Whispering Bells
Emmenanthe penduliflora
This image is hosted at the Wikimedia Commons and was taken by Curtis Clark in the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California. Liscence information: Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5
FLOWERS: Five lobed, tubular, pale yellow flowers on an arcing inflorescence. As the new
flowers open at the end of the curving spike the older flowers fade to white
and dry out. The dry petals remain attached for some days whispering in the
desert breeze.
ANNUAL : Spring annual apparent only in years following good winter
rains. Grows upright, mostly less than ½
meter tall.
LEAVES: Leaves are deeply toothed and may be more-or-less encircling the
stem (clasping).
RANGE: Fairly common throughout the Sonoran Desert in Arizona and southern
California, but not abundant and present only in years when winter rains have been adequate. Often growing in the partial shade offered by desert trees and shrubs.
FRUIT: A spherical capsule with sticky gland-hairs. With a dozen or so small seeds.
UNARMED. No spines.