Chorizanthe brevicornu
Brittle spine flower
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Chorizanthe brevicornu (Brittle spine flower) is a native California herb in the Polygonaceae family, recognized by stems breaking at nodes and cylindrical involucres.
Brittle spine flower is a California native perennial found in low-elevation grasslands and open woodlands with dry, rocky soils. Flowering from May to July, this delicate plant produces green-white to pale yellow-white flowers in small, branching clusters with distinctive hooked awns. Growing with ascending branches that break at nodes, the plant forms diffusely branched stems 10 to 30 centimeters tall and appears green or yellow-green with fine strigose hairs. Its basal leaves are linear to spoon-shaped, measuring 1 to 3 centimeters long and 0.1 to 1 centimeter wide, providing a sparse, delicate foliage. The fruit is a small, three to four millimeter capsule with six nearly equal lobes.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 10 sympatric species; stems breaking at nodes and cylindrical involucres are diagnostic
Habitat and range
California counties: San Bernardino, Inyo, Riverside, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, San Diego, Imperial
How to tell it apart
vs Eriogonum: Chorizanthe has 1 flower per involucre; Eriogonum has multiple flowers per involucre.; vs Eremothera: Chorizanthe has 6-parted flowers in spiny cups; Eremothera has 4-petaled evening-primrose flowers.; vs Calyptridium: Chorizanthe has flowers in awned involucres; Calyptridium has naked flowers with papery sepals.; vs Lastarriaea: Chorizanthe has thin papery flowers; Lastarriaea has distinctly thick, leathery-textured flowers.; vs Navarretia: Chorizanthe is in Polygonaceae with 6-parted flowers; Navarretia is in Polemoniaceae with 5-lobed tubular flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Chorizanthe brevicornu native to California?
Yes. Chorizanthe brevicornu is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Chorizanthe brevicornu grow?
Chorizanthe brevicornu occurs in San Bernardino, Inyo, Riverside, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, San Diego, Imperial.
What plant family does Chorizanthe brevicornu belong to?
Chorizanthe brevicornu is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Chorizanthe.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Chorizanthe brevicornu var. brevicornu — Brittle spineflower
- Chorizanthe brevicornu var. spathulata — Great basin brittle spineflower
- Chorizanthe breweri — Brewer's spineflower
- Chorizanthe clevelandii — Cleveland's spineflower
- Chorizanthe corrugata — Wrinkled spineflower
- Chorizanthe cuspidata — San francisco spineflower
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.