Taxon Report

Hoffmannseggia peninsularis (Britton) Wiggins

Baja peninsula rushpea

Print Report

Taxon Summary

Hoffmannseggia peninsularis, commonly known as Baja peninsula rushpea, is a perennial shrub in the Fabaceae that is found in California and elsewhere. It occurs within Sonoran desert scrub, growing at elevations from 255 to 275 meters. Hoffmannseggia peninsularis is ranked 1B.1, Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in California and Elsewhere; Seriously threatened in California.

Classification


Scientific Name:	Hoffmannseggia peninsularis (Britton) Wiggins
Common Name:	Baja peninsula rushpea
Family:	Fabaceae
Element Code:	PDFAB20060
USDA Plants Symbol:
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History


Lifeform:	perennial shrub
Blooming Period: Jan-Mar	Jan-Mar
Elevation:	255-275 (835-900)
General Habitats:	Sonoran desert scrub
Microhabitat:	Gravelly, Metamorphic (sometimes), Rocky, Volcanic (sometimes)
Microhabitat Details:	In sparse vegetation on igneous/metamorphic bedrock slopes.

Conservation Status


CA Rare Plant Rank:	1B.1
Global Rank:	G2
State Rank:	S1
State List:	None
Fed List:	None
Other Status:
CRPR Changes:	added to 1B.1 on 2023-01-20

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB


Total Occurrences:	2
Element Occurrence Ranks:
Excellent (A)	0
Good (B)	0
Fair (C)	0
Poor (D)	0
None (X)	0
Unknown (U)	2

Location


California Endemic: False
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Imperial (IMP)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Tortuga (3311523)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB


Threat List Total:	0
EOs with Threat Listed:	Total EOs	% of EOs
	0	%

Notes



Documented in California in the Chocolate Mtns. of IMP Co. in 2016 by A. Sanders. Not yet included in the Jepson eFlora.
Threats:
Potentially threatened by military activities, invasive plants, and small population size.
Taxonomy:
Similar to H. intricata and H. microphylla; differs in being nearly prostrate and having zig-zag branching, sticky, glandular trichomes on its young growth, and flowers 3–4 mm long (H. intricata is also not known from California).

Selected References

Proposed Addition to CRPR 1B.1 (2023)

North American Flora, Volume 23 (5): 311 (1930)

Lundellia 2: 14–54 (1999)

Lundellia 9: 7–33 (2006)

Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 30 October 2025].