Acleisanthes nevadensis
Desert wing-fruit, desert wing-fruit, desert wing-fruit
(c) Stan Shebs, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Nyctaginaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.1
Acleisanthes nevadensis (Desert wing-fruit) is a native California subshrub in the Nyctaginaceae family, recognized by . Key features: winged fruits, Desert Mountains endemic, prostrate growth form.
Desert wing-fruit is a rare (CNPS 2B.1) California native annual found in the northeastern Kingston Range and southeastern Inyo County in dry, rocky desert areas at elevations around 1,250 meters. Flowering from June to September, this plant produces white flowers with a green perianth tube in delicate, subtle blooms. Growing with prostrate to erect stems less than 30 centimeters tall, it has soft white hairs that spread both appressed and divergently. Its leaves are ovate to round, carried on petioles 5 to 20 millimeters long, with a soft, delicate structure. The fruit features distinctive wings approximately 2 millimeters wide, giving the plant its evocative common name.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated (0 sympatric species). Key features: winged fruits, Desert Mountains endemic, prostrate growth form.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Dry, rocky areas
Elevation: 1250 m
Outside California: to southwestern Utah, northwestern Arizona
Bloom period
Acleisanthes nevadensis blooms Jun-Sep.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.1
How to tell it apart
vs Abronia: Acleisanthes has enormous single trumpet flowers 1-7 inches long; Abronia has small flowers in dense rounded heads.; vs Tripterocalyx: Acleisanthes has giant trumpet flowers and smooth ribbed fruits; Tripterocalyx has small flowers and translucent-winged fruits.; vs Allionia: Acleisanthes has giant trumpet flowers; Allionia has tiny asymmetrical flowers in groups of 3.; vs Mirabilis: Acleisanthes has trumpet flowers 1-7 inches long without bract cups; Mirabilis flowers are shorter in 5-bract cups.; vs Boerhavia: Acleisanthes has giant trumpet flowers 1-7 inches long; Boerhavia has tiny bell-shaped flowers under 5mm.
Frequently asked questions
Is Acleisanthes nevadensis native to California?
Yes. Acleisanthes nevadensis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Acleisanthes nevadensis bloom?
Acleisanthes nevadensis blooms Jun-Sep.
What plant family does Acleisanthes nevadensis belong to?
Acleisanthes nevadensis is in the Nyctaginaceae family, genus Acleisanthes.
Is Acleisanthes nevadensis rare or endangered?
Acleisanthes nevadensis carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.1, state rank S1.
What habitat does Acleisanthes nevadensis grow in?
Acleisanthes nevadensis grows in Dry, rocky areas.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.