Yellow Sun Cup
Camissonia brevipes
Photographed in the Plomosa Mountains, La Paz Co., Arizona. 01 March 2009.
FLOWERS: February-March. Four bright yellow petals. Eight stamens and
four branches to stigma. Unopened flower buds nod downwards.
RANGE: Western portions of the Sonoran Desert in Arizona and ranging
into the Mojave Desert of California and Nevada.
ANNUAL: Low, herbaceous annual with most of leaves basal, i.e. at ground
level. Growing from desert pavement and rocky slopes, the plants are rarely taller
than 15 cm.
FRUIT: Dry, cylindrical capsules develop below the flower and are about
½ cm long.
LEAVES: Leaves are elongate and may be partially divided by deep
marginal teeth.
UNARMED. No thorns/spines.