Grayia spinosa (Spiny Hopsage)

4/3/17 CA 190 between Emigrant and Towne Pass,

Death Valley National Park, Inyo County, CA

 4/3/17 CA 190 between Emigrant and Towne Pass,

Death Valley National Park, Inyo County, CA

3/15/19 Shaver's Valley, E. Riverside County, CA 

3/15/19 Shaver's Valley, E. Riverside County, CA 

3/15/19 Shaver's Valley, E. Riverside County, CA

8/18/11 Alabama Hills, Lone Pine Region, Eastern Sierra, Inyo County, CA 

8/18/11 Alabama Hills, Lone Pine Region, Eastern Sierra, Inyo County, CA 

LIFE LIST NOTES:

COMMON NAME: Spiny Hopsage

SPECIES: Grayia spinosa

FAMILY: Chenopodiaceae (Goosefoot Family)

LIFE LIST DATE: 8/18/2011

LOCATION: Alabama Hills, Lone Pine Region, Eastern Sierra, Inyo County, CA 

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Treatment from Jepson eFlora:

NATIVE

Habit: Shrub rounded; scaly-puberulent, hairs branched, glabrous in age; generally dioecious. 

Stem: generally 3--10(15) dm, branches many, stiff; bark red-brown, +- white-ribbed, peeling in strips, older bark gray; twigs spine-like in age. 

Leaf: alternate, 5--25(40) mm, generally spoon-shaped to oblanceolate, flat, entire, tapered to short-petioled, blade green, tip generally +- white. 

Staminate Inflorescence: spike-like, terminal, 7--18 mm; bract +- leaf-like; flowers 2--5 per cluster. 

Pistillate Inflorescence: +- spike-like, axillary or terminal, 6--18 cm in fruit; flowers 1--few per cluster; bracts 3--10 mm, +- leaf-like; fruit bracts 2, 7--15 mm, fused, together sac-like, +- round, flat, winged, white to red-tinged, margins entire. 

Staminate Flower: calyx lobes 4, 1.5--2 mm, enclosing stamens; stamens 4--5. 

Pistillate Flower: stigmas 2, exserted. 

Fruit: generally 1.5--2 mm, brown. 

Ecology: Sandy to gravelly soils in scrub, pinyon/juniper woodland; 

Elevation: 300--2900 m. 

Bioregional Distribution: SNH (e slope), Teh, se SnJV, WTR (n slope), GB, DMoj, nw DSon; 

Distribution Outside California: to Washington, Montana, New Mexico. 

Flowering Time: Mar--Jun 

eFlora Treatment Author: Margriet Wetherwax & Dieter H. Wilken