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Robert E. Preston & Staria S. Vanderpool

Annual, perennial herb, shrub, often ill-smelling. Leaf: generally 1-palmate, generally alternate, generally petioled; stipules generally minute, often bristle-like or hairy; leaflets 0 or 3–7. Inflorescence: raceme, head, or flowers 1, expanded in fruit; bracts generally 3-parted below, simple above, or 0. Flower: generally bisexual, radial to ± bilateral; sepals generally 4, free or fused, generally persistent; petals generally 4, free, ± clawed; stamens generally 6, free, exserted, anthers generally coiling at dehiscence; ovary superior, generally on stalk-like receptacle, chamber generally 1, placentas generally 2, parietal, style 1, persistent, stigma generally minute, ± head-like. Fruit: 2 nutlets or generally capsule, septicidal; valves generally 2, deciduous, leaving septum (frame-like placentas) behind; pedicel generally ± reflexed to spreading.
17 genera, ± 150 species: widespread tropics to arid temperate. [Iltis & Cochrane 2007 Novon 17:447–451] Treated as Capparaceae in TJM (1993). —Scientific Editor: Thomas J. Rosatti.
Unabridged references: [Ernst 1963 J Arnold Arbor 44:81–93]

Key to Cleomaceae


1 sp. (Named for Carson Desert, Nevada)

C. sparsifolia (S. Watson) Greene
Perennial herb 1–9 dm, densely branched, glabrous, glaucous. Leaf: ± sparse; leaflets 3 below, 1 (leaves simple) above, 0.4–1.5 cm, obovate. Inflorescence: raceme, open, few-flowered, 2–10 cm, not much expanded in fruit. Flower: sepals free, deciduous, 1.4–3 mm, ovate, acuminate, minutely serrate, brown-green; petals 9–13 mm, strap-shaped, recurved, yellow with brown central streak; stamens 9–15 mm, yellow, anthers 3–6 mm, brown; style 0.1–0.4 mm. Fruit: 15–45 mm, 1–3 mm wide, smooth; receptacle 2–5 mm.
2n=32. Sand dunes, sandy areas on alkali lake margins; 850–2030 m. East of Sierra Nevada, Mojave Desert (Eureka Valley); western Nevada. [Cleome sparsifolia S. Watson] May–Aug [Online Interchange]

Previous taxon: Carsonia
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Citation for this treatment: [Author of taxon treatment] 2013. Carsonia, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora,, accessed on Oct 31 2014

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Geographic subdivisions indicated for the distribution of Carsonia sparsifolia Markers link to CCH specimen records. If the markers are obscured, reload the page [or change window size and reload]. Yellow markers indicate records that may provide evidence for eFlora range revision or may have georeferencing or identification issues.
map of distribution 1

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Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria.
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CCH collections by month

Duplicates counted once; synonyms included.
Species do not include records of infraspecific taxa.
Blue line denotes eFlora flowering time.