Menodora spinescens (Spiny menodora)

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Menodora spinescens A. Gray

Spiny menodora

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Asteridae	A large class that encompasses asters
Order	Lamiales	Aromatic herbs and shrubs, including lavender, lilac, olive, jasmine, ash, teak, snapdragon, sesame, psyllium, garden sage, mint, basil, and rosemary
Family	Oleaceae	Temperate climate shrubs, trees and a few vines, include forsythia, ash, jasmine, privet, olive, lilac, and many others
Genus	Menodora	From the Greek menos, “force,” and doron, “gift”; Jepson: “perhaps half-moon spear from appearance of fruit on stiff pedicel” (doro in Greek can also mean “spear”). David Hollombe provides the following which seems to confirm the former derivation: “Menodora is explained in the original description as ‘giving force’ or vigor to the cattle, sheep and mules that ate the young shoots of Menodora helianthemoides”
Species	spinescens	Spiny

About plant names...

Spiny menodora is native to the southwestern United States, especially the Mojave desert. It prefers arid mountain slopes, dry mesas, and canyons, at elevations of 3500-6500' (1-2.0 km).

Plants: Densely branched shrubs are 8-20" (20-50 cm) tall. Branches are round and green or gray, and puberulent (covered in fine hairs). They taper to sharp spines.

Leaves: Alternate, fleshy, in small clusters, sessile, and linear to oblanceolate.

Flowers: Red to pink buds open to white flowers with yellow centers. Each flower usually has 5-6 lobes, and is less than ⅜" (1 cm) around. Flowers appear from Aprill to May.

Fruits: Round, shiny brownish capsules usually contain two seeds.

Online References:

CalPhotos (Photos)

4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada
≈ 19 × 13" (47 × 33 cm)

4/30/2018 · Kelbaker Road, Mojave National Preserve, California
≈ 7 × 4½" (18 × 12 cm)

4/30/2018 · Kelbaker Road, Mojave National Preserve, California
≈ 7 × 5" (17 × 13 cm)

Menodora spinescens A. Gray var. mohavensis Steyerm.

Menodora spinescens description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.

4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada
≈ 6 × 4½" (16 × 12 cm)

4/28/2018 · High Point Overlook, Scenic Drive, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada
≈ 11 × 8" (29 × 20 cm)

4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada
≈ 7 × 4½" (18 × 12 cm)

4/28/2018 · High Point Overlook, Scenic Drive, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada
≈ 15 × 10" (39 × 26 cm)

4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada
≈ 28 × 20" (71 × 50 cm)

Range:

About this map...