Limnanthes douglasii is distributed in California and southwest Oregon. The California distribution is defined by the North Coast, North Coast Ranges, Cascade Range Foothills, central Sierra Nevada Foothills, Great Central Valley, Central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area and South Coast Ranges. Preferred habitats are wet meadows, edges of vernal pools and ephemeral streams at elevations below 1000 meters.

This wildflower commonly known as Douglas meadowfoam, stands at a height not exceeding 50 centimeters. The name meadowfoam arises from the frothy appearance of an expansive meadow that is dominated with this plant at spring bloom. The leaf has five to 13 leaflets, each leaflet less than three cm in length. The leaflets are often toothed or lobed. Flowers are cup to bell-shaped, with sepals five to 15 millimeters with petals ten to 18 mm; petals ar white, yellow, or yellow with white tips. Petal veins often purple, pink, or cream; stamens are five to eight mm. Fruit is in the form of a nutlets. Smooth obovoid fruits are 2.5 to 5.0 mm in characteristic diameter.