Chorizanthe leptotheca
Peninsular spineflower
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.2
Chorizanthe leptotheca (Peninsular spineflower) is a native California herb in the Polygonaceae family, recognized by pale pink-purple flowers with outer lobes longer than inner.
Peninsular spineflower is a native perennial found in the eastern Peninsular Ranges in sandy or gravelly habitats at elevations of 600 to 1,600 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces pale pink to purple flowers in delicate, flat-topped clusters with hooked awns. Growing 20 to 35 centimeters tall with a low-mounded to erect form, it spreads 20 to 50 centimeters wide and features diffusely branching stems that ascend or spread from the base. Its basal leaves are oblong to oblong-ovate, 5 to 20 millimeters long, with a distinctively tomentose undersurface. The fruit is a small 3 to 4 millimeter structure nestled within an intricate three-angled involucre.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 8 sympatric species; pale pink-purple flowers with outer lobes longer than inner
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sand or gravel
Elevation: (300)600-1600 m
California counties: San Diego, Riverside, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, San Bernardino
Outside California: northern Baja California
Bloom period
Chorizanthe leptotheca blooms May-Aug.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.2
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 leptotheca native to California?
Yes. Chorizanthe leptotheca is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Chorizanthe leptotheca bloom?
Chorizanthe leptotheca blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Chorizanthe leptotheca grow?
Chorizanthe leptotheca occurs in San Diego, Riverside, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, at elevations of (300)600-1600 m.
What plant family does Chorizanthe leptotheca belong to?
Chorizanthe leptotheca is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Chorizanthe.
Is Chorizanthe leptotheca rare or endangered?
Chorizanthe leptotheca carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.2, state rank S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.