Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Physaria tenella is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by the common names Moapa bladderpod and slender bladderpod. It is native to western North America from Utah to Sonora, where it grows mainly in desert habitat. This is an annual herb producing several hairy multibranched erect to spreading stems sometimes exceeding half a meter long. The basal leaves are up to 6. 5 centimeters long and sometimes toothed, and there are smaller leaves higher on the stem. The inflorescence is a raceme of flowers at the tip of the stem. The mustardlike flower has four orange to bright yellow petals each up to a centimeter long. The fruit is a plump, hairy, rounded capsule.

Plant type

Annual herb

Calscape icon
Color

Yellow, Orange

Plant communities

Creosote Bush Scrub

Bees
Butterflies

Pollinators supported

0 confirmed and 21 likely

  • Likely

  • Confirmed

Angelic Sweat Bee

Agapostemon angelicus

Orange-bellied Sweat Bee

Agapostemon melliventris

Anthidium cockerelli

Anthophora neglecta