Petalonyx linearis

Long leaved sandpaper plant

Family: Loasaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3

Long leaved sandpaper plant is a rare (CNPS 2B.3) California native shrub found in southeastern Mojave Desert and Sonoran Desert regions in sandy or rocky canyons, typically within creosote-bush scrub at elevations below 1,000 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces white flowers with petals 2 to 5.5 millimeters long in delicate clusters. Growing 15 to 100 centimeters tall with an upright, spreading form, it develops woody stems that support its distinctive structure. Its leaves are generally linear to narrowly lance-shaped, 10 to 25 millimeters long, sessile and either entirely smooth or irregularly toothed near the tips. The plant's stamens extend slightly beyond the flower petals, creating an elegant, airy appearance in its desert habitat.

Habitat: Sandy or rocky canyons, generally in creosote-bush scrub

Bloom period: Mar-May

Elevation: < 1000 m

Bioregions: se DMoj, DSon

California counties: Riverside, San Bernardino, Imperial, San Diego

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