Rhinotropis acanthoclada
Thorny milkwort, Thorny Milkwort
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polygalaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3
Rhinotropis acanthoclada (Thorny milkwort) is a native California shrub in the Polygalaceae family, recognized by . Key features: cream wings vs pink, white-hairy twigs.
Thorny milkwort is a rare (CNPS 2B.3) California native shrub found in southern Mojave Desert regions including Lucerne Valley and the Eagle and New York Mountains in desert scrub and Joshua-tree woodland at elevations of 945 to 1,830 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces cream-white flowers in small clusters with distinctive thorn-tipped inflorescences. Growing with sprawling to erect stems up to one meter tall, it features densely white-hairy twigs that spread across its form. Its leaves are oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic, measuring 5 to 25 millimeters long and covered in soft spreading hairs. The fruits are small, 4 to 6 millimeters long, with seeds bearing delicate hair-like attachments.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species. Key features: cream wings vs pink, white-hairy twigs
Habitat and range
Habitat: Desert scrub, Joshua-tree or pinyon/juniper woodland, generally in loose, sandy or gravelly soil
Elevation: 945-1830 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Riverside, Mono
Outside California: to southern Utah, Arizona
Bloom period
Rhinotropis acanthoclada blooms May-Aug.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.3
Frequently asked questions
Is Rhinotropis acanthoclada native to California?
Yes. Rhinotropis acanthoclada is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Rhinotropis acanthoclada bloom?
Rhinotropis acanthoclada blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Rhinotropis acanthoclada grow?
Rhinotropis acanthoclada occurs in San Bernardino, Riverside, Mono, at elevations of 945-1830 m.
What plant family does Rhinotropis acanthoclada belong to?
Rhinotropis acanthoclada is in the Polygalaceae family, genus Rhinotropis.
Is Rhinotropis acanthoclada rare or endangered?
Rhinotropis acanthoclada carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.3, state rank S2S3.
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.