Chylismia brevipes – “Golden Suncup”

Also Known As: Yellow Cups, Mojave Suncup
Other Botanical Names: Camissonia brevipes
Family: Evening Primrose (Onagraceae)
Bloom Period: Mar-Apr
Form: Annual herb
Habitat: Gravelly or sandy soils
Leaves: Spatulate, pinnately lobed or dissected, sometimes splotchy in coloration, in a basal rosette; stem leaves simple, toothed or smooth-margined
Translation: “Chylismia” comes from the Greek word “chylos” which means “juice”; “brevipes” is Latin for “short stem”; “Camissonia” is named for Ludolf Karl Adelbert von Chamisso (1781-1838), French-born Prussian botanist, author, Romantic poet, and custodian of the botanical gardens in Berlin.
Native American Uses: The Mojave ate the seeds.Phaeton Primrose Sphinx moth
Animal Associations: Larval food plant for the White-Lined Sphinx moth.