About Chorizanthe leptotheca Goodman
Chorizanthe leptotheca Goodman is a species of flowering plant in the buckwheat family, with the common names Ramona spineflower and Peninsular spineflower. It is native to the Peninsular Ranges of southern California and Baja California, growing in chaparral and forest habitats. This species is very similar to its close relative, Turkish rugging, which has the scientific name Chorizanthe staticoides. Chorizanthe leptotheca is an erect herb that grows to around 35 centimeters tall. Its leaves are basal, oval-shaped, and reach up to about 3 centimeters in length. The soft leafy and stem tissue of the plant has a fuzzy to distinctly hairy texture, and is generally reddish in color. Its inflorescence forms a loose cluster of flowers. Each individual flower is surrounded by six reddish bracts covered in curly hairs, and each bract is tipped with a hooked awn. The flower itself measures up to 6 millimeters wide, is pink or red in color, and is covered in hairs.
