Corispermum americanum var. americanum

American bugseed

Family: Chenopodiaceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.2

American bugseed is a rare (CNPS 2B.2) California native annual found in northern Death Valley Mojave Desert (Eureka Valley) in sandy soils and dunes at elevations of 900 to 1,200 meters. Flowering in May, this plant produces small green to yellow flowers with tiny white perianth parts. Growing with well-branched stems 3 to 15 centimeters tall, the plant is entirely glabrous with a delicate, open structure. Its leaves are narrow, measuring 9 to 25 millimeters long and 1 to 2.5 millimeters wide, with a simple linear shape. The fruit is distinctive, with a 2 to 3.5 millimeter body that is roughly obovate, yellow-green to brown, and often marked with red spots or warty textures.

Habitat: Sandy soils, dunes

Bloom period: May

Elevation: 900-1200 m

Bioregions: n DMoj (Eureka Valley)

California counties: Inyo

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