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Thurber's Pilostyles. Pilostyles thurberi

Thurber's Pilostyles, Pilostyles thurberi
Apodanthaceae

Thurber's Pilostyles (peh-LOSS-teh-lees) is an internal parasite. It lives inside the host plant. It doesn't kill the host but dies inside it. The evidence is inconclusive as to why.

In Anza-Borrego, its tiny 2-mm flowers can be found in December-January (sometimes even November) on the lower branches of Dyeweed (Psorthamnus emoryi). By late winter or spring the flowers are visible but dry. Eventually, they drop off, leaving black scars on the host plant's branches.

Obviously, for best viewing of the flowers you'll want to use your camera's macro lens, or else a hand lens.

Two sources for detailed information are: Wayne P. Armstrong and Tom Chester.