Oxytheca watsonii
Watson's oxytheca
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: annual · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.2
Watson's oxytheca is a rare (CNPS 2B.2) California native annual found in the southeastern White and Inyo Mountains, specifically in the Santa Rosa Hills of Inyo County, growing in sandy habitats at elevations of 1,200 to 2,000 meters. Flowering from June to October, this plant produces delicate white to pink flowers measuring 1 to 1.5 millimeters long in small clusters with distinctive reddish involucre awns about 2.5 to 3 millimeters long. Growing with erect to spreading stems 5 to 25 centimeters tall and 4 to 40 millimeters in diameter, the plant has a variable, open growth structure. Its leaves are small, measuring 7 to 40 millimeters long and 1 to 12 millimeters wide, with hairy and glandular surfaces on the upper side and smoother undersides. The plant's inflorescence features three free bracts with short awns, creating a unique and delicate botanical appearance.
Habitat: Sand
Bloom period: Jun-Oct
Elevation: 1200-2000 m
Bioregions: se W&I (Santa Rosa Hills, Inyo Co.)
California counties: Inyo, San Bernardino
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.