Acmispon argyraeus
Canyon birdsfoot trefoil
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Acmispon argyraeus (Canyon birdsfoot trefoil) is a native California subshrub in the Fabaceae family, recognized by dehiscent fruits and color-changing flowers.
Canyon birdsfoot trefoil is a California native perennial herb found in rocky or open habitats across California's coastal ranges and western Sierra Nevada foothills. Flowering from spring to summer, this plant produces yellow flowers that age to orange-red, with delicate blooms emerging individually or in small clusters of 1 to 3 flowers. Growing with hairy, silvery-gray stems 10 to 30 centimeters tall, it forms a compact and intricate plant structure. Its leaves are uniquely arranged with 3 to 5 leaflets, each 4 to 12 millimeters long, creating a distinctive pinnate or palmate pattern with gland-like stipules. The fruit develops as a divergent, exserted oblong pod with a short beak 0.5 to 1.5 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 26 sympatric species; distinguished by dehiscent fruits and color-changing flowers
Habitat and range
California counties: San Bernardino, Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside
How to tell it apart
vs Lotus: Same genus - Lotus is an older name for Acmispon, now considered synonymous.; vs Ottleya: Acmispon has yellow pea-shaped flowers in umbels; Ottleya (a buckwheat relative) has tiny white/pink flowers without pea shape.; vs Eriogonum: Acmispon has compound leaves with 3 leaflets; buckwheats (Eriogonum) have simple leaves.; vs Genista: Acmispon leaves are compound with 3 leaflets; Genista (broom) has simple or very small trifoliate leaves on ridged green stems.; vs Hosackia: Acmispon has tiny gland-like stipules; Hosackia has conspicuous papery or leaf-like stipules at leaf bases.
Frequently asked questions
Is Acmispon argyraeus native to California?
Yes. Acmispon argyraeus is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Acmispon argyraeus grow?
Acmispon argyraeus occurs in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside.
What plant family does Acmispon argyraeus belong to?
Acmispon argyraeus is in the Fabaceae family, genus Acmispon.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
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.