Southwest Desert Flora

Scientific Name: Linanthus demissus
Common Name: Desertsnow
Also Called: Desert Linanthus
Family: Polemoniaceae, Jacob’s Ladder or Phlox Family
Synonyms: (Navarretia demissa)
Status: Native
Duration: Annual
Size: Up to 4 inches or so.
Growth Form: Forb/herb; heavily branched throughout, stems ascending or decumbent, stems with short pilose hairs.
Leaves: Green; linear, 3 to 5 lobes about ½ inch long, either hairless or with short pubescence
Flower Color: White to cream; flowers in terminal clusters, sub-sessile, flowers campanulate small with purple flecks/streaks at base, flowers diurnal, style slightly exserted
Flowering Season: March to May.
Elevation: Up to 2,000 feet.

Habitat Preferences: Desert sands, washes, bajadas, desert shrub-lands and woodlands, locally abundant.

Recorded Range: Linanthus demissus is found in the south western United States in AZ, CA, NV, UT. In Arizona it occurs in the north- and south-west parts of the state.

North America & US County Distribution Map for Linanthus demissus.

U.S. Weed Information: No information available.
Invasive/Noxious Weed Information: No information available.
Wetland Indicator: No information available.
Threatened/Endangered Information: No information available.

Genus Information: USDA Plants.gov describes 20 Species and 20 accepted taxa overall in western United States and western Canada for Linanthus.

The Plant List includes 45 accepted species the genus Linanthus. Of these 45 are accepted species names.

Comments: The type specimen is from Diamond Creek, Mohave County, AZ. Also see in Southwest Desert Flora Bigelow's Linanthus, Linanthus bigelovii.