Chorizanthe orcuttiana is a rare small annual plant in the buckwheat (Polygonaceae) family. Its common name is San Diego spineflower, and it is endemic to San Diego County, California. The plant is diminutive, and a hand-lens is necessary for proper identification. The plant is very sensitive to temperature and precipitation, and under drought or hot conditions the seeds will not germinate or survive. The plant is visible anywhere from February through July during good rain year, but most years the plant is only visible from April to June. Each minute flower yields one seed. This species is octoploid and probably arose through hybridization between other Chorizanthe, perhaps C. procumbens and C. polygonoides.