About Rhinotropis californica (Nutt.) J.R.Abbott
Rhinotropis californica, with the synonym Polygala californica, is a species of flowering plant in the milkwort family, commonly called California milkwort. It is native to southwestern Oregon, and northern and central California, where it grows in coastal mountain ranges in habitat types including chaparral and forest. This perennial herb produces spreading, generally decumbent stems that reach a maximum length of around 35 centimeters. Stems are lined with narrow oval leaves, each a few centimeters long. Upper inflorescences bear several open flowers, while lower down on the plant there may be closed, cleistogamous flowers. Open flowers have pink or white, winglike lateral sepals with hairy edges. The petals share the same pink or white color, with the central petal tipped by a white or yellow beak. The fruit is a flattened green capsule up to one centimeter long, which contains hairy seeds.
