Escobaria chlorantha

Desert pincushion

Family: Cactaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.1

Desert pincushion is a rare (CNPS 2B.1) California native perennial found in eastern San Bernardino County in limestone soils at elevations of 1,000 to 2,400 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces pale cream-yellow to pale orange flowers with a darker midstripe, reaching 2 to 3 centimeters in diameter. Growing with short, cylindric to ovoid stems 7 to 15 centimeters tall and 7 to 9 centimeters in diameter, it features dense clusters of spines with 4 to 11 central spines and 12 to 33 radial spines per areole. Its flower has distinctive white or greenish stigma lobes that are erect to ascending, creating a distinctive pincushion-like appearance. The plant's compact growth and intricate spination make it a unique resident of its limestone habitat.

Habitat: Limestone soils

Bloom period: Apr-May

Elevation: 1000-2400 m

Bioregions: D (e San Bernardino Co.)

California counties: San Bernardino

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