Ditaxis serrata var. californica
California ditaxis
Photo: parent species Ditaxis serrata · (c) Madeleine Claire, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Euphorbiaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 3.2
Ditaxis serrata var. californica (California ditaxis) is a native California perennial in the Euphorbiaceae family, recognized by glabrous stems and leaves with finely toothed margins diagnostic.
California ditaxis is a native perennial found in the Mojave Desert near Eagle Mountain and northwestern Sonoran Desert in the Coachella Valley, inhabiting desert washes and canyons at elevations of 50 to 1,000 meters. Flowering from April to November, this plant produces small, understated flowers with delicate pale petals. Growing with slender stems 15 to 50 centimeters tall and appearing glabrous, it develops lanceolate to elliptic leaves 10 to 50 millimeters long with finely toothed edges. Its leaves feature tiny stipules less than one millimeter long with faintly gland-toothed margins, giving the plant a subtle, refined appearance. The fruit is approximately 3.5 millimeters long with seeds that are slightly angled and subtly pitted.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 3 sympatric species; glabrous stems and leaves with finely toothed margins diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Washes, canyons
Elevation: 50-1000 m
California counties: Riverside, San Diego
Bloom period
Ditaxis serrata var. californica blooms Apr-Nov.
Conservation status
CNPS 3.2
How to tell it apart
vs Ricinus: Ditaxis has small flowers with petals; castor bean has petalless flowers and huge leaves.; vs Croton: Ditaxis flowers have visible petals; Croton flowers completely lack petals.; vs Bernardia: Ditaxis has petals on flowers; Bernardia flowers are petalless.; vs Acalypha: Ditaxis has petaled flowers; Acalypha flowers lack petals entirely.; vs Triadica: Ditaxis is small desert herb with petals; Triadica is tree with petalless flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ditaxis serrata var. californica native to California?
Yes. Ditaxis serrata var. californica is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ditaxis serrata var. californica bloom?
Ditaxis serrata var. californica blooms Apr-Nov.
Where in California does Ditaxis serrata var. californica grow?
Ditaxis serrata var. californica occurs in Riverside, San Diego, at elevations of 50-1000 m.
What plant family does Ditaxis serrata var. californica belong to?
Ditaxis serrata var. californica is in the Euphorbiaceae family, genus Ditaxis.
Is Ditaxis serrata var. californica rare or endangered?
Ditaxis serrata var. californica carries California Rare Plant Rank 3.2, state rank S2?.
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 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.