Scientific Family
Caryophyllaceae
Other common names
desert anemone
windflower
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
5 to 16 inches
Riparian
Yes
A small, early spring wildflower with basal leaves and flower stems of usually 2 to 3 fairly large white to pinkish-purple flowers.
Erect perennial with tuberous roots, stems less than 1 foot tall. Leaves mostly basal in groups of threes, incised and toothed and on short leaf stalks. Stems usually end in 2 to 3 white to pinkish-purple flowers of petal-like sepals, petals are missing.
Habitat
Rocky slopes, cliff ledges, partial shade, along streams.
Plant Community
Riparian
Low elevation
2500
High elevation
5000
Flower Characteristics
White to pale lavender flowers, 1-1/2 inches wide; each bloom lacks petals, but has 5 to 11 elliptical petal-like sepals around a fuzzy, green and pinkish lavender center; the sepals are finely hairy below; usually 2 to 3 flowers atop a single stem.
Flower color
White to pinkish or light purple
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
No
First bloom month
February
Last bloom month
March
Flower clusters
None
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Few basal leaves, 2 to 4 inches long, on stems and divided 1 to 2 times into stalkless lobed leaflets; 3 stem leaves in a whorl at mid-stem.
Leaf type
Compound
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Other
Leaf margin
Other
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
None
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Densely hairy.
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit color
Brown
The brown, woolly, cylindrical seed head, 1/2 to 1 inch long, produces seed-like fruits that are dispersed by the wind.