About Hoffmannseggia microphylla Torr.
Hoffmannseggia microphylla, also known by the synonym Caesalpinia virgata, is a species of flowering plant in the legume family. Its common name is wand holdback. This plant is native to the southwestern United States and Baja California. It typically grows in gullies, canyons, slopes, and is most commonly found in creosote bush scrub. It is a perennial shrub that reaches up to 1.8 meters (6 feet) in height. Its stems are hairy, green, and bear very few leaves for most of the year. Before the leaves drop, they form twigs lined with pairs of small, oval-shaped leaflets. The shrub produces flowers in scattered raceme inflorescences. The flowers are yellow with red streaks, and turn fully red as they age. The fruit is a sickle-shaped dehiscent legume pod that grows up to 2.5 centimeters long. The pod has a bumpy texture from its glands, and is slightly hairy.
