A tall, slender plant with drooping, narrow, linear leaves. Flowers are in umbels at leaf nodes along the stem.
Perennial herb with milky sap. Erect stems stout, typically unbranched. Leaves narrowly linear, irregularly alternate, smooth or slightly hairy. Small flowers are greenish-yellow, often tinged with purple and borne in hairy lateral umbels.
Habitat
Sandy, rocky or limestone soils. Creeks, canyons, open woodlands and open pine forests.
Flower Characteristics
The flower umbels are about 2 inches wide. The individual flowers have 5 pale greenish-white petals with purple tips and are about 3/8 inch wide. Hoods are broad, saclike, closely upright next to the central column.
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
The narrow leaves are to 10 inches long and droop downward from the stem.
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
The fruit is a curved conical pod to 6 inches long with lengthwise wrinkles and a pointed tip. The greenish pod turns tan with age and contains many flat, dark brown seeds.
Seeds have silk-like white hairs at one end that help to carry them away on the wind.