Mortonia sp.
Family: Celastraceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Mortonia sp. is a native California shrub in the Celastraceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Maytenus: Mortonia has many flowers in dense terminal clusters; Maytenus has 1-5 flowers in leaf joints.; vs Euonymus: Mortonia is desert shrub with terminal white clusters; Euonymus is non-desert with axillary flowers.; vs Paxistima: Mortonia has terminal flower clusters; Paxistima has flowers tucked in leaf axils.; vs Thamnosma: Mortonia has unlobed leaves; Thamnosma has compound or highly divided leaves.; vs Glossopetalon: Mortonia has smooth leaf edges; Glossopetalon typically has spine-tipped or toothed leaves.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mortonia sp. native to California?
Yes. Mortonia sp. is native to California (recorded as native).
What plant family does Mortonia sp. belong to?
Mortonia sp. is in the Celastraceae family, genus Mortonia.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.