''Brandegea'' is a monotypic genus containing the single species ''Brandegea bigelovii'', the desert starvine. This sprawling perennial vine in the
squash family is native to the deserts of California, Arizona, and northern Mexico. The distinctive small, dark-green leaves are variable in shape but are usually a deeply lobed long-fingered palmate shape. They are heavily speckled with white oil glands. The vine bears
tendril
In botany, a tendril is a specialized stem, leaf or petiole with a threadlike shape used by climbing plants for support and attachment, as well as cellular invasion by parasitic plants such as ''Cuscuta''. There are many plants that have tendr ...
s, tiny five-pointed white flowers only 2 or 3 millimeters wide, and small, dry, prickly fruits 5 or 6 millimeters in length and holding a single seed. The plant grows from a deep
taproot.
Classification
References
External links
Jepson Manual TreatmentPhoto gallery
Cucurbitoideae
Monotypic Cucurbitaceae genera
Flora of Arizona
Flora of California
Flora of Mexico
Flora without expected TNC conservation status
Taxa named by Alfred Cogniaux
{{Cucurbitales-stub