Desert Starvine
Brandegea bigelovii
Photographed near Cottonwood Springs, Joshua Tree National Park, California. 01 May 2010
VINE: Herbaceous perennial vine which may ascend into nearby shrubs with
unbranched tendrils clinging to twigs. Many stems may grow together forming
dense tangles. Apparent mid to late spring.
LEAVES: Leaves may have several lobes or else be merely ovate-triangular
in shape.
RANGE: Sonoran Desert in Arizona, southeastern California, and Mexico
mostly adjacent to washes.
FRUIT: A slightly prickly spherical capsule with one seed about ½
centemeter in diameter.
FLOWERS: Small white flowers with 5 or 6 lobes in loose clusters open in spring and can be very fragrant. Clusters
of several flowers from one node are male and have stamens only. Singleton
flowers are female and develope fruit.
UNARMED