Acmispon strigosus
Strigose lotus
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Acmispon strigosus (Strigose lotus) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by broad habitat range and variable flower colors.
Strigose lotus is a California native annual found in the Great Valley, Central Western, Southwestern, and Desert bioregions in coastal scrub, chaparral, foothills, and desert habitats at elevations below 2,300 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces yellow to orange flowers that may turn reddish with age, typically 5 to 10 millimeters long. Growing with prostrate stems often forming dense mats, it spreads 0.3 to 5 decimeters across and branches extensively from the base. Its leaves are irregularly pinnate with 4 to 9 oblanceolate to obovate leaflets, each 3 to 10 millimeters long, and distinctive black gland-like stipules. The fruit is a linear, generally curved pod 1 to 3.5 centimeters long with a small curved beak.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 42 sympatric species; distinguished by broad habitat range and variable flower colors
Habitat and range
Habitat: Coastal scrub, chaparral, foothills, deserts, roadsides, other disturbed areas
Elevation: < 2300 m
California counties: San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, San Diego, Los Angeles, Kern, Riverside, Ventura, Tuolumne, Inyo, Imperial, Tulare, Santa Barbara, Sutter, Butte, Fresno, Plumas, San Mateo, Monterey, San Francisco, Madera, San Benito, Santa Clara, Mariposa, Santa Cruz, Sacramento, Napa, Merced, Sonoma, Yolo, Orange, Marin
Outside California: Arizona, Mexico
Bloom period
Acmispon strigosus blooms Mar-Jun.
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 strigosus native to California?
Yes. Acmispon strigosus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Acmispon strigosus bloom?
Acmispon strigosus blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Acmispon strigosus grow?
Acmispon strigosus occurs in San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, San Diego, Los Angeles, Kern, Riverside, Ventura, Tuolumne and other counties, at elevations of < 2300 m.
What plant family does Acmispon strigosus belong to?
Acmispon strigosus is in the Fabaceae family, genus Acmispon.
What habitat does Acmispon strigosus grow in?
Acmispon strigosus grows in Coastal scrub, chaparral, foothills, deserts, roadsides, other disturbed areas.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Acmispon tomentosus — Heermann's lotus
- Acmispon tomentosus var. glabriusculus — Heermann's lotus
- Acmispon tomentosus var. tomentosus — Round leaved heermann's lotus
- Acmispon wrangelianus — Chilean trefoil
- Acmispon americanus var. americanus — American bird's foot trefoil
- Acmispon argophyllus — Silver birds foot trefoil
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.