General: Dead Man's Fingers (Cistanthe ambigua) is a spreading annual forb with long, thick, fleshy leaves resembling green fingers. The flowers are small and white.

Dead Man's Fingers is an uncommon (locally common when found) component of desert vegetation communities on silty soils. Around Las Vegas, look for this species on dry, alkali flats along the Amargosa River in the bottom of Death Valley and in the nearby Ibex Dunes.

Family: Purslane (Portulacaceae).

Other Names: Desert Pussypaws, Desert Pot Herb, Calandrinia ambigua

Plant Form: Rounded, herbaceous annual with stems arising from base.

Height: To about 10 inches.

Stems: Several, short, spreading.

Leaves: Fleshy, cylindrical, to about 3 inches.

Flowers: Flower clusters borne in leaf axils along the entire length of the stems, although most are clustered towards the end of the stem. Flowers seem to open one at a time. Flowers small with 3 white petals held between two green bracts. Blooms January to April.

Seeds: Tiny, black.

Habitat: Silty soils.

Elevation: To about 3,000 feet.

Distribution: California to New Mexico.

Comments: This species seems to be self-fertile because it can produce seeds when the nearest individuals are a few miles away.