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Sanicula arctopoides

Hook. & Arn.

Bear's-foot Sanicle

G5Secure Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.147558
Element CodePDAPI1Z010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderApiales
FamilyApiaceae
GenusSanicula
Other Common Names
footsteps of spring (EN) Footsteps-of-Spring (EN) Sanicle patte-d'ours (FR)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Review Date2025-02-07
Change Date1990-01-16
Edition Date2025-02-07
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Sanicula arctopoides is a perennial herb in a variety of open, coastal habitats occurring in western North America from southern British Columbia, Canada south to California, United States. There are over 300 occurrences which face threats from development, recreational activities, fire suppression and succession, invasive species, and browsing by slugs, deer, and Canada geese. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, abundant habitat, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Sanicula arctopoides occurs on the coast of western North America from southern British Columbia, Canada south to California, United States (FNA 2024). Range extent was estimated to be over 230,000 square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are over 300 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, this species is threatened by development, recreational activities (especially off-road vehicles), fire suppression and succession, invasive species (including European Gorse (Ulex europaeus), Spurge-laurel (Daphne laureola), English Ivy (Hedera helix), Hairy Cat’s-ear (Hypochaeris radicata), Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratensis), Orchard Grass (Dactylis glomerata), and Common Velvet Grass (Holcus lanatus)), browsing by slugs, deer, and Canada geese, and other threats in some places (COSEWIC 2015, NatureServe 2025), though there is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand scope and severity of threats for this species.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Sanicula arctopoides grows in "coastal bluffs, headlands, dunes, grassy slopes, scrub" (FNA 2024).
Terrestrial Habitats
Shrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceousSand/dune
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
OregonSNRYes
WashingtonS1Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
CanadaN2
ProvinceRankNative
British ColumbiaS2Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined———

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
California (1)
AreaForestAcres
Elk CreekMendocino National Forest23,182
References (9)
  1. COSEWIC. 2015. COSEWIC assessment and status report on the Bear’s-foot Sanicle Sanicula arctopoides in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. xi + 35 pp. Available online: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/species-risk-public-registry/cosewic-assessments-status-reports/bear-foot-sanicle-2015.html (Accessed 2025).
  2. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2024. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 13. Magnoliophyta: Geraniaceae to Apiaceae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiv + 566 pp.
  3. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  4. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  5. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  6. Munz, P.A., with D.D. Keck. 1959. A California flora. Univ. California Press, Berkeley. 1681 pp.
  7. NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  8. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).
  9. Wildflower Center. 2012. Native Plant Database: <i>Sanicula arctopoides</i>. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, University of Texas, Austin. Accessed: September 26, 2022. https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SAAR9