind of documentation available for this species
in the California counties where it occurs.
Indian Rhubarb Darmera peltata (Saxifragaceae)
The herbaceous saxifrage family, which consists of about 40 genera and 700 species, is almost cosmopolitan in distribution. The majority of species, however, occur in the north temperate region, especially eastern Asia, the Himalayas, and in North America. Despite its restriction to southwestern Oregon and California, Indian Rhubarb looks distinctly tropical. Early in the spring before the leaves appear, flowers are produced in broad flat-topped clusters at the end of a meter long flower stalk called a scape. Umbrella-like leaves erupt from fleshy underground stems and enlarge throughout the growing season.
DISTRIBUTION: Uncommon along rocky streambanks from the Klamath and Cascade Ranges to the Sierra Nevada; < 2000 m.
