Calyptridium monandrum
Common pussypaws
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Montiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Calyptridium monandrum (Common pussypaws) is a native California herb in the Montiaceae family, recognized by . Distinguished by annual habit, single stamen, and 3 petals.
Common pussypaws is a California native annual found in southern Sierra Nevada, Tehachapi, San Joaquin Valley, central western, southwestern, southern eastern Sierra Nevada, and desert regions in open sandy areas and scrublands at elevations generally below 2,000 meters. Flowering from January to July, this plant produces delicate pink to reddish flowers in small axillary clusters. Growing with spreading or decumbent stems 1.5 to 18 centimeters tall, it develops a slender taproot and leafy branching structure. Its basal leaves are narrow and oblanceolate to spoon-shaped, measuring 1 to 5 centimeters long and typically withering as the plant fruits. The fruit is an oblong to linear capsule 3 to 6 millimeters long, containing 4 to 10 tiny seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 10 sympatric species. Distinguished by annual habit, single stamen, and 3 petals.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Widespread in desert and scrub, open areas, sandy soils, burns
Elevation: generally < 2000 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Tulare, Kern, Ventura, Riverside, San Diego, Inyo, Santa Barbara, Mono, Imperial, Orange, Alpine, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, Fresno, Shasta, Santa Clara, San Joaquin, San Benito, Nevada, Merced, Siskiyou, Santa Cruz
Outside California: Nevada, Arizona, northwestern Mexico
Bloom period
Calyptridium monandrum blooms Jan-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Eriogonum: Calyptridium has separate petals; Eriogonum flowers are in papery involucres with 6 petal-like tepals.; vs Cistanthe: Calyptridium has 2-4 petals and 1-3 stamens; Cistanthe consistently has 5 petals and 5-10 stamens.; vs Chorizanthe: Calyptridium has distinct petals; Chorizanthe has tubular flowers with papery bracts and no true petals.; vs Camissoniopsis: Calyptridium has 2-4 petals with few stamens; Camissoniopsis has 4 petals with 8 stamens.; vs Claytonia: Calyptridium has only 2-4 petals and dense ground-hugging clusters; Claytonia has 5 petals on upright stems.
Frequently asked questions
Is Calyptridium monandrum native to California?
Yes. Calyptridium monandrum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Calyptridium monandrum bloom?
Calyptridium monandrum blooms Jan-Jul.
Where in California does Calyptridium monandrum grow?
Calyptridium monandrum occurs in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Tulare, Kern, Ventura, Riverside, San Diego, Inyo and other counties, at elevations of generally < 2000 m.
What plant family does Calyptridium monandrum belong to?
Calyptridium monandrum is in the Montiaceae family, genus Calyptridium.
What habitat does Calyptridium monandrum grow in?
Calyptridium monandrum grows in Widespread in desert and scrub, open areas, sandy soils, burns.
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.