Acmispon maritimus var. brevivexillus

Coastal lotus

Family: Fabaceae · Type: annual · Native

Coastal lotus is a California native annual found in desert regions, including desert mountains at elevations below 1,850 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces delicate yellow flowers with a distinctive keel petal longer than other petals. Growing with slender stems that spread or ascend across sandy or rocky desert terrain, it forms compact clusters near the ground. Its leaves are composed of small, compound leaflets typical of the lotus family, creating a delicate green mat across the desert landscape. The fruit develops as a narrow pod 1 to 1.5 centimeters long, with distinctive constrictions between seeds as it matures.

Habitat: Deserts, including mountains

Bloom period: Mar-Jun

Elevation: < 1850 m

Bioregions: D

California counties: San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Imperial, Riverside, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Kern

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.