Thamnosma montana Torr. & Frem.

Thamnosma montana Torr. & Frem. in Frem. Rep. 313. 1845 A strong-scented glandular shrub, 3-6 dm. tall, with rigid, often spine-like branches, and yellowish-green bark ; leaves few, early deciduous, linear to spatulate-linear or oval, 5-10 mm. long, sessile ; flowers in loose terminal racemes; sepals triangular to semiorbicular, acute or rounded at the apex ; petals nearly erect, purple, oblong to oval, 8-14 mm. long, 4-5 mm. broad ; filaments filiform ; anthers oval or ovate, apiculate ; ovary stipitate ; style exserted ; capsule distinctly stipitate ; seeds 3, or by abortion solitary, dark-brown or blackish, smooth or slightly wrinkled, cochleate-reniform, 4-6 mm. long; embryo curved; cotyledons curved, linear or linear-oblong.
Type locality : Virgin River, southeastern Nevada.
Distribution : Southern Utah and Nevada, southeastern California, Arizona, New Mexico, and adjacent Mexico and lower California.