Seven new species of Cephennium from California are described and illustrated - C. celsifrons, sp. n., C. mariposae, sp. n., C. grandarboreum, sp. n., C. canestroi, sp. n., C. gilberti, sp. n., C. urbanum, sp. n. and C. aridum, sp. n. Th e single known native Nearctic species, C. anophthalmicum Brendel, was known only from moist coastal forests around the San Francisco Bay area. Th e new species greatly expand the distribution of the genus, through central and southern California, occurring in the central Sierra Nevada, south through the coast ranges and Sierra Nevada to the Santa Monica Mountains and desert foothills of the San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains. A key to all eight species (the entire native Nearctic fauna) of Cephennium occurring in California is provided.