Petalonyx thurberi subsp. gilmanii

Death valley sandpaper-plant, Death Valley Sandpaper-Plant

Family: Loasaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.3

Death valley sandpaper-plant is a rare (CNPS 1B.3) California native shrub found in northern Mojave Desert in sandy washes and dunes at elevations below 1,200 meters. Flowering from May to June and September to November, this plant produces delicate flowers with stamens 4 to 7.5 millimeters long. Growing to moderate height with soft, spreading hairs covering its branches, the shrub forms a distinctive texture in its desert habitat. Its leaves are covered with rough, sandpaper-like surfaces that help the plant retain moisture in arid environments. The shrub's adaptations make it well-suited to surviving in the harsh, sandy landscapes of Death Valley and surrounding desert regions.

Habitat: Sandy washes, dunes

Bloom period: May-Jun, Sep--Nov

Elevation: < 1200 m

Bioregions: n DMoj.

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