Menodora spinescens var. mohavensis

Mojave menodora

Family: Oleaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Mojave menodora is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native shrub found in northern Sonoran Borderlands and Mojave Desert on rocky desert hillsides and canyons at elevations of 690 to 2,000 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces yellow flowers with a corolla tube 8 to 10 millimeters long and distinctive yellow anthers. Growing with spiny branches 30 to 100 centimeters tall, it develops a compact, dense form with multiple woody stems. Its leaves are small, narrow, and arranged along the branches, contributing to the shrub's intricate, somewhat rigid structure. When in bloom, the plant displays delicate yellow flowers with well-exserted stigmas, creating a subtle but distinctive appearance in its harsh desert environment.

Habitat: Rocky desert hillsides, canyons

Bloom period: Apr-May

Elevation: 690-2000(2300) m

Bioregions: SnBr (n slope), DMoj.

California counties: San Bernardino, Riverside

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