Cryptantha utahensis

A sweet-smelling desert annual with clusters of white flowers that provide a rare, pleasant fragrance to the Mojave's spring landscape. Cryptantha utahensis stands out among the many popcorn flowers of the desert due to its noticeably fragrant blossoms. While many species in this genus require a lens to distinguish between nutlets, this species is easily identified in the field by its larger, fragrant flowers and its preference for well-drained, often calcareous slopes.