Kochia californica S. Watson   Chenopodiaceae (Goosefoot Family)   Native   Mojave Red Sage

                                       July Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Perennial, 1.5-5 dm. high, erect; stems simple below, paniculately branched above, grayish-rusty throughout with dense pubescence; lvs. spreading, linear-oblong, 5-15 mm. long, 1.5-3 mm. wide, flat, sericeous; fls. solitary or in clusters of 2-5, tomentulose; calyx 2 mm. in diam. in fr., with flabellate wings 2 mm. long, scarious, finely nerved; seeds 2 mm. in diam.

Habitat:  Alkaline flats; Creosote Bush Scrub, Joshua Tree Wd., V. Grassland, etc.; Mojave Desert from Victorville and Lancaster regions to Inyo Co.; and San Joaquin V.; Nev.  May-September.

Name:  Named for W.D.J Koch, 1771-1849, German  botanist.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 366).  Californica, of California.  (Bailey 12).

General:  Rare in the study area; only one plant found and this on the westerly side of the Delhi Ditch.  The plant is much larger than described in Munz, being about 1 m. tall, with lvs. to 5 cm. long and 7 mm. wide.  The plant was located below the line of highest tide and being salt tolerant it should be added to the list of Upper Bay native halophytes.  (my comments).       About 35 species, mostly from the Old World.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 366).     

Text Ref:  Abrams, Vol. II 90; Munz, Flora So. Calif. 366.

Photo Ref:  June-July 93 # 23,24A.

Identity: by John Johnson.  

First Found:  July 1993.

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 459.

Plant specimen donated to UC Riverside in 2004.

Last edit 8/4/05.

                                           August Photo