Gilmania luteola – “Golden Carpet”

Other Botanical Names: Eriogonum luteolum, Phyllogonum luteolum
Family: Buckwheat (Polygonaceae)
Bloom Period: Mar-Apr
Form: Annual
Habitat: Barren alkaline slopes
Leaves: Elliptic to ovate, fleshy, in whorls of three at every joint
Translation: “Gillmanii” is named for Henry Gillman (1833-1915), ethnologist, curator for the Detroit Scientific Society, librarian at the Detroit Public Library, plant collector, and civil engineer; “luteola” is Latin for “yellowish”; “Eriogonum” is Greek for “woolly joint” and refers to the fuzzy-looking flowers that grow at the stem joints of some species in this genus (but not this one); “Phyllogonum,” on the other hand, is Greek for “leafy joint” which this plant does have.
Notes: Bears a superficial resemblance to Purslane (Portulaca oleracea), but not related. RARE: Only found in Death Valley and known from fewer than twenty occurrences. I spotted this one on a plant walk and called it to the attention of the event host, who was pleased to find such a rare plant. This was during the 2016 super bloom.