Subshrubs, multistemmed, mat-forming, 1–2.5 dm. Stems pros­trate to laxly erect, often glaucous, glabrous or pubes­cent, hairs spreading. Leaves sessile; blade ovate, elliptic, or obovate, 4–20 × 2–12 mm, base cuneate, rounded, or nearly clasping, apex acute or rounded, surfaces pubescent, hairs spreading. Racemes terminal, to 3.5 (–5) × 1.5–3 cm; rachis thorn-tipped; peduncle 0.2–0.3 cm; bracts deciduous, ovate, elliptic, or linear. Pedicels (3–) 4–8 (–9.5) mm, glabrous or pubescent. Flowers pink, wings usually pink, keel distally yellow, (7.5–) 9.5–13.5 mm; sepals deciduous, elliptic to ovate, lower sepals mostly obovate, (2–) 2.5–6 mm, pubescent; wings obovate to elliptic-obovate, (6.5–) 8–12.5 × (2.5–) 3–5.5 mm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent; keel (6–) 7.5–11.2 mm, sac glabrous, beak oblong, with 1 or 2 prominent invaginations along abaxial side formed by sinuate excess tissue, (1.4–) 2–4 × (0.6–) 0.8–1.3 mm, glabrous. Capsules ellipsoid-ovoid to obo­void, 4.2–7.8 × 3.7–7 mm, base cuneate to rounded, margins with very narrow and even wing, pubescent or glabrous. Seeds 3–4.4 mm, most densely pubescent apically, proximal 1/2 sparsely and unevenly pubescent or glabrous; aril 1.3–2.6 mm, lobes 1/4–1/2 length of seed. 2n = 36 (or 38).

Phenology: Flowering spring–early summer.
Habitat: Sandy or gravelly open slopes and flats in desert scrub.
Elevation: 900–1600 m.

Distribution

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Calif., Nev.

Discussion

Rhinotropis heterorhyncha is known from the Funeral Mountains of Inyo County, California, in the Mojave Desert region, and from adjacent areas of southern Nevada.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.