Acmispon rigidus
Desert lotus
(c) W. Terry Hunefeld, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Acmispon rigidus (Desert lotus) is a native California subshrub in the Fabaceae family, recognized by tall shrub habit and large flowers.
Desert lotus is a California native perennial found in the Peninsular Ranges and desert regions in chaparral, desert flats, washes, and foothills at elevations below 1,550 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces yellow to cream-colored flowers 12 to 24 millimeters long with distinctive wing petals larger than the keel. Growing with ascending, clustered branches 50 to 150 centimeters tall, it forms a shrub-like herb with fine, stiff hairs covering its stems. Its leaves are irregularly pinnate with 3 to 5 oblanceolate leaflets 5 to 17 millimeters long, each distinctly longer than wide. The plant produces slowly dehiscent linear fruits 2 to 4 centimeters long with a slightly curved beak, typically spreading or held erect above the foliage.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 24 sympatric species; distinguished by tall shrub habit and large flowers
Habitat and range
Habitat: Chaparral, desert flats, washes, foothills
Elevation: < 1550 m
California counties: Riverside, San Bernardino, Inyo, San Diego, Imperial
Outside California: to southeastern Utah, Arizona, Baja California
Bloom period
Acmispon rigidus blooms Mar-May.
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 rigidus native to California?
Yes. Acmispon rigidus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Acmispon rigidus bloom?
Acmispon rigidus blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Acmispon rigidus grow?
Acmispon rigidus occurs in Riverside, San Bernardino, Inyo, San Diego, Imperial, at elevations of < 1550 m.
What plant family does Acmispon rigidus belong to?
Acmispon rigidus is in the Fabaceae family, genus Acmispon.
What habitat does Acmispon rigidus grow in?
Acmispon rigidus grows in Chaparral, desert flats, washes, foothills.
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.