Allionia incarnata var. incarnata
Trailing windmills
Photo: parent species Allionia incarnata · Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Nyctaginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Allionia incarnata var. incarnata (Trailing windmills) is a native California herb in the Nyctaginaceae family, recognized by 2 sympatric varieties; distinguished by stem hairiness and fruit size.
Trailing windmills is a California native perennial found in the Mojave Desert bioregion in creosote-bush scrub at elevations below 1,600 meters. Flowering from March to September, this plant produces small pink to magenta flowers clustered in delicate, open arrangements. Growing with spreading stems 10 to 30 centimeters long that are glandular and sparsely long-hairy, it forms a low, sprawling ground cover. Its leaves are soft and tomentose, with upper leaves often smaller and more reduced, creating a distinctive layered appearance. The fruit is generally 2 to 5 millimeters long, nestled among the plant's woolly foliage.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric varieties; distinguished by stem hairiness and fruit size
Habitat and range
Habitat: Creosote-bush scrub
Elevation: < 1600 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Riverside, Imperial, San Diego
Outside California: to Colorado, Texas, South America
Bloom period
Allionia incarnata var. incarnata blooms Mar-Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Mirabilis: Allionia has 3 bracts and 3 lopsided flowers blooming together; Mirabilis has 5 bracts and symmetrical flowers.; vs Boerhavia: Allionia has exactly 3 flowers per cluster in cup-like bracts; Boerhavia has loose, open flower clusters.; vs Phacelia: Allionia has 3 asymmetrical flowers in bract cups; Phacelia has coiled flower clusters and 5 separate petals.; vs Abronia: Allionia has 3 asymmetrical flowers per cluster on trailing stems; Abronia has dense rounded pom-pom heads.; vs Tripterocalyx: Allionia has 3 asymmetrical flowers and bilateral fruits; Tripterocalyx has rounded heads with translucent-winged fruits.
Frequently asked questions
Is Allionia incarnata var. incarnata native to California?
Yes. Allionia incarnata var. incarnata is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Allionia incarnata var. incarnata bloom?
Allionia incarnata var. incarnata blooms Mar-Sep.
Where in California does Allionia incarnata var. incarnata grow?
Allionia incarnata var. incarnata occurs in San Bernardino, Riverside, Imperial, San Diego, at elevations of < 1600 m.
What plant family does Allionia incarnata var. incarnata belong to?
Allionia incarnata var. incarnata is in the Nyctaginaceae family, genus Allionia.
What habitat does Allionia incarnata var. incarnata grow in?
Allionia incarnata var. incarnata grows in Creosote-bush scrub.
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.