Sand Pygmy-weed

Crassula connata
syn. (Tillaea erecta)

Sand Pygmy Weed, Crassula connata, photo by Michael Plagens

Photographed near Robbins Butte, Maricopa Co., Arizona. 08 March 2008. A higher resolution photograph has been added to Wikimedia Commons. The ink pen is for scale comparison.

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Sand Pygmy Weed, Crassula connata, photo by Michael Plagens

Shallow pans where water collects temporarily can become covered with hundreds of these minute plants. Superior, Pinal Co., Arizona. 12 March 2017.

ANNUAL: Minute, succulent herb grows in patches along desert washes after spring and summer rains. Soon changes from green to coral red.

LEAVES: Leaves are paired at each node and are joined across the stem, i.e. they are perfoliate.

RANGE: Fairly common in the Sonoran Desert in Arizona and Mexico, however its very small size may leave it unnoticed.

FRUIT: Dry several-seeded capsules encircled by winged bracts.

FLOWERS: Several small flowers clustered at each leaf node. Greenish-red with four sepals and four petals.

UNARMED. Without spines/thorns.

Crassulaceae -- Stonecrop Family

More Information:

scanned image from fresh specimen of Crassula connata

Sonoran Desert Field Guide
Sonoran Desert Places
Sonoran Desert Naturalist Home Page


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Copyright Michael J. Plagens, page created 19 March 2008,
updated 17 Feb. 2018.