Chylismia arenaria

Sand evening-primrose

Family: Onagraceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.2

Sand evening-primrose is a rare (CNPS 2B.2) California native perennial found in the southern Desert region in sandy washes, rocky slopes, and desert scrub at elevations below 430 meters. Flowering from March to April, this plant produces bright yellow flowers that open at dusk, with petals 8 to 20 millimeters long. Growing up to 180 centimeters tall with spreading hairs and an erect, bushy form, it has distinctive leaves with coarse, variable teeth. Its leaves are cordate-deltate, measuring up to 60 millimeters long with petioles less than 60 millimeters. The plant produces ascending, nearly straight cylindric fruits 30 to 44 millimeters long with small pedicels.

Habitat: Sandy washes, rocky slopes, desert scrub

Bloom period: Mar-Apr

Elevation: < 430 m

Bioregions: DSon

California counties: Imperial, Riverside

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