Chorizanthe wheeleri
Wheeler's spineflower, Wheeler's Spineflower
(c) Cayman Lanzone, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Chorizanthe wheeleri (Wheeler's spineflower) is a native California herb in the Polygonaceae family, recognized by island location and 6 stamens.
Wheeler's spineflower is a native perennial ranked 4.3 by CNPS, found on the northern Channel Islands including Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa islands in rocky and gravelly habitats at elevations below 400 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces delicate white to pink or purple flowers with six alternating lobes. Growing as a small, compact plant with erect stems reaching 0.5 to 2 centimeters tall, it forms few-branched clusters with spreading to ascending branches. Its basal leaves are tiny, measuring 0.5 to 2 millimeters long and 0.2 to 0.6 centimeters wide, with elliptic to oblong shapes and a soft, woolly texture on the undersides. The plant's distinctive involucre is three-angled with six ribs, featuring clusters of flowers with hooked awns measuring 0.3 to 0.5 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species; diagnostic island location and 6 stamens
Habitat and range
Habitat: Gravel to rocks
Elevation: < 400 m
California counties: Santa Barbara, Riverside
Bloom period
Chorizanthe wheeleri blooms Apr-Jun.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
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 wheeleri native to California?
Yes. Chorizanthe wheeleri is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Chorizanthe wheeleri bloom?
Chorizanthe wheeleri blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Chorizanthe wheeleri grow?
Chorizanthe wheeleri occurs in Santa Barbara, Riverside, at elevations of < 400 m.
What plant family does Chorizanthe wheeleri belong to?
Chorizanthe wheeleri is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Chorizanthe.
Is Chorizanthe wheeleri rare or endangered?
Chorizanthe wheeleri carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S3S4.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Chorizanthe xanti — Riverside spineflower
- Chorizanthe xanti var. leucotheca — White-bracted spineflower
- Chorizanthe xanti var. xanti — Pinyon spineflower
- Chorizanthe angustifolia — Narrow-leaf spineflower
- Chorizanthe aphanantha — Irish hills spineflower
- Chorizanthe biloba — Two lobed spineflower
- Dedeckera eurekensis — July gold
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.