Acmispon cytisoides
Bentham's deerweed, Bentham's broom, Bentham's broom
(c) Don Loarie, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Don Loarie · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.2
Acmispon cytisoides (Bentham's deerweed) is a native California subshrub in the Fabaceae family, recognized by coastal endemic with white to pink flowers.
Bentham's deerweed is a California native perennial found in coastal bioregions including Central Coast, San Francisco Bay, and southern Coastal Ranges on coastal dunes, slopes, and bluffs at elevations below 200 meters. Flowering from March to July, this plant produces white to pink flowers with cream-colored wings, often showing dark streaks and fading to brick-red when dry. Growing in low mat-forming or ascending stems 10 to 80 centimeters tall, it has leafy branches that are glabrous or finely hairy. Its leaves are irregularly pinnate with 3 to 5 elliptic to obovate leaflets, each 5 to 12 millimeters long, typically green in color. The fruit is an upcurved, curved pod 7 to 10 millimeters long with a 2 to 3 millimeter curved beak.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 25 sympatric species; coastal endemic with white to pink flowers
Habitat and range
Habitat: Coastal dunes, slopes, bluffs
Elevation: < 200 m
California counties: San Luis Obispo, Monterey, Sonoma
Bloom period
Acmispon cytisoides blooms Mar-Jul.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.2
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 cytisoides native to California?
Yes. Acmispon cytisoides is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Acmispon cytisoides bloom?
Acmispon cytisoides blooms Mar-Jul.
Where in California does Acmispon cytisoides grow?
Acmispon cytisoides occurs in San Luis Obispo, Monterey, Sonoma, at elevations of < 200 m.
What plant family does Acmispon cytisoides belong to?
Acmispon cytisoides is in the Fabaceae family, genus Acmispon.
Is Acmispon cytisoides rare or endangered?
Acmispon cytisoides carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.2, state rank S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Acmispon decumbens — Sierra lotus
- Acmispon decumbens var. davidsonii — Davidson's sierra nevada lotus
- Acmispon decumbens var. decumbens — Sierra nevada lotus
- Acmispon dendroideus — Island broom
- Acmispon dendroideus var. dendroideus — Island broom
- Acmispon dendroideus var. traskiae — San clemente island lotus
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.