Dipterostemon capitatus subsp. pauciflorus
(c) Tom Hilton, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Themidaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Dipterostemon capitatus subsp. pauciflorus is a native California herb in the Themidaceae family, recognized by 3 sympatric subspecies; key features are flower number (2-5), spreading perianth lobes, and pedicel length relative to bracts.
Few-flowered desert cluster-lily is a California native perennial found in the eastern Sierra Nevada and Mojave Desert in open desert scrub and dunes at elevations of 150 to 2,200 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces white to purple-streaked flowers in compact clusters with 2 to 5 individual blooms. Growing with slender stems 15 to 40 centimeters tall, it emerges from an underground bulb with a delicate, spreading growth habit. Its narrow leaves are linear and grass-like, emerging from the base of the plant. The flower clusters feature distinctive white or purple-streaked bracts, with individual flower pedicels extending beyond the bracts.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 3 sympatric subspecies; key features are flower number (2-5), spreading perianth lobes, and pedicel length relative to bracts
Habitat and range
Habitat: Deserts, open scrub, dunes
Elevation: 150-2200 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Riverside, Kern, Inyo, Imperial, El Dorado, Alameda, Butte, Placer, Santa Clara, Tulare, Ventura, Nevada, Fresno, Mariposa, San Diego, Humboldt, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo
Outside California: to Utah, New Mexico, northern Mexico
Bloom period
Dipterostemon capitatus subsp. pauciflorus blooms Mar-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Dichelostemma: Dipterostemon has 6 fertile stamens (all with anthers) and 2 broad papery bracts under a tight head; Dichelostemma has only 3 fertile stamens alternating with 3 forked, sterile staminodes.; vs Brodiaea: Dipterostemon crowds its flowers into a dense head on very short pedicels with 6 stamens; Brodiaea has an open umbel of long-pedicelled flowers with 3 stamens plus 3 flat petal-like staminodes.; vs Triteleia: Dipterostemon flowers are packed into a bracted head; Triteleia holds its 6-stamened flowers in an open umbel on spreading pedicels.; vs Bloomeria: Dipterostemon has a fused perianth tube and a congested head; Bloomeria has yellow tepals nearly free to the base in an open, star-like umbel.; vs Allium: Dipterostemon has no onion smell and a dense purple head under leafy bracts; Allium (wild onion) reeks of onion and opens from a papery spathe.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dipterostemon capitatus subsp. pauciflorus native to California?
Yes. Dipterostemon capitatus subsp. pauciflorus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Dipterostemon capitatus subsp. pauciflorus bloom?
Dipterostemon capitatus subsp. pauciflorus blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Dipterostemon capitatus subsp. pauciflorus grow?
Dipterostemon capitatus subsp. pauciflorus occurs in San Bernardino, Riverside, Kern, Inyo, Imperial, El Dorado, Alameda, Butte and other counties, at elevations of 150-2200 m.
What plant family does Dipterostemon capitatus subsp. pauciflorus belong to?
Dipterostemon capitatus subsp. pauciflorus is in the Themidaceae family, genus Dipterostemon.
What habitat does Dipterostemon capitatus subsp. pauciflorus grow in?
Dipterostemon capitatus subsp. pauciflorus grows in Deserts, open scrub, dunes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
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.