Brandegea sp.
Desert star-vine, Desert Star-Vine
(c) Joe Decruyenaere, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Cucurbitaceae · Type: Perennial · Variable; species dependent
Brandegea sp. (Desert star-vine) is a non-native California perennial in the Cucurbitaceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Marah: Brandegea flowers are under 3 mm wide; Marah flowers are 3 mm or larger.; vs Pholistoma: Brandegea is a vine with tendrils; Pholistoma lacks tendrils and has bowl-shaped flowers.; vs Cuscuta: Brandegea has normal leaves; Cuscuta is leafless and parasitic with orange stems.; vs Cucurbita: Brandegea has tiny white flowers under 3 mm; Cucurbita has large yellow flowers over 3 cm.; vs Citrullus: Brandegea has tiny white flowers under 3 mm; Citrullus has yellow flowers over 2 cm.
Frequently asked questions
Is Brandegea sp. native to California?
No. Brandegea sp. is not native to California (recorded as variable; species dependent).
What plant family does Brandegea sp. belong to?
Brandegea sp. is in the Cucurbitaceae family, genus Brandegea.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.