Desert Starvine

Desert starvine,

also known as brandegea and white starvine (Brandegea bigelovii)

is a sprawling vine in the squash family native to the deserts of southeastern California, southwestern Arizona and northern Mexico. It has distinctive dark green leaves,

variable in shape, but usually deeply lobed and long fingered and heavily speckled with white oil glands.

The vine has tendrils,

small five-pointed white flowers

and small, dry, prickly fruits which hold a single seed.

The plant grows from a single taproot.