Euphorbia exstipulata var. exstipulata

Clark mountain spurge

Family: Euphorbiaceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.1

Clark mountain spurge is a rare (CNPS 2B.1) California native annual found in eastern desert mountains including the Clark and New York Mountains on rocky slopes at elevations of 1,800 to 2,000 meters. Flowering from September to October, this plant produces white petal-like appendages surrounding tiny cyathia with delicate involucral glands. Growing with erect stems less than 25 centimeters tall, the plant has spreading or ascending branches that are sparsely puberulent. Its opposite leaves are linear to lanceolate, 2 to 4 centimeters long, with slightly serrated edges and a symmetric base tapering to an acute tip. The fruit is a small spheric, lobed structure 2.5 to 3.4 millimeters long, bearing pyramidal seeds with distinctive transverse ridges.

Habitat: Rocky slopes

Bloom period: Sep-Oct

Elevation: 1800-2000 m

Bioregions: e DMtns (Clark Mtn Range, New York Mtns)

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.