Linanthus bellus

Desert beauty

Family: Polemoniaceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.1

Desert beauty is a rare (CNPS 2B.1) California native annual found in southeastern San Diego County in desert chaparral areas with sandy soils at elevations of 1,000 to 1,400 meters. Flowering from March to May, this delicate plant produces pink flowers with purple markings, featuring widely lanceolate petals 5 to 10 millimeters long and a yellow flower throat. Growing with long, thread-like stems that are openly branched at the base, it reaches a slender, delicate form. Its leaves are narrow with linear lobes 2 to 4 millimeters long, creating a fine, airy texture. Each plant typically produces 6 to 18 seeds in a small obovoid fruit nestled within the flower's calyx.

Habitat: Desert chaparral areas in sandy soils

Bloom period: Mar-May

Elevation: 1000-1400 m

Bioregions: se PR (se San Diego Co.)

California counties: San Diego, Riverside, Lake, Sacramento

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