Cistanthe ambigua
Encyclopedia
Cistanthe ambigua is a species of flowering plant in the purslane family
known by the common name desert pussypaws. It is native to the deserts of northern Mexico and Arizona
and California
in the United States, where it grows in sandy soils. This is an annual herb producing an upright stem to a maximum height of about 18 centimeters. The thick leaves are linear to spoon-shaped and grow along the stem rather than in a basal rosette at the base of the plant. The inflorescence
is a tight cluster of white flowers with 3 to 5 petals each a few millimeters long. The fruit is a capsule containing up to 15 minute shiny black seeds.
Portulacaceae
Portulacaceae are a family of flowering plants, comprising about 20 genera with about 500 species, ranging from herbaceous plants to shrubs. The family has been recognised by most taxonomists, and is also known as the purslane family; it has a cosmopolitan distribution, with the highest diversity...
known by the common name desert pussypaws. It is native to the deserts of northern Mexico and Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in the United States, where it grows in sandy soils. This is an annual herb producing an upright stem to a maximum height of about 18 centimeters. The thick leaves are linear to spoon-shaped and grow along the stem rather than in a basal rosette at the base of the plant. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a tight cluster of white flowers with 3 to 5 petals each a few millimeters long. The fruit is a capsule containing up to 15 minute shiny black seeds.