This plant grows only on the
Fizzle Flat lentil, a small
geologic formation in the
Terlingua Creek watershed just north of
Big Bend National Park. This
lentil is a unique expanse of
limestone rock which is rich in
gypsum and bound with
clay. The formation, which locals call a "moonscape", The
chalky rock breaks into plates and contains many
fossils. The area is very dry and it receives full, hot sunlight. The lentil is almost totally devoid of plant life; this species and other hardy plants, such as
Castilleja elongata and
Lycium berberioides, occur around the edge of the lentil. The rare plant is limited to a specific substrate. The area is affected by human activity in several ways. The land is all privately owned and unprotected.
Off-road vehicles drive on the badlands, which are used both in the
mining of
bentonite and for access in the
grazing of
livestock in the area. ==References==