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It was a pink "carpet" of spineflowers growing low along open ground in sandy soil in maritime chaparral habitat--3rd photo. It is usually so well camouflaged, it is almost invisible unless you are looking for it.

Monterey Spineflower (Chorizanthe pungens pungens) Rare, annual native/endemic plant in the Knotweed (Polygonaceae) family that grows up to 1.5 dm (6 inches) tall in sandy soil in sand dunes and in maritime chaparral. It is found only in Monterey County. It grows prostrate to ascending and has densely hairy leaves and stems. Inflorescence: involucre lobe margins are white (+- pink). Awns are 1--3 mm, and hooked (uncinate) at terminal end. Peak bloom time: March-June. Calflora lists 2 subspecies.
Conservation Status: 1B.2 in California, US (CNPS). Vulnerable due to habitat loss.
(Monterey Spineflower is UNLIKE Douglas' Spineflower (Chorizanthe douglasii) that grows 10–40 cm (up to 16 inches) tall and has a triangular involucre with a continuous pink membrane. This pink membrane fills the space between the teeth like an umbrella.) Link to Chorizanthe douglasii observation for comparison: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/117745729

Chorizanthe pungens var. pungens
Jepson eFlora https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=56501
Chorizanthe pungens
Jepson eFlora https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=19352

CNPS Rare Plant Inventory: https://rareplants.cnps.org/Plants/Details/473

Endangered Species Fact Sheets (85 species in Monterey County) http://www.elkhornsloughctp.org/factsheet/ and http://www.elkhornsloughctp.org/factsheet/factsheet.php?SPECIES_ID=37

Calflora (with species distribution map in CA) https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=2045

Plants of Monterey County: an Illustrated Field Key, 2nd edition, Matthews and Mitchell, 2015, pp. 254-255.

Flora of Fort Ord: Monterey County, California, David Styer, 2019, p. 173.

Monterey County Wildflowers: a Field Guide, Yeager and Mitchell, 2016, p. 131.

Monterey County Wildflowers https://montereywildflowers.com/polygonaceae-spineflower/

Fort Ord A Love Story, Dorothy E. Denning, 2024 (1,000+ color photos) pp. 109, 220.

5-minute video of Fort Ord Flora and Fauna, produced by David Styer: https://fortordcleanup.com/archives/2020/natural-treasures-of-fort-ord-90-amazing-photographs/

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Jepson eFlora Key to Chorizanthe
https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_keys.php?key=11204
Taxon Page for Chorizanthe: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=11204

Knotweed Family — Chorizanthe (Spineflower) "Flowers in this family do not have separate petals and sepals. For plants like this, the term “perianth” is used to describe the flower (i.e. the calyx and the corolla together) and “perianth parts” to describe the individual elements. In spineflowers, what you mostly see are the involucres and involucral membranes. The flowers themselves are 6-lobed, usually a similar color to the involucral membranes."
Monterey County Wildflowers– a photographic guide https://montereywildflowers.com/polygonaceae-spineflower/

Growing in middle of gravel road near walnut orchard. Plant was prostrate, over 8 inches in diameter. Not much in the way of basal leaves, and certainly no red veins or red staining. Three to four nutlets.