Petalonyx thurberi subsp. thurberi

Family: Loasaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Thurber's sandpaper plant is a California native shrub found in the southeastern desert region in sandy or gravelly dunes, washes, and creosote-bush scrub at elevations below 1,200 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces small white to cream-colored flowers with stamens 6 to 10 millimeters long. Growing with rough, downward-pointing hairs, it forms a compact shrub with a distinctive texture. Its leaves are adapted to arid conditions, likely small and compact to minimize water loss in desert environments. The plant's rough, appressed hairs provide a unique textural quality that helps it survive in harsh desert landscapes.

Habitat: Sandy or gravelly dunes, washes, canyons, creosote-bush scrub

Bloom period: May-Jul

Elevation: < 1200 m

Bioregions: D.

California counties: San Bernardino, Riverside, Inyo, Los Angeles, Kern, San Diego, Imperial

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