Deinandra mohavensis
Mojave tarplant
(c) Shawn O'Donnell, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.3
Deinandra mohavensis (Mojave tarplant) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by tiny fused pappus scales and elevation range distinctive.
Mojave tarplant is a rare (CNPS 1B.3) California native annual found in southern Sierra Nevada, Peninsular Ranges, and western Mojave Desert in moist openings of chaparral, desert scrub, and woodland at elevations of 460 to 1,600 meters. Flowering from May to January, this plant produces deep yellow ray flowers 4 to 7 millimeters long with bright yellow disk centers. Growing 10 to 50 centimeters tall with slender, stalked-glandular stems that form tight or open clusters of flower heads. Its lower leaves are entire or sometimes slightly serrate, covered in glandular hairs that give the plant a distinctive sticky texture. The flower heads feature 5 ray flowers and 6 disk flowers with yellow to brownish anthers, creating delicate clustered blooms across desert and chaparral landscapes.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 5 sympatric species; tiny fused pappus scales and elevation range distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist sites, openings in chaparral, desert scrub, woodland
Elevation: 460-1600 m
California counties: Kern, Riverside, San Diego, San Bernardino, Tulare
Bloom period
Deinandra mohavensis blooms May-Jan.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.3
How to tell it apart
vs Hemizonia: Deinandra rays pure yellow; Hemizonia rays often purple-veined beneath.; vs Holocarpha: Deinandra stalk bracts lack pit glands; Holocarpha has distinctive pit-gland tips.; vs Madia: Deinandra ray fruits with beaks; Madia ray fruits enclosed by phyllaries, different appearance.; vs Eriophyllum: Deinandra is resinous/sticky; Eriophyllum is woolly-hairy, not sticky.; vs Layia: Deinandra lacks ray pappus scales; Layia has prominent white/tan pappus bristles on ray flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Deinandra mohavensis native to California?
Yes. Deinandra mohavensis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Deinandra mohavensis bloom?
Deinandra mohavensis blooms May-Jan.
Where in California does Deinandra mohavensis grow?
Deinandra mohavensis occurs in Kern, Riverside, San Diego, San Bernardino, Tulare, at elevations of 460-1600 m.
What plant family does Deinandra mohavensis belong to?
Deinandra mohavensis is in the Asteraceae family, genus Deinandra.
Is Deinandra mohavensis rare or endangered?
Deinandra mohavensis carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.3, state rank S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
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.