Mortonia utahensis
Utah mortonia
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Matt Berger · licence
Family: Celastraceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Mortonia utahensis (Utah mortonia) is a native California shrub in the Celastraceae family, recognized by Great Basin endemic reaching southern range limit in California, requires limestone substrates.
Utah mortonia is a California native shrub found in the northern Mojave Desert on limestone slopes and canyon bottoms at elevations of 350 to 2,100 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces white flowers in clusters 8 to 65 millimeters long. Growing 3 to 12 decimeters tall with cream-white twigs that turn gray with age, it develops a coarsely scabrous habit. Its leaves are small, 6 to 16 millimeters long, with ovate to round blades that are slightly concave on the underside and have rounded to tapered bases. The fruit is a glabrous capsule 5 to 7 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Great Basin endemic reaching southern range limit in California, requires limestone substrates
Habitat and range
Habitat: Limestone slopes, canyon bottoms
Elevation: 350-2100 m
California counties: Inyo, San Bernardino
Outside California: to southwestern Utah
Bloom period
Mortonia utahensis blooms Mar-May.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
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 utahensis native to California?
Yes. Mortonia utahensis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Mortonia utahensis bloom?
Mortonia utahensis blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Mortonia utahensis grow?
Mortonia utahensis occurs in Inyo, San Bernardino, at elevations of 350-2100 m.
What plant family does Mortonia utahensis belong to?
Mortonia utahensis is in the Celastraceae family, genus Mortonia.
Is Mortonia utahensis rare or endangered?
Mortonia utahensis carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S3?.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.