Chorizanthe ventricosa

Potbellied spineflower, Potbellied Spineflower

Family: Polygonaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.3

Potbellied spineflower is a rare California native perennial ranked 4.3 by CNPS, found in southern San Benito, southeastern Monterey, northeastern San Luis Obispo, and western Fresno counties in serpentine habitats at elevations of 500 to 1,000 meters. Flowering from May to September, this plant produces white to green-yellow flowers with purple perianth lobes, creating delicate clusters on low, openly branched stems. Growing to 5 decimeters tall and up to 5 decimeters wide, it forms low-tufted or mounded patches with ascending branches emerging from the plant base. Its basal leaves are oblanceolate, measuring 1 to 3 centimeters long and 0.4 to 1 centimeter wide, creating a compact and intricate ground-hugging form. The distinctive involucre is 4 to 4.5 millimeters long, swollen and three-angled with six unequal lobes tipped by straight or hooked awns.

Habitat: Serpentine

Bloom period: May-Sep

Elevation: 500-1000 m

Bioregions: SCoRI (s San Benito, se Monterey, ne San Luis Obispo, w Fresno cos.).

California counties: San Luis Obispo, Fresno, Monterey, San Benito

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