Chorizanthe robusta var. hartwegii

Scotts valley spineflower, Scotts Valley Spineflower

Family: Polygonaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1 · Endangered

Scotts valley spineflower is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native perennial found in southern San Francisco Bay Region in Scotts Valley, Santa Cruz County, growing in sandy habitats at elevations of 200 to 300 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces delicate flowers with rose-pink lobe margins. Growing erect with stems 5 to 30 centimeters tall, it develops a compact and slender form. Its leaves are narrow and relatively small, with blades 1.5 to 5 centimeters long and 0.2 to 0.5 centimeters wide. The plant's distinctive involucre measures 2.5 to 3.5 millimeters, featuring subtle rose-pink edges that highlight its delicate structure.

Habitat: Sand

Bloom period: Apr-Jul

Elevation: 200-300 m

Bioregions: s SnFrB (Scotts Valley, Santa Cruz Co.).

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