Rhinotropis heterorhyncha
Notch-beaked milkwort, Notch-Beaked Milkwort
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polygalaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3
Rhinotropis heterorhyncha (Notch-beaked milkwort) is a native California subshrub in the Polygalaceae family, recognized by . Key features: pink wings vs cream, notched yellow keel, glaucous stems.
Notch-beaked milkwort is a rare (CNPS 2B.3) California native perennial found in the Funeral Mountains of the desert mountains in Inyo County, growing in rocky desert scrub areas at elevations of 900 to 1,600 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces pink sepal wings with yellow keel petals featuring a distinctive 1.4 to 4 millimeter notched beak. Growing as a low-spreading subshrub forming thorny mats 10 to 20 centimeters tall and up to 70 centimeters wide, it develops glaucous stems that are glabrous or short-stiff-hairy. Its leaves are small, 4 to 20 millimeters long, ranging from ovate to elliptic or obovate, with scattered short sharp hairs and tapered to rounded bases. The plant's inflorescence is prominently thorn-tipped, creating a distinctive and defensive growth structure.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species. Key features: pink wings vs cream, notched yellow keel, glaucous stems
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky areas in desert scrub
Elevation: 900-1600 m
California counties: Inyo
Outside California: southern Nevada
Bloom period
Rhinotropis heterorhyncha blooms Apr-May.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.3
Frequently asked questions
Is Rhinotropis heterorhyncha native to California?
Yes. Rhinotropis heterorhyncha is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Rhinotropis heterorhyncha bloom?
Rhinotropis heterorhyncha blooms Apr-May.
Where in California does Rhinotropis heterorhyncha grow?
Rhinotropis heterorhyncha occurs in Inyo, at elevations of 900-1600 m.
What plant family does Rhinotropis heterorhyncha belong to?
Rhinotropis heterorhyncha is in the Polygalaceae family, genus Rhinotropis.
Is Rhinotropis heterorhyncha rare or endangered?
Rhinotropis heterorhyncha carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.3, state rank S2.
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.