Menodora spinescens
Spiny desert olive
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Oleaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Menodora spinescens (Spiny desert olive) is a native California shrub in the Oleaceae family.
Spiny desert olive is a California native shrub found in desert regions with dense, mounded growth at elevations of 400 to 1,600 meters. Flowering from spring to early summer, this plant produces white flowers tinged with red or purple, with delicate obovate petals emerging from reddish buds. Growing 20 to 50 centimeters tall with multiple stems emerging from a short, stout trunk, the shrub develops distinctive spreading branches that terminate in sharp thorns, often appearing forked at branch ends. Its leaves are sparse and linear-oblanceolate, typically 4 to 10 millimeters long, three-cleft to the middle and densely covered in fine hairs. The fruit develops with each lobe opening irregularly, measuring 6 to 8 millimeters long and containing typically two smooth, elliptical seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated but range poorly resolved
Habitat and range
California counties: Inyo, San Bernardino, Del Norte, Mono, Kern, Riverside
How to tell it apart
vs Cercis: Menodora has small narrow leaves; Cercis has large heart-shaped leaves several inches wide.; vs Crocanthemum: Menodora has yellow flowers and two-lobed capsules; Crocanthemum has crinkled petals and round capsules.; vs Pleiacanthus: Menodora is a woody shrub with yellow flowers; Pleiacanthus is herbaceous with white/pinkish flowers.; vs Eulobus: Menodora has two-lobed capsules; Eulobus has four-angled cylindrical capsules.; vs Forestiera: Menodora has alternate leaves; Forestiera has opposite leaves in pairs.
Frequently asked questions
Is Menodora spinescens native to California?
Yes. Menodora spinescens is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Menodora spinescens grow?
Menodora spinescens occurs in Inyo, San Bernardino, Del Norte, Mono, Kern, Riverside.
What plant family does Menodora spinescens belong to?
Menodora spinescens is in the Oleaceae family, genus Menodora.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.