Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Senna covesii (Desert Senna, Coues' Senna, Rattleweed, "rattlebox", "dais" or "Cove Senna") is a perennial subshrub in the family Fabaceae, native to the Mojave Desert in southeastern California, southern Nevada, and Arizona in the United States, and northern Baja California in Mexico. It is found on desert plains and in sandy washes between 500-600 meter altitude, and very common in Joshua Tree National Park, and is also found in the Sonoran Desert. The specific name honors ornithologist Elliott Coues. It grows to 30-60 centimeter tall, and is leafless most of the year. The leaves are pinnate, 3-7 centimeter long, with 2-3 pairs of leaflets (no terminal leaflet), the leaflets elliptical, 1-2.5 centimeter long. The flowers are yellow in color, with five rounded petals about 12 millimeter long.

Plant type

Perennial herb

Size

1 - 2 ft Tall

Calscape icon
Color

Yellow

Flowering season

Spring

Sun

Full Sun

Water

Very Low

Ease of care

Moderate

Soil drainage

Fast

Propagation

For propagating by seed: No treatment.

Site type

Dry, sandy slopes and desert washes

Plant communities

Creosote Bush Scrub

Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

2 confirmed and 2 likely

Confirmed Likely

Sleepy Orange

Abaeis nicippe

Cloudless Sulphur

Phoebis sennae

Salt Marsh Moth

Estigmene acrea