Scientific Family
Zygophyllaceae
Synonyms
Kallstroemia intermedia
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Annual
Similar species
Kallstroemia californica
Height
20 inches
Riparian
No
Prostrate annual herb with opposite, even-pinnate leaves; orange 5-petaled flowers on stems emerging from the leaf axils.
Flowers of 5 petals up to 1/2 inch long, orange-yellow fading to white; the beak of the fruit is stout, up to 1/4 inch long and longer than the fruit (nutlet). Leaves have 3-5 pairs of oblong leaflets that taper at both ends.
Habitat
Found on plains, mesas, gentle slopes and flats and disturbed areas.
Plant Community
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Interior Chaparral
Grasslands
Disturbed Areas
Desert Scrub
Low elevation
1000
High elevation
5500
Flower Characteristics
Flowers are solitary with 5 orange-yellow, 1/4 to 1/2 inch long petals; flowers arise from leaf axils; flower stems are 1-1/2 inches long; flower bracts (sepals) are hairy and persist in fruit.
Flower color
Orange-yellow to orange
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
No
First bloom month
July
Last bloom month
October
Flower clusters
None
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Leaves are pinnately compound with 3 to 5 pairs of leaflets. Leaf stems are 1/4 inch long. Leaflets are oblong to 1/2 inch long.
Leaf type
Compound
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Round or oval
Leaf margin
Smooth
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
Leaves & stems
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Fruit is a 1/8 inch long and 1/4 inch wide capsule; beak of the fruit is up to 1/4 inch long, longer than the capsule. Fruit is dry and splits into ten one-seeded, oval, one-beaked, wrinkled sections.
Fruit type
Capsule