Acmispon rigidus – “Desert Rock Pea”

Also Known As: Rock Pea, Deerweed, Deervetch, Bush Trefoil
Other Botanical Names: Lotus rigidus
Family: Legume, Bean (Fabaceae)
Bloom Period: Mar-May
Form: Perennial herb
Habitat: Gravelly soils, washes and sandy flats
Leaves: Pinnately or palmately-compound with oblanceolate to obovate leaflets on lower plant, linear leaflets on the upper stems; alternate
Translation: “Acmispon” is from the Greek word for “point” or “edge,” and refers to the hook-tipped fruit; “rigidus” is Latin for “stiff,” and describes the plant’s stems. The original genus, “Lotus,” is a familiar yet strange Greek word that refers to a fruit that makes people who taste it forget their home.
Notes: Like other members of the Legume Family, this plant is a nitrogen fixer.
Animal Associations: Seeds eaten by Gambel’s Quail, leaves by the Cactus Mouse.