Chorizanthe valida

Sonoma spineflower

Family: Polygonaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1 · Endangered

Sonoma spineflower is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native perennial found in northern central Coast Ranges, now extirpated except on Point Reyes Peninsula, growing in sandy habitats at elevations of 10 to 90 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces white to lavender or rose flowers with fringed petals in dense, rounded clusters. Growing 10 to 60 centimeters wide with sprawling to erect stems that branch and spread in ascending patterns, it develops a distinctive branching habit. Its basal leaves are widely oblanceolate, measuring 1 to 2.5 centimeters long and 0.4 to 0.8 centimeters wide, arranged primarily at the plant's base. The fruit is 3 to 4.5 millimeters long with intricately structured involucres featuring six erect lobes and alternating straight awns.

Habitat: Sand

Bloom period: Jun-Aug

Elevation: 10-90 m

Bioregions: n CCo (extirpated exc Point Reyes Peninsula).

California counties: Marin, Sonoma

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