Chorizanthe aphanantha K.M.Nelson & D.J.Keil

Growth Habit

Chorizanthe aphanantha is a low-growing plant that forms tufts or mats, reaching up to 26 cm in diameter. Its stems branch from the base and are usually prostrate.

Leaf Morphology

Each stem bears one spoon-shaped leaf, 4 to 8 mm long and 0.6 to 5 mm wide, that is either hairless or covered in tiny hairs.

Flower Characteristics

Tiny white flowers grow on short, thick, hairy basal stems.

Involucre and Fruiting Structure

The most visible feature of this species is most often the spiny red-and-green involucre, a structure made of floral bracts, and the persistent fruiting structure that remains after the white petals fall off.

Habitat and Distribution

This species grows in chaparral habitat, typically on serpentine soils, in the Irish Hills of San Luis Obispo County, California.