Lewisia brachycalyx

Short-sepaled lewisia

Family: Montiaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.2

Short-sepaled lewisia is a rare (CNPS 2B.2) California native perennial found in southern Baja California and the Peninsular Ranges in sandy, wet meadows, seeps, and open conifer forests at elevations of 1,370 to 2,450 meters. Flowering from February to June, this plant produces white to pale pink flowers 12 to 26 millimeters long with delicate pink-veined petals that are blunt or slightly notched at the tip. Growing with low stems 1 to 3.5 centimeters tall, it forms a spreading rosette of fleshy, succulent-like leaves. Its basal leaves are oblanceolate, 2 to 8 centimeters long, with blunt tips that taper to a narrow base. The plant produces clusters of 40 to 50 tiny seeds, each measuring 1.5 millimeters long.

Habitat: Sandy, wet meadows, seeps, open conifer forest

Bloom period: Feb-Jun

Elevation: 1370-2450 m

Bioregions: SnBr, PR

California counties: San Bernardino, Los Angeles, San Diego, Plumas

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