Ayenia compacta

California ayenia

Family: Malvaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3

California ayenia is a rare (CNPS 2B.3) native perennial found in the Peninsular Ranges desert slope, eastern and central Mojave Desert, and western and central Sonoran Desert in sandy and gravelly washes and dry canyons at elevations of 100 to 1,160 meters. Flowering from March to April, this plant produces small white to pale yellow flowers approximately 2 to 3 millimeters long with distinctive petal claws. Growing with multiple branches from its base, the plant reaches 10 to 40 centimeters tall with a compact, intricate growth form. Its leaves have small brown stipules, with delicate foliage that provides textural interest to the plant's structure. The fruit is spherical, straw-colored with unusual purple cylindrical protuberances, and contains distinctive black seeds.

Habitat: Sandy and gravelly washes, dry canyons

Bloom period: Mar-Apr

Elevation: 100-1160 m

Bioregions: PR (desert slope), e&amps DMoj (rare), w&ampc DSon

California counties: Riverside, San Diego, San Bernardino

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