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Home/Species/ Purple Black-snakeroot

Sanicula bipinnatifida

Dougl. ex Hook.

Purple Black-snakeroot

G5Secure Found in 40 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.157023
Element CodePDAPI1Z040
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
Purple Sanicle (EN) purple sanicle (EN) Sanicle bipinnatifide (FR) Shoebuttons (EN)
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
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-04-03
Change Date1990-01-16
Edition Date2025-04-03
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 bipinnatifida is a perennial herb in open habitats, including grasslands, meadows, conifer and hardwood woodlands, often on serpentine soils occurring in western North America from British Columbia, Canada south through the western United States to Baja California, Mexico. There are estimated to be over 800 occurrences which face threats from development, grazing by cattle and deer, recreational activities, poaching, invasive species, and other threats in some places. 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 bipinnatifida occurs in western North America from British Columbia, Canada south through the western United States to Baja California, Mexico (FNA 2024). Range extent was estimated to be over 650,000 square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025 (RARECAT 2024, 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 800 occurrences rangewide (RARECAT 2024, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, this species is threatened by development, grazing by cattle and deer, recreational activities, poaching, invasive species, and other threats in some places, though there is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand scope and severity of threats for this species (NatureServe 2025). However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Sanicula bipinnatifida grows in "open grasslands, meadows, conifer and hardwood forests, often on serpentine soils" (FNA 2024).
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedGrassland/herbaceous
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN2
ProvinceRankNative
British ColumbiaS2Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
WashingtonSNRYes
OregonSNRYes
CaliforniaSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined———

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (40)
California (38)
AreaForestAcres
Bell QuinbyShasta-Trinity National Forest11,556
Big Butte ShinboneMendocino National Forest4,265
Big RocksLos Padres National Forest11,866
Black MountainLos Padres National Forest16,818
Bucks LakePlumas National Forest680
Castle Crags AShasta-Trinity National Forest113
Castle Crags BShasta-Trinity National Forest1,619
Chips CreekLassen National Forest29,089
Chips CreekPlumas National Forest12,940
Cow CreekShasta-Trinity National Forest22,627
Cow CreekSix Rivers National Forest1,271
Devils RockShasta-Trinity National Forest16,209
Garcia MountainLos Padres National Forest7,850
IshiLassen National Forest21,805
KangarooKlamath National Forest40,617
Kettle Mtn.Shasta-Trinity National Forest4,589
Kings RiverSierra National Forest52,999
Little French CShasta-Trinity National Forest11,529
Lpoor CanyonLos Padres National Forest13,762
Machesna MountainLos Padres National Forest12,271
Mill CreekLassen National Forest7,587
Mirada PimeLos Padres National Forest13,302
No NameCleveland National Forest4,897
North Fork SmithSix Rivers National Forest37,898
Orleans Mtn. BSix Rivers National Forest17,183
PacksaddleSix Rivers National Forest3,862
PantherShasta-Trinity National Forest12,016
PattisonShasta-Trinity National Forest29,299
Pine CreekCleveland National Forest503
PortugueseKlamath National Forest18,915
Reister CanyonMendocino National Forest5,897
Sill HillCleveland National Forest5,294
Skeleton GladeMendocino National Forest9,237
Thomes CreekMendocino National Forest16,616
UnderwoodSix Rivers National Forest6,591
Weaver BallyShasta-Trinity National Forest829
West GirardShasta-Trinity National Forest37,516
WildhorseCleveland National Forest1,483
Oregon (2)
AreaForestAcres
North KalmiopsisSiskiyou National Forests91,560
South KalmiopsisSiskiyou National Forests104,477
References (8)
  1. 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.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  3. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  4. 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.
  5. Munz, P.A., with D.D. Keck. 1959. A California flora. Univ. California Press, Berkeley. 1681 pp.
  6. NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  7. NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2024. Version: 1.1.1 (released Oct 01, 2024).
  8. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).