Funastrum hirtellum is a species of the Mojave Desert, its range extending to scattered locations in north Arizona. Stems and leaves are greyish-green in color, and have a dense covering of very short, spreading hairs. The opposite, quite widely separated stem leaves are long and narrow, tapering gradually towards the tip. Plants often produce many stems, winding and vine-like, forming a tangled clump.
Flowers form in compact, spherical clusters which typically contain around ten heads, held on short, equal-length pedicels. Individual flowers have five narrow green sepals below and between five larger, white to pale yellow-green petals, spreading or ascending, partly curved inwards towards the tips. At the flower center are five white appendages surrounding a column of fused anthers and a pistil.
Common name:
Hairy milkweed
Family:
Scientific name:
Funastrum hirtellum
Synonym:
Sarcostemma hirtellum
Main flower color:
Range:
South California, south Nevada and northwest Arizona
Height:
Up to 4 feet
Habitat:
Canyons, dry washes, rocky places, from near sea level to 4,000 feet
Leaves:
Narrowly lanceolate to linear, up to 1.5 inches long, on short stalks
Season:
March to May
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