Vegetation Around Las Vegas, Desert Starvine (Brandegea bigelovii)

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Desert Starvine (Brandegea bigelovii)
Perennial Forbs Around Las Vegas, Vegetation Around Las Vegas

General: Desert Starvine (Brandegea bigelovii) is an annual or weak perennial forb with large, 3- and 5-lobed leaves that grows as a spreading vine on the ground and may climb into shrubs and low trees. The plant produces small, white, 5-petaled flowers, and these are followed by 3-inch diameter green gourds covered with spines. In time, the gourds dry, blow away, and break open to release a payload of seeds.

Desert Starvine is an uncommon component of vegetation communities in dry, well-drained dirt and gravelly areas on bajadas into the lower mountains in the Lower Sonoran (Creosote-Bursage Flats) and Upper Sonoran (Mojave Desert Scrub) life zones.

Around Las Vegas, look for Desert Starvine south of town in the California deserts in places such as the Mojave National Preserve and in Grapevine Canyon (Lake Mead NRA).

Family: Gourds (Cucurbitaceae)

Desert Starvine covering shrubs	Desert Starvine growing on a hillside
Desert Starvine tendrils	Desert Starvine leaf
Desert Starvine leaf	Desert Starvine leaf
Desert Starvine leaf, dorsal surface	Desert Starvine leaf, ventral surface


Desert Starvine flowing stems	Desert Starvine flowing stems
Desert Starvine flowers	Desert Starvine flowers

Desert Starvine developing fruit	Desert Starvine developing fruit
Desert Starvine fruit	Desert Starvine fruit

Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate. Names generally follow the USDA database.
; Last updated 200504

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