F LORA

McDowell Sonoran Preserve

18333 N Thompson Peak Pkwy
Scottsdale, AZ

33.649360, -111.859091

Ecoflora Inc. 2302 E Amelia Ave Phoenix AZ 85016 | 602.396.5643 | www.ecoflora.org

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McDowell Sonoran Preserve
INDEX OF PLANTS
ACANTHACEAE (Acanthus Family) - count 4, 1, 0
Anisacanthus thurberi (Torr.) A. Gray
Carlowrightia arizonica A. Gray
Justicia californica (Benth.) D. Gibson
Justicia longyi
AGAVACEAE (Agave Family) - count 6, 1, 3
Agave americana L
Agave deserti
Agave murpheyi F. Gibson
Agave toumeyana Trel. var. Toumeyana
Yucca baccata Torr.
Yucca elata (Engelm.) Engelm. var. elata
AMARANTHACEAE (Amaranth Family) - count 4, 0, 2
Amaranthus albus L.
Amaranthus fimbriatus (Torr.) Benth. ex S. Wats
Amaranthus torreyi (A. Gray) Benth. ex S. Wats.
Tidestromia lanuginosa (Nutt.) Standl
APIACEAE (Carrot Family) - count 3, 3, 2
Bowlesia incana Ruiz & Pav
Daucus pusillus Michx
Lomatium nevadense (S. Wats.) Coult. & Rose
ARISTOLOCHIACEAE (Birthwort Family) - count 1, 1, 0
Aristolochia watsonii Woot. & Standl
ASCLEPIADACEAE (Milkweed Family) - count 4, 1, 0
Asclepias nyctaginifolia A. Gray
Matelea parvifolia (Torr.) Woods.
Metastelma arizonicum A. Gray
Sarcostemma cynanchoides Decne. ssp. hartwegii (Vail) R. Holm
ASTERACEAE (Sunflower Family) - count 56, 25, 9
Acamptopappus sphaerocephalus (Harv. & A. Gray ex A. Gray) A. Gray var. Sphaerocephalus
Acourtia nana (A. Gray) Reveal & King
Acourtia wrightii (A. Gray) Reveal & King
Adenophyllum porophylloides (A. Gray) Strother
Ambrosia ambrosioides x salsola
Ambrosia ambrosioides (Cav.) W.W. Payne
Ambrosia confertiflora DC
Ambrosia deltoidea (Torr.) W.W. Payne
Ambrosia dumosa (A. Gray) W.W. Payne
Ambrosia eriocentra (A. Gray) W.W. Payne
Ambrosia monogyra (Torr. & A. Gray) Strother & B.G. Baldwin
Ambrosia salsola (Torr. & A. Gray) Strother & B.G. Baldwin
Artemisia ludoviciana Nutt. ssp. mexicana (Willd. ex Spreng.) Keck
Baccharis brachyphylla A. Gray
Baccharis salicifolia (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers
Baccharis sarothroides A. Gray
Bahiopsis parishii (Greene) E.E. Schilling & Panero
Baileya multiradiata Harvey & A. Gray ex A. Gray
Bebbia juncea (Benth.) Greene var. aspera Greene
Brickellia californica (Torr. & A. Gray) A. Gray
Brickellia coulteri A. Gray
Centaurea melitensis L.
Chaenactis stevioides Hook. & Arn.
Cirsium neomexicanum A. Gray

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Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronq.
Dieteria asteroides Torr. Var. glandulosa (B.L. Turner) D.R. Morgan & R.L. Hartman
Encelia farinosa A. Gray ex Torr.
Encelia virginensis A. Nels.
Ericameria laricifolia (A. Gray) Shinners
Erigeron divergens Torr. & A. Gray
Erigeron oreophilus Greenm.
Eriophyllum lanosum (A. Gray) A. Gray
Eriophyllum pringlei A. Gray
Gnaphalium palustre Nutt.
Gutierrezia sarothrae (Pursh) Britt. & Rusby
Helianthus annuus L.
Heterotheca subaxillaris (Lam.) Britt. & Rusby
Isocoma acradenia (Greene) Greene
Lactuca serriola L
Lasthenia californica DC. ex Lindl
Layia glandulosa (Hook.) Hook. & Arn
Logfia arizonica (A. Gray) J. Holub
Logfia filaginoides (Hook. & Arn.) Morefield
Melampodium leucanthum Torr. & A. Gray
Monoptilon bellioides (A. Gray) Hall
Oncosiphon piluliferum (L. f.) Kallersjo
Pectis papposa Harvey & A. Gray va r. papposa
Perityle emoryi Torr
Pluchea sericea (Nutt.) Coville
Porophyllum gracile Benth.
Pseudognaphalium canescens (DC.) Anderb.
Psilostrophe cooperi (A. Gray) Greene
Rafinesquia californica Nutt
Rafinesquia neomexicana A. Gray
Senecio flaccidus Less. var. Monoensis (Greene) B.L. Turner & T.M. Barkl
Senecio lemmonii A. Gray
Sonchus oleraceus L.
Stephanomeria pauciflora (Torr.) A. Nels.
Stylocline gnaphaloides Nutt
Stylocline micropoides A. Gray
Trixis californica Kellogg
Uropappus lindleyi (DC.) Nutt.
Xanthisma gracile (Nutt.) D.R. Morgan & R.L. Hartman
Xanthisma spinulosum (Pursh) D.R. Morgan & R.L. Hartman var. gooddingii (A. Nelson) D.R. Morgan & R.L. Hartman
Xanthisma spinulosum (Pursh) D.R. Morgan & R.L. Hartman var. paradoxum (B. L. Turner & R. L. Hartman) D. R.
Morgan & R. L. Hartman
BERBERIDACEAE (Barberry Family) - count 1
Berberis haematocarpa Woot
BORAGINACEAE (Borage Family) - count 14
Amsinckia menziesii (Lehm.) A. Nels. & J.F. Macbr. Var. Intermedia (Fisch & C.A. Mey.) Ganders
Amsinckia tessellata A. Gray
Cryptantha barbigera (A. Gray) Greene
Cryptantha decipiens (M.E. Jones) Heller
Cryptantha muricata (Hook. & Arn.) A. Nels. & J.F. Macbr
Cryptantha pterocarya (Torr.) Greene var. cycloptera (Greene) J.F. Macbr
Cryptantha pterocarya (Torr.) Greene var. Pterocarya
Harpagonella palmeri A. Gray var. Arizonica I.M. Johnston
Pectocarya heterocarpa (I.M. Johnston) I.M. Johnston
Pectocarya platycarpa (Munz & Johnston) Munz & Johnston
Pectocarya recurvata I.M. Johnston
Pectocarya setosa A. Gray

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Plagiobothrys arizonicus (A. Gray) Greene ex A. Gray
Plagiobothrys pringlei Greene
BRASSICACEAE (Mustard Family) - count 9
Boechera perennans (S. Wats.) W.A. Weber
Brassica tournefortii Gouan
Caulanthus lasiophyllus (Hook. & Arn.) Payson
Descurainia pinnata (walt.) Britt. Ssp. Ochroleuca (Woot.) Detling
Draba cuneifolia Nutt. ex Torr. & A. Gray var. Integrifolia S. Wats
Lepidium lasiocarpum Nutt
Physaria tenella (A. Nelson) O’Kane & Al-Shehbaz
Sisymbrium irio L
Thysanocarpus curvipes Hook
CACTACEAE (Cactus Family) - count 15
Carnegiea gigantea (Engelm.) Britton & Rose
Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa (Engelm. & Bigelow) F.M. Knuth var. coloradensis (L.D. Benson) D.J. Pinkava
Cylindropuntia arbuscula (Engelm.) Knuth
Cylindropuntia bigelovii (Engelm.) Knuth var. Bigelovii.
Cylindropuntia fulgida (Engelm.) Knuth
Cylindropuntia leptocaulis (DC.) Knuth
Cylindropuntia x tetracantha (Toumey) Knuth
Echinocereus engelmannii (Parry ex Engelm.) Lem.
Ferocactus cylindraceus (Engelm.) Orcutt
Mammillaria grahamii Engelm.
Opuntia chlorotica Engelm. & Bigelow
Opuntia engelmannii Salm-Dyck
Opuntia phaeacantha Engelm.
Opuntia x curvospina Griffiths (pro sp.)
Peniocereus greggii (Engelm.) Britt. & Rose var. transmontanus (Engelm.) Backeberg
CARYOPHYLIACEAE (Carnation Family) - count 4
Herniaria hirsuta L.
Loeflingia squarrosa Nutt.
Minuartia douglasii (Fenzl ex Torr. & A. Gray) Mattf.
Silene antirrhina L.
CELASTRACEAE (Bittersweet Family)- count 1
Canotia holacantha Torr.
CHENOPODIACEAE (SPINACH FAMILY) - count 7
Canotia holacantha Torr.
Atriplex elegans (Moq.) D. Dietr.var. Elegans
Chenopodium berlandieri Moq.
Chenopodium pratericola Rydb
Chenopodium watsonii A. Nels
Monolepis nuttalliana (J.A. Schultes) Greene
Salsola tragus L.
CAPPARIDACEAE (CAPER FAMILY) - count 1
Polanisia dodecandra (L.) DC. Ssp. Trachysperma (Torr. & A. Gray) Iltis
CONVOLVULACEAE (MORNING GLORY FAMILY) - count 3
Evolvulus arizonicus A. Gray
Ipomoea cristulata Hallier f.
Ipomoea hederacea Jacq

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CRASSULACEAE (STONECROP FAMILY) - count 2
Crassula connata (Ruiz & Pav.) Berger
Dudleya saxosa (M.E. Jones) Britt. & Rose ssp. collomiae (Rose ex Morton) Moran
CROSSOSOMATACEAE (CROSSOSOMA FAMILY) - count 1
Crossosoma bigelovii S. Wats
CUCURBITACEAE (SQUASH FAMILY) - count 2
Cucurbita digitata A. Gray
Marah gilensis Greene
CUPERESSACEAE (CYPRESS FAMILY) - count 1
Juniperus coahuilensis (Martinez) Gaussen ex R.P. Adams
CUSCUTACEAE (DODDER FAMILY) - count 2
Cuscuta indecora Choisy
Cuscuta umbellata Kunth
EPHEDRACEAE (JOINT-FIR FAMILY) - count 1
Ephedra aspera Engelm. ex S. Wats.
EUPHORBIACEAE (POINSETTIA FAMILY) - count 15
Chamaesyce abramsiana (L.C. Wheeler) Koutnik
Chamaesyce arizonica (Engelm.) Arthur
Chamaesyce capitellata (Engelm.) Millsp.
Chamaesyce florida (Engelm.) Millsp.
Chamaesyce melanadenia (Torr.) Millsp
Chamaesyce micromera (Boiss. ex Engelm.) Woot. & Standl.
Chamaesyce pediculifera (Engelm.) Rose & Standl.
Chamaesyce polycarpa (Benth.) Millsp. ex Parish
Chamaesyce revoluta (Engelm.) Small
Chamaesyce setiloba (Engelm. ex Torr.) Millsp. ex Parish
Ditaxis lanceolata (Benth.) Pax & K. Hoffmann
Ditaxis neomexicana (Muell. Arg.) Heller
Euphorbia eriantha Benth.
Tragia nepetifolia Cav.
Tragia ramosa Torr.
FABACEAE (BEAN FAMILY) - count 19
Acacia constricta Benth.
Acacia greggii A. Gray
Astragalus nuttallianus DC.
Calliandra eriophylla Benth.
Lotus humistratus Greene
Lotus rigidus (Benth.) Greene
Lotus salsuginosus var. Brevivexillus
Lotus strigosus Greene va r. tomentellus (Greene) Isely
Lupinus concinnus J.G. Agardh
Lupinus sparsiflorus Benth.
Marina parryi (Torr. & A. Gray) Barneby
Mimosa aculeaticarpa Ortega var. biuncifera (Benth.) Barneby
Olneya tesota A. Gray
Parkinsonia florida (Benth. ex A. Gray) S. Wats.
Parkinsonia microphylla Torr.
Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC. var. velutina (Woot.) Sarg.
Senna artemisioides (Gaud. ex DC.) Randell
Senna covesii (A. Gray) Irwin & Barneby
Vicia ludoviciana Nutt. ssp. Ludoviciana

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FAGACEAE (OAK FAMILY) - count 1
Quercus turbinella Greene
FOUQUIERIACEAE (OCOTILLO FAMILY) - count 1
Fouquieria splendens Engelm
GERANIACEAE (GERANIUM FAMILY) - count 2
Erodium cicutarium (L.) L’Hér. ex Ait.
Erodium texanum A. Gray
HYDROPHYLLACEAE (WATERLEAF FAMILY) - count 8
Emmenanthe penduliflora Benth.
Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia (Benth.) Greene
Phacelia affinis A. Gray
Phacelia crenulata Torr. ex S. Wats. va r. ambigua (M.E. Jones) J.F. Macbr.
Phacelia cryptantha Greene
Phacelia distans Benth.
Phacelia ramosissima Dougl. ex Lehm.
Pholistoma auritum (Lindl.) Lilja var. arizonicum (M.E. Jones) Constance
JUNCACEAE (Rush Family) - count 1
Juncus bufonius L
KRAMERIACEAE (Ratany Family) - count 2
Krameria bicolor S. Watson
Krameria erecta Willd. ex J.A. Schultes
LAMIACEAE (Mint Family) - count 4
Hedeoma nana Greene ssp. Nana (Torr.) Briq
Hyptis emoryi Torr.
Salazaria mexicana Torr
Salvia columbariae Benth
LILIACEAE (LILY FAMILY) - count 3
Calochortus kennedyi Porter
Dichelostemma capitatum (Benth.) Wood
Nolina microcarpa S. Wats.
LOASACEAE (STICKLEAF FAMILY) - count 3
Mentzelia affinis Greene
Mentzelia albicaulis (Dougl. ex Hook.) Dougl. ex Torr. & A. Gray
Mentzelia multiflora (Nutt.) A. Gray
MALPHIGIACEAE (BARBADOS CHERRY FAMILY) - count 1
Janusia gracilis A. Gray
MALVACEAE (MALLOW FAMILY) - count 10
Abutilon incanum (Link) Sweet
Abutilon palmeri A. Gray
Abutilon parvulum A. Gray
Ayenia filiformis S. Wats.
Herissantia crispa (L.) Briz.
Hibiscus coulteri Harvey ex A. Gray
Malva parviflora L.
Sida abutifolia P. Mill.
Sphaeralcea ambigua A. Gray ssp. Ambigua
Sphaeralcea rusbyi A. Gray
MARTYNIACEAE (DEVIL’S CLAW FAMILY) - count 2
Proboscidea althaeifolia (Benth.) Dcne.
Proboscidea parviflora (Woot.) Woot. & Standl

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NYCTAGINACEAE (FOUR O’CLOCK FAMILY) - count 12
Allionia choisyi Standl.
Allionia incarnata L. var. villosa (Standl.) B.L. Turner
Boerhavia coccinea P. Mill.
Boerhavia coulteri (Hook. f.) S. Wats.
Boerhavia intermedia M.E. Jones
Boerhavia spicata Choisy
Boerhavia wrightii A. Gray
Commicarpus scandens (L.) Standl.
Mirabilis coccinea (Torr.) Benth. & Hook. F.
Mirabilis laevis (Benth.) Curran.
Mirabilis multiflora (Torr.) A. Gray var. Multiflora
Menodora scabra A. Gray
ONAGRACEAE (EVENING PRIMROSE FAMILY) - count 7
Camissonia californica (Nutt. ex Torr. & A. Gray) Raven
Camissonia confusa Raven
Camissonia micrantha (Hornem. ex Spreng.) Raven
Camissonia pallida (Abrams) Raven
Clarkia epilobioides (Nutt. ex Torr. & A. Gray) A. Nels. & J.F. Macbr.
Oenothera elata Kunth ssp. hirsutissima (A. Gray ex S. Wats.) W. Dietr.
Oenothera primiveris A. Gray ssp. Primiveris
OROBANCHACEAE (BROOMRAPE FAMILY) - count 1
Orobanche cooperi (A. Gray) Heller
PAPAVERACEAE (POPPY FAMILY) - count 2
Argemone pleiacantha Greene
Eschscholzia californica Cham. ssp. mexicana (Greene) C. Clark
PLANTAGINACEAE (PLANTAIN FAMILY) - count 2
Plantago ovata Forsk.
Plantago patagonica Jacq.
POACEAE (GRASS FAMILY) - count 50
Aristida adscensionis L.
Aristida divaricata Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.
Aristida pansa Woot. & Standl.
Aristida purpurea Nutt. var. fendleriana (Steud.) Vasey
Aristida purpurea Nutt. var. nealleyi (Vasey) Allred
Aristida purpurea Nutt. var. parishii (A.S. Hitchc.) Allred
Aristida purpurea Nutt. var. purpurea
Aristida purpurea Nutt. var. wrightii (Nash) Allred
Avena fatua L.
Bothriochloa barbinodis (Lag.) Herter
Bouteloua aristidoides (Kunth) Griseb.
Bouteloua barbata Lag.
Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr. var. caespitosa Gould & Kapadia
Bromus arizonicus (Shear) Stebbins
Bromus arvensis L.
Bromus berterianus Colla
Bromus carinatus Hook. & Arn.
Bromus marginatus Nees Ex Steud.
Bromus rubens L.
Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.
Dasyochloa pulchella (Kunth) Willd. ex Rydb.
Digitaria californica (Benth.) Henr.
Elymus elymoides (Raf.) Swezey
Enneapogon desvauxii Desv. ex Beauv.
Eragrostis cilianensis (All.) Vign. ex Janchen
Heteropogon contortus (L.) Beauv. ex Roemer & J.A. Schultes

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Hilaria belangeri (Steud.) Nash (Steud.)
Hilaria rigida (Thurb.) Benth. ex Scribn.
Hordeum murinum L. ssp. glaucum (Steud.) Tzvelev
Hordeum murinum L. ssp. leporinum (Link) Arcang.
Leptochloa dubia (Kunth) Nees
Leptochloa panicea (Retz.) Ohwi ssp. brachiata (Steudl.) N. Snow
Muhlenbergia emersleyi Vasey
Muhlenbergia microsperma (DC.) Trin.
Muhlenbergia porteri Scribn. ex Beal
Panicum hirticaule J. Presl. ssp. hirticaule
Pappostipa speciosa (Trin. & Rupr.) Romasch.
Pennisetum ciliare (L.) Link
Pennisetum setaceum (Forsk.) Chiov.
Phalaris minor Retz.
Poa bigelovii Vasey & Scribn.
Polypogon monspeliensis (L.) Desf.
Schismus arabicus Nees
Schismus barbatus (Loefl. ex L.) Thellung
Sporobolus cryptandrus (Torr.) A. Gray
Tridens muticus (Torr.) Nash var. muticus
Urochloa arizonica (Scribn. & Merr.) O. Morrone & F. Zuloaga
Vulpia microstachys (Nutt.) Munro var. ciliata (Beal) Lonard & Gould
Vulpia microstachys (Nutt.) Munro var. pauciflora (Scribn. ex Beal) Lonard & Gould
Vulpia octoflora (Walt.) Rydb. var. octoflora
POLEMONIACEAE (PHLOX FAMILY) - count 7
Eriastrum diffusum (A. Gray) Mason
Eriastrum eremicum (Jepson) Mason
Gilia flavocincta A. Nels.
Gilia stellata Heller
Leptosiphon aureus (Nutt.) J.M. Porter & L.A. Johnson ssp. aureus
Phlox gracilis (Hook.) Greene
Phlox tenuifolia E. Nels
POLYGONACEAE (BUCKWHEAT FAMILY) - count 10
Chorizanthe brevicornu Torr.
Eriogonum abertianum Torr.
Eriogonum deflexum Torr. var. Deflexum
Eriogonum fasciculatum Benth. var. polifolium (Benth.) Torr. & A. Gray
Eriogonum inflatum Torr. & Frém.
Eriogonum palmerianum Reveal
Eriogonum trichopes Torr.
Eriogonum wrightii Torr. ex Benth.
Pterostegia drymarioides Fisch. & C.A. Mey.
Rumex hymenosepalus Torr
PORTULACACEAE (PURSLANE FAMILY) - count 6
Calandrinia ciliata (Ruiz & Pav.) DC.
Cistanthe monandra (Nutt.) Hershkovitz
Claytonia perfoliata Donn. Ex Willd. ssp. mexicana (Rydb.) J.M. Miller & K. Chambers
Portulaca oleracea L.
Portulaca pilosa L.
Portulaca umbraticola Kunth
PTERIDACEAE (FERN FAMILY) - count 9
Astrolepis cochisensis (Goodding) Bentham and Windham ssp. cochisensis
Astrolepis sinuata (Lag. ex Sw.) Benham & Windham
Astrolepis windhamii Benham
Cheilanthes covillei Maxon
Cheilanthes parryi (D.C. Eat.) Domin

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Cheilanthes wrightii Hook.
Notholaena standleyi Maxon
Pellaea truncata Goodding
Pentagramma triangularis (Kaulf.) Yatsk., Windham & Wollenw. ssp. maxonii (Weatherby) Yatsk., Windham & Wollen.
RANUNCULACEAE (BUTTERCUP FAMILY) - count 4
Anemone tuberosa Rydb.
Clematis drummondii Torr. & A. Gray
Delphinium parishii A. Gray
Delphinium scaposum Greene
RHAMNACEAE (BUCKTHORN FAMILY) - count 1
Ziziphus obtusifolia (Hook. Ex Torr. & A. Gray) A. Gray var. canescens (A. Gray) M.C. Johnston
ROSACEAE (ROSE FAMILY) - count 1
Cercocarpus montanus Raf
RUBIACEAE (MADDER FAMILY) - count 2
Galium aparine L.
Galium stellatum Kellogg ssp. eremicum (Hilend & Howell) Ehrend.
SALICACEAE (WILLOW FAMILY) - count 2
Populus fremontii S. Wats. ssp. fremontii
Salix gooddingii Ball
SAPINDACEAE (SOAPBERRY FAMILY) - count 2
Dodonaea viscosa (L.) Jacq.
Sapindus saponaria L.
SCROPHULARIACEAE (SNAPDRAGON FAMILY) - count 9
Castilleja applegatei Fern. ssp. martinii (Abrams) Chuang & Heckard
Castilleja exserta (Heller) Chuang & Heckard ssp. exserta
Keckiella antirrhinoides (Benth.) Straw
Maurandella antirrhiniflora (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) Rothm.
Mimulus guttatus DC.
Penstemon pseudospectabilis M.E. Jones ssp. connatifolius (A. Nels.) Keck
Penstemon subulatus M.E. Jones
Sairocarpus nuttallianus (Benth. ex A. DC.) D.A. Sutton
Veronica peregrina L.
SELAGINELLACEAE (SPIKEMOSS FAMILY) - count 1
Selaginella arizonica Maxon
SIMMONDSIACEAE (GOATNUT FAMILY) - count 1
Simmondsia chinensis (Link) Schneid
SOLANACEAE (POTATO FAMILY) - count 12
Datura discolor Bernh.
Lycium andersonii A. Gray var. andersonii
Lycium andersonii A. Gray var. deserticola (C.L. Hitchc.) C.L. Hitchc. ex Munz
Lycium andersonii A. Gray var. wrightii A. Gray
Lycium berlandieri Dunal
Lycium exsertum A. Gray
Lycium fremontii A. Gray
Lycium parishii A. Gray
Nicotiana obtusifolia Mertens & Galeotti
Physalis hederifolia A. Gray
Solanum douglasii Dunal
Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav.
TAMARICACEAE (TAMARISK FAMILY) - count 1
Tamarix chinensis Lour.

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TYPHACEAE (CATTAIL FAMILY) - count 1
Typha domingensis Pers.
ULMACEAE (ELM FAMILY) - count 2
Celtis pallida Torr.
Celtis reticulata Torr.
URTICACEAE (NETTLE FAMILY) - count 1
Parietaria hespera Hinton var. hespera
VERBENACEAE (VERBENA FAMILY) - count 3
Aloysia wrightii Heller ex Abrams
Glandularia gooddingii (Briq.) Solbrig
Verbena bracteata Lag. & Rodr
VISCACEAE (MISTELTOE FAMILY) - count 1
Phoradendron californicum Nutt.
ZYGOPHYLLACEAE (CALTROP FAMILY)- count 5
Kallstroemia californica (S. Wats.) Vail
Kallstroemia grandiflora Torr. ex A. Gray
Kallstroemia parviflora J.B.S. Norton
Larrea tridentata (Sessé & Moc. ex DC.) Coville
Tribulus terrestris L.

Total Count: 370, 32, 16

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ACANTHACEAE (Acanthus Family)

Thurber's Desert Honeysuckle

Anisacanthus thurberi (Torr.) A. Gray
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Shrub General: Perennial, cold-deciduous shrub 1-2 m tall; leaves reappear in early spring; bark
exfoliating, brown to gray with two vertical lines of pubescence. Leaves: Opposite lanceolate, sparsely hairy, entire, 4-6 cm long, 1-1.5 cm wide,
to 2 cm rarely, puberulent to glabrous. Flowers: Usually brick red, occasionally yellow or orange, tubular, 2-3.5 cm long. Fruits: Dehiscent, 2-
valved capsule 12-14 mm long, flattened with a long stalk. Ecology: Rocky canyon bottoms and gravelly or sandy washes from 2,000-5,000 ft
(610-1524 m); blooms March-June, rarely in Fall (October-November). Distribution: AZ, sw NM; south to c MEX. Notes: A charismatic shrub of
deserts with its showy orange-red tubular flowers with 1 lobe above and 3 below and long, exserted stamens; distinguished by being pubescent
all over; whitish, exfoliating older bark; opposite, lanceolate leaves; and inflorescences with clusters of flowers with glandular flower stalks.
Summer rains stimulate stem growth, with flowers that are well adapted for hummingbird pollination. One of the better browse plants in the
desert. Often found growing in shade. Ethnobotany: Potential use of nectar as sweetener, but no documented use. Etymology: Anisacanthus is
from Greek anisos -unequal-, while Thurberi is for Dr. George Thurber (1821-1890) a botanist on the Mexican Boundary Survey in 1850-1854.
Synonyms: Drejera thurberi

Arizona Wrightwort
Carlowrightia arizonica A. Gray
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Subshrub 15-30 cm, or up to 1 m in the protection of a spiny shrub; much
branched; often leafless. Stems slender and brittle, herbage densely pubescent with minute hairs and inconspicuous minute glands. Leaves:
Quickly drought deciduous; sessile to petioled, blades mostly lanceolate, entire. Flowers: Corollas 1 cm in diameter, pealike, fall as unit, white
with yellow eye and purple guide lines on upper lip, formed by 2 fused petals. Fruits: Capsule about 1 cm, glabrous, 4 seeds. Ecology: Found on
dry rocky slopes from 2,500-4,000 ft (762-1219 m); flowers April-May. Distribution: Ranges from the SW US to northern Costa Rica Notes:
Distinguished by its low-growing mostly leafless habit, densely pubescent stems, and showy white, pea-like flowers although there is
considerable variation in appearance in different seasons or at different stages of growth. Corollas open at sunrise and fall by late morning with
the heat of the day. The leaves are drought-deciduous and the the plant leafs out after summer rains. Grazed by rabbits, rodents, and livestock.
Ethnobotany: The Mayo used it in a tea taken for fevers. Etymology: Carlowrightia is named for American botanist Charles (Carlos) Wright
(1811-1885), and arizonica refers to Arizona. Synonyms: None

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ACANTHACEAE (Acanthus Family) Cont.

Chuparosa
Justicia californica (Benth.) D. Gibson
General: Small shrub to 2 m, generally leafless, or, when leaves are present, leaves fairly sparse, especially around the inflorescence. Stems and
leaves pubescent with fine, short, white hairs, which give the stems a white appearance. The hairs are not easily visible to the naked
eye. Leaves: Leaves ovate to lanceolate, bright green, simple, entire, opposite, and with noticeable venation on the underside of the leaf, to 2
cm long. Flowers: Flowers bright red, orange, or occasionally yellow, with an elongated corolla tube, lobes divided with a large lower lip, lower
lip having 3 lobes, the upper lip with 2 lobes. Throat occasionally spotted or streaked with yellow. Sepals subulate and tapering. Stamens 2, the
anthers having a hard, white, pointed tip. Fruits: An elongated, club-shaped capsule 1.5-2 cm, canescent, with an inflated tip. Seeds 4, rounded,
mottled. Ecology: Found in dry, sandy, soils, in washes and canyons below 2,500 ft (762 m); flowers March-June. Notes: Once the plant has
flowered and dropped its leaves and capsules, look for the gray (darkening to brown in winter) pubescent stems and star-shaped sepal
remnants to help identify this plant. Differentiate from J. candicans by looking at the anthers; J. californica has a short, hard, white basal point
on it’s lower anthers, this is absent on J. candicans. Also, the stems of J. californica are obscured by the dense pubescence, while J. candicans is
pubescent, its stem is still visible. Ethnobotany: The flowers were sucked for their nectar. Etymology: Justicia is named after after James Justice
(1698-1763), a Scottish botanist and horticulturist, son of Sir James Justice. He was apparently the first person to successfully bring a pineapple
to the fruiting stage in Scotland, became involved in the tulip bulb craze and died bankrupt, while californica means of or from California.

Longflower Tubetongue
Justicia longii
General: Erect subshrub or herb that freely branches above, 10–70 cm tall, emerges from rhizome, stems inconspicuously striate, with evenly
pubescent hairs to 0.1 mm long, gray to brown and woody below, dark green to brown above. Leaves: Subsessile to petiolate, the leaves
lanceolate to elliptic 3.5–5 cm long, 1–1.5 cm wide, the tip acuminate, falcate, or rounded, base attenuate to short petiole less than 1 cm long,
dark green to olive above, pale dull green below, pubescent like the stems mostly along veins and margins. Flowers: Axillary, solitary or
clustered, the flowers subtended by two obovate bracteoles that are linear to lance elliptic, 8–15 mm long, 1.5–3 mm wide, usually pubescent,
the calyx with 5 deep lobes, 5.5–8.5 mm long, 1 cm long in fruit, sepals broadly lanceolate but constricted above calyx cup, 5–7.5 mm long,
corolla white, zygomorphic with slenderly cylindric tube, about twice as long as lips, 2.5–4.5 cm long, scarcely widened above, upper lip
reflexed and 6–8 mm long by 1.5–2.5 mm wide, the lower lip 3–parted and broadly spreading, each 9–10 mm long, 3–4.5 mm
wide. Fruits: Contracted capsule 7–9 mm long, on stipe 2.5–3.5 mm long with small apical beak, glabrous and dark brown with 2–4 round and
flattened seeds. Ecology: Found in rocky washes and arroyos in desert scrub from 3,000–5,000 ft (914–1524 m), flowers April–
October. Distribution: Ranges from southern Arizona, from the Gila River in Graham County to Sinaloa near the Rio de Bavispe, with a disjunct
population in Texas. Notes: Can be white or purple flowered (purple flowers found only at southern end of range), with long tubed corolla that
opens in early evening. Hilsenbeck 1990 also reports it is pollinated by hawkmoths. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Justicia is named for
James Justice (1698–1763) a Scottish botanist and horticulturalist, while longii is an honorific for Dr. Robert W. Long

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AGAVACEAE (Agave Family)
Agave americana
Agave americana L
Plant: perennial scapose herbs; Rosettes freely suckering, open, ca. 1-2 m tall, 2-3.7 m broad Leaves: numerous, 10-20 dm long, 1.5-2.5 dm
wide, lanceolate, acuminate to abrubtly acuminate, narrowed above thickened base, rigid, plane or guttered or convex, light gray glaucous to
light green, sometimes with cross-zoned or variegated patterns, the margins undulate to crenate to straight; teeth regular or variable, the
larger ones 5-10 mm long, the smaller ones 3-5 mm long, straight or curved, 1-6 cm apart, brown to pruinose gray, interstitial teeth absent;
terminal spine 2-5 cm long, conic to subulate, shallowly grooved above, shiny brown to pruinose gray INFLORESCENCE: with scape 5-9 m tall,
open, of 15-35 long lateral horizontal branchlets in upper ½ of flowering stalk, the stalk thick, gray-green to glaucous Flowers: 70-100 mm long,
long-pedicellate, fragrance unknown; tepals unequal, erect, thick, involute, pale yellow, the outer ones 25-38 mm long, thick linear-lanceolate,
the apex sometimes red-tipped, the inner ones 2-3 mm shorter; filaments 60-90 mm long, inserted near mid-tube, light yellow, the anthers 30-
36 mm long; ovary 30-45 mm long with constricted, grooved neck, green, the style 55-72 mm long when stigma is receptive, yellow; floral tube
8-20 mm long, 16-20 mm wide, deeply grooved, green Fruit: a loculicidal capsule, oblong to globose, 4-5 cm long, short-stipitate, short-beaked;
SEEDS black, 7-8 mm long, 5-6 mm wide

Desert Agave
Agave deserti
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Succulent Wetland Status: None General: Perennial scapose succulents; rosettes solitary or
clustered, mostly 30-70 cm tall and 40-80 cm broad. Leaves: Rigid and ascending, the blades lanceolate, 25-70 cm long by 4-10 cm wide, with
long acuminate tips; margins straight, undulate, or crenate, the teeth variable, 2-10 mm long. Flowers: Panicles in a scape 2.5-6 m tall; lateral
panicle branches 6-15, ascending, in upper 1/4 of flowering stalk; flowers 3-6 cm long, tepals 6, in 2 whorls, all appearing as petals 1.5-2 cm
long by 4-6 cm wide, yellow or light yellow. Fruits: Capsules 3-6 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, ovoid to oblong or obovoid; seeds 5-6 mm long. Ecology:
Found in low desert scrub, from 1,000-4,000 ft (305-1524 m); flowers May-July. Distribution: AZ and CA; south to n MEX (Sonora and Baja
California) Notes: Only one subspecies (subsp. simplex) is found in Arizona, with solitary compact rosettes; leaves that are light green to light
glaucous gray with friable (easily breakable) teeth and a subulate terminal spine, this 3-4 cm long; flowering stalks (scapes) 4-6 m long; and
flowers in small clusters. This variety hybridizes with A. schottii ssp. schottii in Pima County and possibly with A. mckelveyana in Yavapai
County. Ethnobotany: Used for food, fibers, firewood, and to make various tools. Synonyms: Agave consociata Editor: AHazelton
2015 Etymology: Agave comes from the Greek agauos, "admirable, noble," in reference to the admirable appearance of the century plant;
deserti means -of the desert."

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AGAVACEAE (Agave Family) Cont.

Murphy's Agave
Agave murpheyi F. Gibson
Plant: perennial herb; Rosettes caespitose, ca. 0.6-1.2 m high, 0.8-1.4 m broad Leaves: numerous, 50-80 cm long, 6-10 cm wide, linear-
spathulate, broadest just above middle, short-acuminate, ascending, firm, thin, shallowly concave towards apex, thickish and convex towards
base, easily cut, light glaucous green to yellowish-green, often with light cross-zoned patterns, the margins undulate; teeth small, 3-4 mm long,
mostly porrect to leaf edge to upwardly flexed, mostly 1-2 cm apart, dark brown to black or gray; interstitial teeth absent; terminal spine short,
thick, 12-20 mm long, conical, dark brown to pruinose gray, decurrent 3.4-5 cm down to uppermost teeth INFLORESCENCE: with scape 3-4 m
tall, narrowly paniculate, compact, of 10-16 short, ascending lateral branchlets in upper 1/4 of flowering stalk, the stalk thickish, green Flowers:
in congested umbels, thick, stout, 51-75 mm long; tepals persistently erect, slightly clasping filaments, leathery, unequal, cream, the outer ones
15-19 mm long, 5-7 mm wide, with roughened, thick, brownish hooded tip, the inner ones 14-17 mm long, 4-5 mm wide; filaments (33-)45-50
mm long, inserted unequally, (6.5-)8-12 mm above base of tube, cream or pale yellow, the anthers (16-)22-26 mm long, yellow; ovary (18-)22-
40 mm long, with a scarcely narrowed neck 0.5-3(-5) mm long, pale cream-green, waxy, the style 3.4-5 cm long when stigma is receptive,
cream-yellow; floral tube deep, 14-20 mm long, (11-)14-19 mm broad, slightly bulging at base of tepals, pale cream-green Fruit: capsules, 5-6.9
cm long, 2-2.8 cm broad, narrowly obovate to oblong or ovate-oblong, long stipitate and beaked, bulbils always produced on pedicels; SEEDS
thin, (7-)9-11 mm long, 6-7 mm broad Misc: -Usually in close proximity of major drainage systems on open hilly slopes or alluvial terraces in
desert scrub with pre-Columbian agricultural and settlement features, having been cultivated by the Hohokam; 400-900 m (1350-2950 ft); Mar-
Jul

Toumey's Century Plant

Agave toumeyana Trel. var. Toumeyana
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Succulent General: Perennial scapose succulents, Plants without stems, rosettes in dense clusters
with spines protruding at shin height, 10-50 cm across and 15-60 cm tall. Leaves: Light to dark green with bud-prints on both upper and lower
surfaces, 9-45 cm long and 0.5-2 cm wide, margins with white, curling fibers, lightly armed near the base or unarmed. Flowers: Panicle on stem
1.5-3 m, loosely to densely flowered with flowers arranged in a spike on the distal 1/3 of the scape. Bracts linear to triangular in shape and not
persistent. Flowers borne on a short stalk in groups of 1-2, 1.6-2.8 cm in length, bell-shaped, flowers greenish-white, stamens slightly exserted,
filaments white, inserted up to 3.5 mm above the base of the tube, anthers pale yellow. Fruits: Capsules oblong, 1-1.5 cm long, sessile, apex
short-beaked. Ecology: Found on limestone or basalt slopes in gravelly or rocky areas of desert scrub, chaparral, and pi-on-juniper woodlands,
from 2,000-5,000 ft (610-1524 m); flowers late spring-summer. Notes: There are 2 varieties of A. toumeyana in the southwest, var. toumeyana
and var. bella. These are differentiated by the number of leaves and the leaf form, with var. toumeyana having 40-70 leaves per mature rosette,
denticulate only near the base, and var. bella having 100-200 leaves per mature rosette, and denticulate below the mid-leaf. A. toumeyana and
its varieties are thought to hybridize with Agave chrysantha, making positive identification difficult. Ethnobotany: Specific use of species
unknown, but uses for the genus include using the whole plant as food, and leaves as fiber to make clothing, tools, rope, and
sandals. Etymology: Agave is from Greek agauos, admirable, noble, while toumeyana is named for James W. Toumey (1865-1932) a botanist
and professor at the University of Arizona

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AGAVACEAE (Agave Family) Cont.

Banana Yucca
Yucca baccata Torr.
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Succulent General: Semi-succulent plants from a woody caudex, with acaulescent or short-
caulescent rosettes, often in colonies, to 2.5 m tall. Stems, if present, decumbent, aerial or subterranean, simple to sometimes branched, to 2
m long. Leaves: Blades erect, bluish green, concave-convex (crescent shaped in cross section), 30-100 cm long by 2-6 cm wide, rigid, scabrous or
glaucous, margins brown and fibrous. Flowers: Paniculate inflorescence arising from within, extending beyond rosettes, ovoid in outline, 60-80
cm, glabrous, rarely pubescent; peduncle scapelike, to 0.8 m; flowers pendant, 5-13 cm, the tepals connate at base, campanulate, cream-
colored, occasionally tinged with purple. Fruits: Fleshy, banana-shaped fruit, 5-23 cm long by 4-8 cm wide; pendant. Ecology: Found on slopes
and flats in a variety of different soil types from 3,000-8,000 ft (914-2438 m); flowers April-July. Distribution: s CA and s NV, east to sw CO, NM
and w TX. Notes: Common and widespread in the southwest, distinguished by the curling fibers on the leaf edges; thicker, coarser leaves than
other yuccas in the area, and large pendant white flowers followed by large, green, hanging fruits. There are two varieties; Y. baccata var.
baccata, the more widespread form, is acaulescent or has up to 6 short stems less than 30 cm long and course, curling threads on the leaf
margins. Y. b. var. brevifolia, found in SE Arizona and SW New Mexico, is most definitely caulescent, with up to 24 stems which can be as tall as
2 meters, and fine threads on the leaf margins. Ethnobotany: Used as a shampoo, as an antiemetic, for heartburn, as a cathartic, in childbirth,
ceremonially, and as a drink. The fruits were roasted and eaten, as well as eaten raw, boiled, or baked, pulverized and dried in cakes; its use as
a food is extensive throughout the region. Used for making fibers, rope, mats, sandals, and baskets; used also as an ingredient in
dyes. Etymology: Yucca comes from Haitian word yuca, or manihot, because young inflorescences are sometimes roasted for food, while
baccata means having pulpy, berry-like fruits, from Latin bacca, for small, round fruit.

Soaptree Yucca
Yucca elata (Engelm.) Engelm. var. elata
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Succulent General: Arborescent plant with definite trunks, usually 1 to 2 m tall but can be up to 9
m, simple with a few branches; solitary or in small colonies. Leaves: In large rosettes, leaves linear, sharp-pointed, flexible, 25-95 cm long by 1
cm wide, light green, the margins white with curly filaments 2-5 cm long, the apex tapering to a short spine. Flowers: Inflorescence a spreading
panicle, the uppermost portion narrow and racemose; on a scape that lifts it well above the foliage. Flowers campanulate to globose, 4-6 cm
long, creamy white, often tinged with green or pink, pendant, on slender to stout pedicels. Fruits: Capsules erect, dry and papery, oblong-
cylindric, 4-7 cm long, splitting open at maturity to release seeds. Seeds dull black, thin, 7-11 mm. Ecology: Found on mesas, desert washes,
sandy plains, and grasslands from 1,500-6,000 ft (450-1900 m); flowers May-July. Distribution: NV, AZ, NM, TX; south to n MEX. Notes:
Distinguished by often being arborescent (sometimes with a small trunk or lacking), with thinner, more flexible leaves than other Yucca species
in the region, the leaf edges with curling fibers and lacking teeth; racemose inflorescences of large cream colored flowers; followed by dry,
erect fruits which split open at maturity. Often found in desert grasslands, the upright and elongate trunk of old leaves helps to clearly
distinguish the species. Ethnobotany: Flowers and buds were used as food, the roots were used to make soap, and the leaves used for
basketweaving. Etymology: Yucca comes from Haitian word yuca, or manihot, because young inflorescences are sometimes roasted for food;
elata means tall.

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AMARANTHACEAE (Amaranth Family)

Prostrate Pigweed
Amaranthus albus L.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Monoecious annual herb, glabrous or glabrescent or viscid-pubescent; stems
usually erect, rarely prostrate, much-branched. Plants bushy (large plants forming tumbleweeds); up to 1 m tall, stems whitish in color. Leaves:
Alternate, petiole half as long as blade, or longer in young proximal leaves; blade obovate to narrowly spatulate with a tapering or cuneate
base, margins entire to crispate-undulate, apex obtuse with whitish or yellowish subspinescent mucro. Leaves mostly small, 3 cm long by 1 cm
wide, but early leaves are larger, up to 8 cm. Flowers: Inflorescences are axillary glomerules with male and female flowers intermixed. Flowers
green, whitish green or yellowish; bracts of pistillate flowers 2-3 mm, twice as long as tepals, with stout-, long-acuminate, spinescent apices;
pistillate flowers with 3 tepals slightly unequal in length, style branches erect; 3 stigmas; Staminate flowers with 3 tepals, 3 stamens. Fruits:
Utricles ellipsoid-ovoid, 1.5 mm, equaling or exceeding tepals, smooth proximally, coarsely rugose distally, dehiscence regularly circumscissile
with dark reddish brown to black lenticular seeds, 0.6-1 mm diameter and shiny. Ecology: Common agricultural weed. Found on disturbed sites,
along roads, and in fields from 1,500-8,000 ft (457-2438 m); flowers June-October. Distribution: Widespread and weedy species that ranges all
across the United States and into Mexico. Especially common in the West. USDA PLANTS lists this species as introduced to North America, but
several other sources list the species as native. Heil et al (2013) states that the species is probably native to central and western North
American and is adventive elsewhere. Notes: Confusingly, the USDA PLANTS database lists the common name for this species as "prostrate
pigweed"- even though the growth form is most often erect and bushy. This erect, tumbleweed-like growth form and generally more whitish
stems help to separate this species from others in the genus. Also look for the often crispate (wavy) leaf margins. Ethnobotany: Uses are
recorded for the Chiricahua Apache, Mescalero Apache, Navajo, and Hopi. Used to make flour and bread, the greens were prepared with meat,
the seeds were used for other types of food, and it had some ceremonial uses. Etymology: Amaranthus comes from the Greek amarantos,
"unfading," referring to the long-lasting flowers; albus means white. Synonyms: Amaranthus albus var. pubescens, Amaranthus graecizans,
Amaranthus graecizans var, pubescens, Amaranthus pubescens

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AMARANTHACEAE (Amaranth Family) Cont.

Fringed Amaranth
Amaranthus fimbriatus (Torr.) Benth. ex S. Wats
Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Glabrous annual herb, often with a reddish tinge; stems erect with lateral, ascending branches,
usually branched from base; main and lateral stems sparingly branched or simple, 30-70 cm tall. Leaves: Alternate, short-petiolate, the petiole a
quarter or half as long as blade; blade linear to narrowly lanceolate, 2-6 cm long by 0.1-0.5 cm wide, with a narrowly cuneate base, entire
margins, and an acute to mucronulate apex. Flowers: Green and white or pink-tinged, in axiallary clusters scattered from base to apex of plant,
and distally condensed in a terminal spike which is lax, unbranched, leafy below and almost leafless above, slender, and interrupted; bracts of
pistillate flowers ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 1-2 mm, shorter than tepals; pistillate flowers with 5 tepals, the tepals reflexed, fan-shaped to
broadly spatulate, clawed, equal or subequal, 1.5-3.5 mm, the margins fimbriate or denticulate; staminate flowers with 5 tepals, the tepal
apices obtuse, and 3 stamens. Fruits: Subglobose to obovate utricles, 1-2 mm, shorter than tepals, rugose to nearly smooth, with circumscissile
dehiscence; seeds black to dark reddish brown, lenticular, 0.8-1 mm diameter, shiny and smooth. Ecology: Found in sandy, gravelly slopes,
washes, and disturbed habitats below 4,000 ft (1219 m); flowers August-November. Distribution: Ranges across the southwestern deserts from
the Utah-Arizona border to Sinaloa. Notes: Similar to A. torreyi, which also has narrow leaves and axillary clusters of flowers grading into leafy
terminal spikes. However, A. torreyi has shorter, often wider leaves, up to 2 cm wide, and pistillate tepals with entire margins. FNA recognizes
two varieties of A. fimbriatus; var. denticulatus, with denticulate or crenate tepals, appears to have a more southern distribution in s AZ and
MEX, while var. fimbriatus, with fimbriate tepals, is found farther north. Ethnobotany: The seeds were ground into a flour and used to make as
mush, while the leaves can be eaten as greens or potherbs. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2010, AHazelton 2015 Etymology: Amaranthus
comes from the Greek amarantos, "unfading," referring to the long-lasting flowers, while fimbriatus means fringed, referring to the tepals.

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AMARANTHACEAE (Amaranth Family) Cont.

Torrey's Amaranthus
Amaranthus torreyi (A. Gray) Benth. ex S. Wats.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Herbaceous annuals to 1 m tall, stems erect to ascending, much branched,
especially near the base; her bage glabrous to sparsely pubescent. Leaves: Alternate and petiolate, the petioles less than half as long as the
blades; blades oblanceolate to lanceolate, to 5 cm long and 2 cm wide, with entire margins and pinnate veination; stipules absent. Flowers:
Small and green, in axillary clusters equal to or longer than petioles, and graduating to dense leafy spikes at branch tips; plants monoecious
(male and female flowers on the same plant). Bracts subtending flower clusters are lanceolate to narrowly awl-shaped, hyaline, scarious, and
equal to or longer than the flowers. Pistillate flowers have 5 distinct, clawed tepals, these with entire margins; staminate flowers borne mostly
at inflorescence tips, with 5 equal to subequal tepals, inflorescence bracts. Bracts and perianth segments not becoming rigid and
spinose. Fruits: Utricles 2 mm, circumsessile (dehiscing so the top opens like a lid), subglobose, shorter than the calyx, 2-3 beaked by the
persistent styles. Seeds black, smooth, shiny. Ecology: Found on sandy, rocky, and gravelly flats, slopes, canyons, washes, and other naturally
disturbed habitats; 3,500-5,500 ft (1067-1676 m); flowering summer-fall. Distribution: Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas; Mexico. Notes:
Amaranthus species are notoriously difficult and commonly misidentified. Pay close attention to the following characters and take samples if
unsure. A. torreyi distinguished by having generally shorter inflorescence spikes at the branch tips than most spiked Amaranthus in the region;
possesses mostly axillary inflorescences with some aggregating into leafy spikes, the inflorescences all equal to or longer than leaf petioles;
seed-bearing (pistillate) flowers with 4, spatulate tepals with smooth (entire) margins; and lanceolate leaves. A. fimbriatus also has narrow
leaves and flowers in axillary glomerules and terminal leafy spikes. However, A. fimbriatus has longer, narrower leaves, only 1-5 mm wide, with
long-tapering bases, and pistillate tepals with fringed or toothed margins. Ethnobotany: There is no specific use given for the species, but the
genus was used as a food source; the seeds were ground into meal and the leaves were boiled and eaten as greens. Synonyms: None Editor:
LCrumbacher 2011, FSCoburn 2014 Etymology: Amaranthus comes from the Greek amarantos, "unfading," referring to the long-lasting flowers,
while torreyi is named after John Torrey (1796-1873), a professor of chemistry and one of the giants of North American botany who described
hundreds of plants from the Mexican Boundary and the Pacific railroad survey expeditions.

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AMARANTHACEAE (Amaranth Family) Cont.

Woolly Tidestromia
Tidestromia lanuginosa (Nutt.) Standl
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Procumbent, ascending, or prostrate but much branched annual, yellowish
green to gray-green or reddish, to 50 cm, densely rough pubescent to glabrate with age. Leaves: Opposite and petiolate, on petioles 2.5 cm
long; leaves ovate-orbicular to lanceolate 1-3 cm long, densely pubescent. Flowers: Minute and perfect in axillary glomerules; perianth yellow,
1.5-3 mm long, the segments oblong, acute to obtuse, glabrous or villous; 5 stamens, filaments united at base; ovary globose, stigma capitate
or 2 lobed. Fruits: Utricle subglobose, glabrous, indehiscent, seeds globose, brown-red. Ecology: Found on dry plains, hillsides, and often on
disturbed soils; below 5,000 ft (1524 m); flowers August-October. Distribution: CA to the plains states; south to c MEX and the West
Indies. Notes: Distinguished by being an ascending-prostrate annual, often with reddish-pinkish stems, gray-green leaves which are usually
covered in a thick mat of white, woolly hairs, hence the specific epithet -lanuginosa- (occasionally hair-less), and small yellow
flowers. Ethnobotany: The Mayo brewed a tea from the leaves to alleviate the pain of ant bites. Also taken to help cure measles in
children. Etymology: Tidestromia is named for the American botanist Ivar (Frederick) Tidestrom (1864-1956) who wrote the Flora of Arizona
and New Mexico, while lanuginosa means woolly or downy. Synonyms: Cladothrix lanuginosa Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2014, AHazelton
2015

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APIACEAE (Carrot Family)

Hoary Bowlesia
Bowlesia incana Ruiz & Pav
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Delicate winter-spring annual herb with stellate hairs throughout; stems weak,
4-45 cm, slender, prostrate and dichotomously branching. Leaves: Opposite, petioled, palmately lobed with 5 or 7 broad lobes, leaves wider
than long, 10-23 mm wide, entire to dentate. Flowers: Inconspicuous in unbranched axillary umbels of 2-6 flowers; sepals and petals scalelike,
0.5 mm, the corolla greenish white; peduncles shorter than petioles. Fruits: Green schizocarp splitting into 2 single-seeded segments, each
ovate-globose, 1-2 mm, stellate-pubescent, turgid; fruits sessile or nearly so. Ecology: Found in shaded places, under bushes and canopies, and
especially beneath shrubs on north-facing arroyo banks, from below 3,500 ft (1067 m); flowers January-June. Distribution: sw US from CA to TX;
south to S. Amer. Notes: Distinguished by its pale green color; weak sprawling habit and tendency to form an extensive mat; the downy, star-
shaped hairs that cover the entire plant; and 5-lobed leaves. Ethnobotany: In the Andes it is used to make a tea for breakfast, or to treat a
cough or intestinal inflammation. Etymology: Bowlesia is named for William Bowles (1705-1780) an Irish naturalist, while incana means grayish
or hoary. Synonyms: Bowlesia septentrionalis Editor: SBuckley 2010, AHazelton 2015

American Wild Carrot

Daucus pusillus Michx
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Winter-spring annual with stiff white hairs, sometimes papilla-based, on stems
and inflorescence branches. Stems slender, 7-50 cm. Leaves: Highly dissected (3- or 4- pinnatasect) into small, linear segments. Flowers: White
to cream, in densely flowered compound umbels on stout peduncles 3-30 cm; subtended by leafy bracts, the bracts at least as long as the
umbel branches; sepals absent; petals tiny, 0.6 mm, white to pale yellow. Fruits: Burlike, the body dark colored, 3 mm, intricately sculptured
with yellow barb-tipped spines. Ecology: Found in disturbed habitat, below 5,000 ft (1524 m); flowers March to May. Distribution: British
Columbia south to CA, east over the south half of the US to VA; south to c MEX and in S. America. Notes: Looks similar and a close relative to
the cultivated carrot. The wild progenitor of the cultivated carrot, Daucus carota (known as Queen Anne-s lace) has naturalized in some parts of
the US, including California; D. carota can be distinguished from D. pusillus because it is a biennial, is generally taller, up to 1.2 m, and usually
has at least 1 purple flower in each umbel. Distinguishing characteristics of D. pusillus are the bristly oblong fruits that have small barbs on the
tips of the bristles (a trait of the genus; use a hand lens); the leaves and stems covered with small hairs, and the fact that it is a fairly small
annual, usually ca. 20-30 cm tall, though it can be taller. Look also for the long bracts subtending the umbels, which have the same finely
dissected morphology as the leaves and often extend past the flowers. Ethnobotany: Decoction of plant taken to clean the blood, as a remedy
for colds, itching, fevers, and snakebite. Roots were gathered and eaten both raw and steamed. Etymology: Daucus is from the Greek dais -to
burn- referring to the taste of the carrot root; pusillus means weak, small, or insignificant. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn
2014, AHazelton 2015

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APIACEAE (Carrot Family) Cont.

Nevada Biscuitroot
Lomatium nevadense (S. Wats.) Coult. & Rose
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Perennial herb 10-45 cm tall, from a long taproot with a subterranean crown
or caudex; herbage often gray due to a covering of minute, fine short hairs. Leaves: Usually in a basal cluster, the blades 4-10 cm long, 2 or 3
times pinnately dissected with ca. 4 opposite pairs of lateral primary leaflets; leaflets crowded, the ultimate segments oblong, generally less
than 3 mm long, ending abruptly in a small point. Flowers: White, in compact umbels at early anthesis, becoming more open; peduncles exceed
leaves with an involucel of conspicuous, linear and distinct, or obovate and connate, scarious-margined bractlets, about equaling the flowers;
rays 8-22, spreading, 1-2.5 cm long, unequal in length; pedicels 3-10 mm long; each cluster of umbels about 20 flowered, corolla white to
cream. Fruits: Capsule splitting into 2 single seeded mericarps, ovate to oblong-obovate, 6-8 mm long, 4-6 mm broad, the marginal ribs winged,
wings narrower than body. Ecology: Found on rocky slopes and mesas from 3,000-7,000 ft (914-2134 m); flowers March-May. Distribution: s
CA, s NV, s UT, AZ, w NM, south to Sonora, MEX. Notes: This taxon is distinguished by its low, stemless (except for the flowering stalks) growth
form, grayish pubescent herbage, 2 or 3 times dissected leaves and white flowers. There are two varieties, though Jepson notes that the
varieties are poorly defined and Welsh et al notes some confusion as to which varieties are represented in Utah; var. parishii has glabrous
ovaries and fruits and is more widespread; var. nevadense has pubescent fruits. Ethnobotany: The roots were eaten raw like radishes, or
cooked in the sand and eaten, and the roots used for viral respiratory infections. Etymology: Lomatium is from the Greek loma for bordered,
from the prominent marginal fruit wings; nevadense means of or from Nevada. Synonyms: None, for var. parishii: Lomatium nevadense var.
pseudorientale Editor: SBuckley 2010, AHazelton 2015

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ARISTOLOCHIACEAE (Birthwort Family)

Indian Root
Aristolochia watsonii Woot. & Standl
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Vine General: Trailing perennial herb from a single, thickened, carrot-shaped root, the plant
dying back to root in drought or with freeze. Stems slender, herbaceous, often less than 30 cm or vining to 1-1.5 m in shaded, moist habitats.
Leaves: Alternate and short-petiolate, the petioles 0.5 to 1 cm; blades to 12 cm long, triangular-hastate, the basal lobes as long as or longer
than the petioles. Flowers: Yellow to brown-purple, solitary in leaf axils; corolla is absent but calyx is showy, bilateral, tubular, and curved,
yellow-green with brown-purple spots mostly along 5 prominent veins, margin and tip dark maroon. Fruits: Capsule dehiscent, 5-valved, ovoid,
2 cm, with narrow ridge or wing along the midrib of each valve; seeds flattened, blackish, 0.4 mm. Ecology: Found in gravely soils, along rocks in
drier areas from 2,000-4,500 ft (610-1372 m); flowers July-September. Distribution: AZ, s NM; south to n MEX. Notes: This vining herb is easily
identifiable by its dark green to maroon leaves with prominent central vein of light green and triangular-hastate shape. The flowers have a fetid
odor and unique shape for insect pollination. Could be confused with a milkweed vine (Sarcostemma can have a similar leaf shape) but this
species lacks milky sap and has much different flowers and fruits. Ethnobotany: Used as a snakebite remedy, as a decoction it was medicinal for
fever, and as a toxin for the removal of afterbirth (hence name birthwort). Etymology: Aristolochia is from Greek, aristos, the best, most
excellent and locheia or lochia, childbirth, hence name birthwort and watsonii for Sereno Watson (1826-1892) an assistant to Asa Gray.
Synonyms: Aristolochia porphyrophylla Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2015

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ASCLEPIADACEAE (Milkweed Family)

Mojave Milkweed
Asclepias nyctaginifolia A. Gray
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Low perennial herb, 10-40 cm tall; stems erect to spreading, sparingly
branched from near the base, pubescent more or less in lines above the petioles; plants with milky sap. Leaves: Opposite and petiolate, the
petioles 1-3 cm long; blades ovate to broadly lanceolate, 3-14 cm long, 2-7 cm broad, bases broadly obtuse to rounded or truncate and abruptly
narrowed to the petiole, apex obtuse to acute, surfaces pubescent with spreading hairs or infrequently glabrate. Flowers: Large and cream-
white, in 1-many lateral umbels, those 5-8 cm broad, sessile or on peduncles to 2 cm long; corolla purplish-green, lobes 12-16 mm long; hoods
yellowish to orangish, erect, oblong from a rounded base, more or less dilated above to an oblique or truncate apex, 8-11 mm long, 2-3 mm
broad at the top; horns radially flat, attached in the upper half of the hoods, triangular, with sharp, tooth-like projection exserted about 1 mm;
calyx lobes 3-6 mm long, Fruits: Follicles erect on deflexed pedicels, 5-9 cm long and 1.5-3 cm wide. Ecology: Found in washes, on slopes and on
roadsides, grasslands, at springs, and in open woodlands from 1,500-6,500 ft (457-1981 m); flowers April-October. Distribution: s CA, s NV, AZ, s
NM; south to n MEX. Notes: Distinguished by the spreading to ascending, low-growing habit and the leaves that are large, dark green with wavy
margins, and opposite, like you might find among the Nyctaginaceae. This is a known monarch host plant, particularly in fall after abundant
summer monsoon rains. Ethnobotany: An infusion of the plant was given to infants with diarrhea. Etymology: Asclepias is named for the Greek
god of healing Asklepios, while nyctaginifolia means having leaves like the Nyctaginaceae family. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2010, 2014,
FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2015

Spearleaf
Matelea parvifolia (Torr.) Woods.
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Shrub General: Twining vine from a woody rootstock, pubescent, non-glandular, hairs of the
stem curving downward. Leaves: Ovate to lanceolate-triangular, subcordate to hastate-sagittate at the base, 0.5-2 cm long, pubescent on both
surfaces or the hairs restricted to the veins below, petioles to 1 cm long, shorter than blades. Flowers: Umbelliform or appearing solitary,
peduncles indistinct or 1-2 mm long; flowers 4-5 mm long; calyx lobes 2-3 mm long, equalling or longer than corolla tube; corolla greenish to
purple, sparsely pubescent to glabrate outside, pilose toward base of lobes inside, hemispherical, tube 1-2 mm long, lobes triangular-ovate,
erect, about 3 mm long; crown arising from corolla tube, cup-shaped. Fruits: Follicles 6-9 cm long, glabrate, sparsely warty. Ecology: Found in
desert scrub, on slopes and in canyons from 1,500-4,500 ft (457-1372 m); flowers October-June. Distribution: CA and NV, east to TX; south to n
MEX Notes: Similar to Matelea producta but with smaller leaves, less than 2 cm long (up to 5 cm in M. producta); solitary flowers (M. producta
has flowers in umbels); and warty follicles (smooth follicles in M. producta). Ethnobotany: Unknown, but other species in the genus have uses.
Etymology: Matelea is thought to be named for the French botanist Jean Baptiste Cristophore Fusee Aublet (1720-1778), while parvifolia comes
from the Greek parvus, small and folia for leaf. Synonyms: Gonolobus californicus, G. parvifolius Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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ASCLEPOADACEAE (Milkweed Family) Cont.

Arizona Swallow-wort
Metastelma arizonicum A. Gray
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Vine General: Slender branched vine, woody at base; the stem pubescent in lines above the
petioles, 0.5-2.5 m. Leaves: Opposite and short-petioled, the petioles 1-3 mm long, pubescent above; blades oblong with strongly revolute
margins, appearing linear, 0.5-3 cm long about 5 mm broad, shining and dark green above, sparsely pubescent on midvein above and beneath,
the margins sparsely ciliate. Flowers: White, in axillary umbels; flowers 3-4 mm long; calyx lobes about 2 mm long; corolla whitish to yellowish,
with 5 petals, campanulate, densely villous within; crown segments distinct, 1-2 mm long, linear-lanceolate, slight longer than stigma-head.
Fruits: Fusiform follicle 3-7 cm long, glabrous, 4-5 mm wide. Ecology: Found on rocky slopes and in canyons from 1,500-4,500 ft (457-1372 m),
flowers May-October. Distribution: From c AZ south into Sonora, MEX. Notes: Look for a vine with opposite leaves which are distinctive with
their tightly revolute margins that make the oblong leaves look nearly linear; small white flowers with hairy petals; and milky sap. Other
common milkweed vines, (Funastrum cyanchoides (Syn: Sarcostemma cyanchoides) and F. crispum) have larger, showier flowers that are not
distinctively hairy. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Metastelma comes from the Greek meta or instead and stelma a crown, referring to the
absence of a corona, while arizonica means of or from Arizona. Synonyms: Cynanchum arizonicum, Metastelma albiflorum, Metastelma
watsonianum Editor: SBuckley 2011, AHazelton 2015

Hartweg's Twinevine
Sarcostemma cynanchoides Decne. ssp. hartwegii (Vail) R. Holm
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Slender herbaceous stems to 2 m long from woody root and short caudex;
herbage glabrous or nearly so; plants with milky sap. Leaves: Opposite and short-petiolate, the petioles to 4 cm; blades ovate, lanceolate or
linear, 1-10 cm long; base of blades cordate, hastate, saggitate or truncate; margins flat; surfaces sparsely pubescent to glabrate. Flowers:
White or purple, in many-flowered umbels, those on peduncles 2-5 cm long; pedicels 1-2 cm long, puberulent; flowers about 1 cm broad; calyx
lobes ovate-elliptic, puberulent without; corolla rotate to broadly cup-shaped, bright purplish to white, pubescent outside, the lobes ovate-
triangular, 4-6 mm long; crown ring free from the base of the vesicles, 0.2-0.5 mm high, the vesicles arising from a short column < 1 mm above
its union with the corolla tube. Fruits: Follicles solitary, lanceolate-attenuate, 3-12 cm long, about 1.5 cm in diameter, finely striate. Ecology:
Found sprawling over bushes, along desert washes, canyons, and disturbed sites from 500-5,500 ft (457-1372 m); flowers March-December.
Distribution: CA, NV, AZ, NM, TX; south to c MEX. Notes: A twining perennial vine with milky sap, the leaves are a bit broader, less hairy, and
margins less wavy compared to the similar F. crispum. Also, the calyx lobes are ovate as opposed to lanceolate in F. crispum. Some treatments
and genetic analyses separate the two subspecies, hartwegii and cynanchioides into distinct species. However, this guide treats them as
subspecies, sesnu Sundell-s treatment for Arizona. F. cyanchoides ssp. cyanchoides has heart-shaped leaves, predominantly white flowers, and
a narrower elevation range, 2,400- 4,000 ft; while F. cyanchoides ssp. hartwegii (syn. F. heterophyllum) has leaves shaped like arrowheads,
purple and white flowers, and a wider elevation range, 500-5,500 ft. Ethnobotany: Unknown for this species. Etymology: Funastrum is from
funis, a rope, cord, or sheet and astrum, incomplete resemblance, while cynanchoides refers to being like the genus Cynanchum. Synonyms:
Sarcostemma cynanchoides, Funastrum cynanchoides var. subtruncatum, others, see Tropicos Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015,
AHazelton 2015

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ASTERACEAE (Sunflower Family)

Rayless Goldenhead
Acamptopappus sphaerocephalus (Harv. & A. Gray ex A. Gray) A. Gray var. Sphaerocephalus
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Perennial herbs, 20-40 cm tall, from a woody taproot; stems branching,
ascending to erect, younger portions with white bark, older portions gray, spinescent, and usually with shredding bark; herbage glabrous to
hirtellous. Leaves: Alternate, sometimes in axillary fascicles, petiolate or sessile; blades to 1.5 cm long and to 3 mm wide, generally linear to
oblanceolate, or spatulate (spoon-shaped), spreading-ascending to appressed-erect, 1-nerved; margins entire to minutely spine-tipped, faces
glabrous, eglandular, scabrous, or hirtellous- pale green to gray green. Flowers: Flower heads yellow, showy, discoid, arranged in loose,
rounded to flat-topped clusters; involucre (ring of bracts wrapped around the flower head) hemispheric to spheric, 8-16 mm diameter, the
bracts (phyllaries) 13-25 in 3 series, broadly ovate, dry, blunt, with a greenish subapical spot, yellowish bases, and scarious margins; disc florets
13-45, the corollas yellow. Fruits: Achenes (cypselae) obconic to turbinate, compressed, densely villous with long white, bronze, or brown hairs;
topped with a pappus of numerous narrowly linear paleae, plus much shorter bristles. Ecology: Found on gravelly or rocky soils, in grasslands,
deserts, and woodlands, below 6,500 ft (1981 m); flowers March-October. Distribution: AZ, CA, NV, UT Notes: The genus Acamptopappus is
essentially endemic to the Mojave Desert of California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah, characterized as low, white-barked, desert shrubs with
pedunculate heads, borne singly or in loose, corymbiform arrays, with ovate phyllaries with broad hyaline margins, 0 or 5-14 yellow rays,
sericeous to villous achenes, and thick pappus scales. A. sphaerocephalus has yellow flower heads that lack ray florets. There are two varieties:
A. s. var. sphaerocephalus has glabrous leaf surfaces with hirtellous margins, and A. s. var. hirtellus has leaves with hirtellous faces and margins.
However, as FNA notes, there is considerable variation in the Ethnobotany: Mashed plant used as a salve for pain. Synonyms: Haplopappus
sphaerocephalus Editor: LCrumbacher2012, AHazelton 2015 Etymology: Acamptopappus comes from the Greek akamptos, "stiff," and pappos,
"pappus," thus meaning stiff or unbending pappus, while sphaerocephalus is from the Greek meaning "sphere- or round-headed".

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ASTERACEAE (Sunflower Family) Cont.

Dwarf Desertpeony
Acourtia nana (A. Gray) Reveal & King
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Small erect perennial herb, 5-30 cm tall, from a woody, platform-like
rhizome covered with thick brown tomentum, 1-5 cm below the soil surface and bearing tough woody roots 1-2 mm in diameter from its lower
side. Leaves: Opposite, sessile or short-petioled, leathery, pale green, suborbicular, 2-5 cm long, coarsely and unequally spinulose-dentate,
scaberulous, with veins conspicuous on both surfaces. Flowers: Flower heads solitary at ends of branches, subsessile or on stoutish peduncles
4-10 mm long; involucre (bracts surrounding the flower heads) campanulate, 1.5 cm high, the bracts in 4-5 series, imbricate, broadly ovate and
abruptly attenuate to the tip, often purplish, the margins lanate-ciliate below; flowers fragrant, all bisexual, 15-24 per head, the corollas
bilabiate with 2 lobes on one side and 3 lobes on the other side, pink, 1-1.5 cm long, glabrous. Fruits: Achenes linear, 5-6 mm long, strongly
ribbed, with a pappus of numerous slender silky hairs, 10-15 mm long, silvery white to tawny. Ecology: Found on mesas, arid plains, and slopes,
usually under shrubs; below 6,000 ft (1829 m); flowers March-June. Distribution: AZ, s NM, sw TX; south to c MEX. Notes: The genus Acourtia in
our region is distinguished by being erect perennial composites with woolly bases of brownish-bronze hairs; leathery, sessile or clasping leaves
with toothed margins, the teeth often with prickles; and often showy heads with pink, purple or white flowers. A. nana is distinct from other
Acourtia in the region by its small stature and grayish-green, leathery, holly-like, roundish prickly leaves which clasp the stems. The flowers are
fragrant, the scent reminiscent of violets. Ethnobotany: Cottonlike material at root base placed on a newborn-s umbilicus. Etymology: Acourtia
is named for Mary Elizabeth Catherine Gibbes A-Court (1792-1878), while nana is from Greek nannos, dwarf. Synonyms: Perezia nana Editor:
SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2014, AHazelton 2015

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ASTERACEAE (Sunflower Family) Cont.

Brownfoot
Acourtia wrightii (A. Gray) Reveal & King
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Erect perennial herb, 30-120 cm tall, with subglabrous to glandular-scabrid
stems. Leaves: Alternate and sessile, the blades oblong, 3-13 cm long, thin to rather rigid, bases sagittate or clasping, margins minutely toothed,
surfaces minutely stipitate-glandular and hirtellous. Flowers: Flower heads clustered in dense corymb-like panicles; involucre (the ring of bracts
surrounding each flower head) turbinate (top-shaped), 5-8 mm high, the bracts in 2-3 series, linear to lanceolate, margins ciliate, tips obtuse to
acute; flowers all bisexual, 8-12 per head, the corollas bilabiate with 2 lobes on one side and 3 lobes on the other side, pink or purple, 9-20 mm
long. Fruits: Achenes linear-fusiform, 2-6 mm, glandular-puberulent, with a pappus of bright white hairs, 9-12 mm. Ecology: Found on rocky
slopes, in gravelly or sandy soils, below 6,000 ft (1829 m); flowers January-June, and sometimes in autumn. Distribution: s NV, s UT, south
through AZ, s NM, sw CO; south to c MEX. Notes: The genus Acourtia in our region is distinguished by being erect perennial composites with
woolly bases with brownish-bronze hairs, leathery, sessile or clasping leaves with toothed margins, the teeth often with prickles, and often
showy heads with pink, purple or white flowers. A. wrightii is taller than A. nana and does not have roundish, holly-like leaves. It is more similar
to A. thurberi, but differs by having narrower leaves, phyllaries (involucral bracts) which lack glands and have somewhat more blunted tips; and
more flowers per head (8-12 flowers, compared to 3-6 in A. thurberi). A. wrightii is common in the lower to middle elevations throughout
Arizona, especially in the Sonoran Desert. Look for it in foothills and canyons. Ethnobotany: Used in childbirth for difficult labor, as a
postpartum medicine, and as an antihemorrhagic. Etymology: Acourtia is named for Mary Elizabeth Catherine Gibbes A-Court (1792-1878),
while wrightii is named for the American botanical collector Charles Wright (1811-1885). Synonyms: Perezia wrightii Editor: SBuckley 2010,
FSCoburn 2014, AHazelton 2015

San Felipe Dogweed

Adenophyllum porophylloides (A. Gray) Strother
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Perennial 20-50 cm tall from a thick woody base, herbage has a strong
disagreeable odor; stems erect or ascending, glabrous, angled. Leaves: Opposite below, alternate above, thick, pinnately lobed, 15-40 mm,
lobes 3-5, linear to cuneate or oblanceolate with oil glands at the base of each lobe and subterminal in tips). Flowers: Corymbose on peduncles
20-80 mm long, heads 1.5-2 cm long at anthesis; turbinate, obconic involucres, 10-15 mm; phyllaries 12-20, lanceolate, separating in fruit, acute
to short-mucronate at apices; 10-14 ray florets, corollas yellow becoming red-orange, tubes about 2 mm; 25-40 disc florets, corollas yellow-
orange, 7-8 mm. Fruits: Brownish cypselae 5 mm, finely striate, srigillose, with pappus of 8-12 scales 7-8 mm, each comprising 7-11 basally
connate bristles. Ecology: Found on rock slopes, outwash fans, arroyos, and mesas below 4,000 ft (1219 m); flowers March-October.
Distribution: AZ, CA, NV; south to n MEX (Sonora, Baja California) Notes: The smell of this species is clearly one of the more recognizable
features, along with the oil glands at the base of the leaves. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Adenophyllum is from the Greek for gland-leaf,
while porophylloides means having leaves like those of Porophyllum. Synonyms: Dyssodia porophylloides Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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ASTERACEAE (Sunflower Family) Cont.

Ambrosia Leaf Bur Ragweed

Ambrosia ambrosioides x salsola
Common Name: ambrosia leaf bur ragweed Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Perennial subshrub with erect
stems to 5 m tall with strongly striate, puberulent to tomentulose branches, which age glabrate. Leaves: Alternate on petioles 2-3 cm long,
tomentulose, often scurfy, the blades ovate to lance-ovate in outline, 5-8 cm wide and 8-22 cm long, margins coarsely toothed, strongly veined
below, darker green and puberulent to scaberulous above, the lobes and apex usually acute to acuminate. Flowers: Heads conspicuously
paniculate, with rotate involucres 5-6 mm across, deeply cleft into 6-12 lanceolate lobes, the palea puberulent, shorter than tubular corollas,
the latter 1.5 mm long, the pistillate heads with 2-3 flowers, subtended by linear bracts 3-6 mm long. Fruits: Burs that are elliptic, hirsutulous,
8-9 mm high, bearing 2 elongate but slightly hooked beaks, 7-12 spines in 3 series. Ecology: Found along washes and in canyons from 500-4,000
ft (152-1219 m), flowers March-May. Distribution: Ranges across the Sonoran Desert and south to Durango, along with south into Baja
California and into Chihuahua. Notes: Distinctive smell helps to distinguish this plant in season with its sweet odor, along with the large toothed
and very green leaves. Ethnobotany: Used as an analgesic for menstrual pains and used as a poultice applied to the chest to loosen a cough.
Etymology: Ambrosia is Greek for food of the gods, while ambrosioides means like ambrosia. Synonyms: Fransia ambrosioides, Xanthidium

Ambrosia Leaf Bur Ragweed

Ambrosia ambrosioides (Cav.) W.W. Payne
Common Name: ambrosia leaf bur ragweed Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Perennial subshrub with erect
stems to 5 m tall with strongly striate, puberulent to tomentulose branches, which age glabrate. Leaves: Alternate on petioles 2-3 cm long,
tomentulose, often scurfy, the blades ovate to lance-ovate in outline, 5-8 cm wide and 8-22 cm long, margins coarsely toothed, strongly veined
below, darker green and puberulent to scaberulous above, the lobes and apex usually acute to acuminate. Flowers: Heads conspicuously
paniculate, with rotate involucres 5-6 mm across, deeply cleft into 6-12 lanceolate lobes, the palea puberulent, shorter than tubular corollas,
the latter 1.5 mm long, the pistillate heads with 2-3 flowers, subtended by linear bracts 3-6 mm long. Fruits: Burs that are elliptic, hirsutulous,
8-9 mm high, bearing 2 elongate but slightly hooked beaks, 7-12 spines in 3 series. Ecology: Found along washes and in canyons from 500-4,000
ft (152-1219 m), flowers March-May. Distribution: Ranges across the Sonoran Desert and south to Durango, along with south into Baja
California and into Chihuahua. Notes: Distinctive smell helps to distinguish this plant in season with its sweet odor, along with the large toothed
and very green leaves. Ethnobotany: Used as an analgesic for menstrual pains and used as a poultice applied to the chest to loosen a cough.
Etymology: Ambrosia is Greek for food of the gods, while ambrosioides means like ambrosia. Synonyms: Fransia ambrosioides, Xanthidium
ambrosioides Editor: SBuckley 2011

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ASTERACEAE (Sunflower Family) Cont.

Weakleaf Bur Ragweed

Ambrosia confertiflora DC
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Perennial herb from a hard, knotty base, with stout, deeply buried, woody
taproots; stems often 40-75 cm, erect, and leafy, with white, mostly appressed hairs. Leaves: Mostly alternate, on petioles 1-3.5 cm long;
blades green, 6-17 cm long, 2 or 3 times pinnately divided, strigillose to sericeous (often grayish) and gland-dotted. Flowers: Pistillate and
staminate flowers in separate heads; all heads discoid; staminate heads pendant in terminal racemes, with a few pistillate heads at the base of
each raceme. Pistillate heads with 1 or 2 florets, developing into a single spiny bur at maturity. Staminate heads with cup-shaped involucres, 2-
3+ mm in diameter, strigillose; containing 5-20+ disc flowers. Fruits: Burs 2-4 mm with 5-12 small, terete, hooked spines. Ecology: Found on
hillsides, slopes, mesas, and sometimes a weed in fields and along roadsides from 1,000-6,500 ft (305-1981 m); flowers March-October.
Distribution: c and s CA, east to s KS, OK, TX; south to c MEX.; also in Australia. Notes: This perennial herbaceous Ambrosia is especially
common below the Mogollon Rim in Arizona. Look for the thinly lobed, 2-4 times dissected leaves; the racemes of pendant male flowering
heads which can look yellowish inside due to the color of the stamens, and late in the season, small burs with 8-13 hooked spines near the
bottom of the racemes. Ambrosia acanthacarpa is similar, but that species is annual and has larger burs (4-8 mm) with longer straight spines.
Ambrosia psilostachya also appears similar, but that species is a perennial with running rootstock (as opposed to the woody taproot of this
species), and the fruits usually do not have spines on them. Ethnobotany: Unknown, but other species in this genus have many uses.
Etymology: Ambrosia is Greek for food of the gods, while confertiflora means with crowded flowers. Synonyms: Franseria confertiflora, F.
strigulosa, Gaertneria tenuifolia Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2015

Triangle Bur Ragweed

Ambrosia deltoidea (Torr.) W.W. Payne
Common Name: triangle bur ragweed Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Shrub with numerous ascending to
erect stems 30-80 cm from a woody base; rounded or flat topped; dark brown branches, ridged, strongly resinous. Leaves: Numerous, mostly
alternate, on petioles 5-12 mm, blades deltate to lance-deltate, 12-25 mm long by 5-12 mm wide, cuneate to truncate bases, toothed margins,
densely tomentose below, white or pale; above sparsely tomentulose, dark green. Flowers: Pistillate heads clustered, 2-3 florets, in terminal
racemes or panicles; staminate heads crowded on peduncles 0.5-3 mm, more or less cup shaped involucres, 4-8 mm in diameter, tomentulose;
12-30 florets. Fruits: Burs broadly ellipsoidal to globose, 3-6 mm, usually stipitate-glandular, spines 15-30, scattered, 1-3 mm, tips straight,
sometimes uncinate, distinctly flattened. Ecology: Found in sandy washes, on alluvial plains, on gravelly or rocky slopes from 1,000-3,000 ft
(305-914 m); flowers December-May. Notes: Fruiting heads resemble cockleburs, only the spines are strongly flattened with plane of leaves.
Abundant shrub among Parkinsonia and Prosopis in the Sonoran desert scrub communities. This species is often considered the dominant
bursage of the Arizona Upland, while A. dumosa is found in the lower Colorado and Mohavean types. A. deltoidea is often found on the moister
margins of gullies and other surface water features, while A. dumosa is confined to finer and drier soils. Ethnobotany: Unknown, but other
species in the genera have many uses. Etymology: Ambrosia is Greek for food of the gods, while deltoidea means triangular, like the fourth
letter of the Greek alphabet, delta. Synonyms: Franseria deltoidea Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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Burrobush
Ambrosia dumosa (A. Gray) W.W. Payne
Common Name: burrobush Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Much branched, rounded shrub 10-40 cm tall;
stiff branches, more or less spinose, glabrate with age, bearing short stiff hairs when young, bark gray and slightly striate. Leaves: Alternate, on
petioles 2-8 mm, blades elliptic to ovate, 2-3 pinnately lobed, both surfaces densely grayish-tomentose, 10-25 mm long by 8-15 mm wide;
divisions often narrow but not linear, often variously shaped. Flowers: On racemose or spikelike inflorescence, staminate and pistillate heads
intermingled, staminate heads on peduncles 0.5-3 mm long; involucres broadly saucer-shaped, 4-5 mm wide, strigillose-cancescent, lobes 5-8,
broadly triangular ovate; corollas puberulent, yellow. Fruits: Burs 4-5.5 mm long, subglobose, moderately glandular-puberulent, 2 beaks,
straight 1-1.5 mm long; spines 30-40, narrowly subulate, flattened toward base, 1.5-2.2 mm long, tips not hooked. Ecology: Found on dry, fine
soils of alluvial plains and slopes below 3,000 ft (914 m); flowers February-December. Distribution: s UT; south to se CA and nw MEX Notes:
One of the more abundant shrubs in the desert scrub. Flattened spines on the burs are a contrast to other species of Ambrosia. Found in much
of the Sonoran and Mojavean deserts, scarce only where cool-season rainfall is low, and since warm-season rain is infrequent in its range it
germinates episodically. Ethnobotany: Unknown, but other species in the genus have many uses. Etymology: Ambrosia is Greek for food of the
gods, while dumosa means bushy or shrubby. Synonyms: Franseria dumosa Editor: SBuckley, 2010

Wooly Fruit Bur Ragweed

Ambrosia eriocentra (A. Gray) W.W. Payne
Shrubs, 30-80(-120+) cm. Stems erect. Leaves mostly alternate; petioles 0-2 mm; blades (± white abaxially) elliptic, lance-linear, or rhombic, 10-
40(-60) × 5-15(-40) mm, bases ± cuneate, margins irregularly toothed to ± laciniate, abaxial faces densely strigillose, adaxial faces tomentulose
and pilosulous. Pistillate heads clustered, proximal to staminates; florets 1. Staminate heads: peduncles 0-0.5 mm; involucres saucer-shaped to
shallowly cup-shaped, 4-8+ mm diam., tomentulose and/or pilose; florets 12-25+. Burs: bodies obconic to fusiform, 3-5+ mm, densely villous
and stipitate-glandular, spines 12-20+, scattered or mostly distal, ± subulate, 3-4 mm, tips straight. 2n = 36. Flowering Apr-May(-Jul). Sandy and
gravelly washes; 700-1700 m; Ariz., Calif., Nev., Utah.

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Singlewhorl Burrobush
Ambrosia monogyra (Torr. & A. Gray) Strother & B.G. Baldwin
Common Name: singlewhorl burrobrush Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub Wetland Status: UPL General: Slender shrub
to 2.5 m, with multiple, slender, mostly erect stems branching above, those whitish, grayish, or light beige; new stems light green. Leaves:
Alternate, sessile, sparse and drought-deciduous; blades linear, narrow, 0.5 mm wide, mostly 2-7 cm long, grooved above (involute), the
grooves filled with short, white, elongate-conical hairs; young leaves of vigorous shoots often pinnately divided into several segments. Flowers:
Pistillate and staminate flowers in separate heads, clustered in the leaf axils (clusters often containing both staminate and pistillate heads); all
heads discoid; staminate heads 5-12 flowered, the involucres cup-shaped, 2-4 mm diameter; pistillate heads 1-flowered. Fruits: Fruiting bur
spindle shaped, 4-5 mm long, with a distinctive whorl of papery bract wings around the middle, 4 mm. Ecology: Found on floodplains and along
arroyos and washes from 1,000-4,000 ft (305-1219 m); flowers August-November. Distribution: AZ, NM, sw TX; south to c MEX. Notes: This 2-3
m tall shrub, which often grows in monospecific stands along low elevation dry washes, has a similar upright but arching growth form as young
saltcedar (Tamarix chinensis) and can be confused for that species from a distance. Despite this similarity in structure, they can be distinguished
from a distance by the stem color (red-brown for Tamarix and light gray-beige for A. monogyra). As one approaches, the identity of A.
monogyra becomes obvious due to its sparse, linear-filiform leaves, and achenes clustered in the leaf axils, each achene surrounded by a skirt-
like ring of papery bracts. A. salsola is also similar (the two species were formerly placed in the genus Hymenoclea together) but A. salsola is
much shorter, less than 1 m tall, and the wings on the achenes are scattered or spirally arranged, while the wings on A. monogyra form an
obviously single ring. A. monogyra thrives on disturbance created by occasional floods; its seeds are transportable by flood, making it an early
successional floodplain species. Ethnobotany: Used as a remedy for abdominal pains; the Seri used the seeds for food. Etymology: Ambrosia is
Greek for food of the gods; monogyra is from mono-, one and gyra, circle or revolution, referring to the single ring of bracts on the fruit.
Synonyms: Hymenoclea monogyra Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2015

Burrobush
Ambrosia salsola (Torr. & A. Gray) Strother & B.G. Baldwin
Common Name: burrobrush Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub Wetland Status: UPL General: Rounded, often straggly
shrub 1-2.5 m tall with stramineous bark and slender, striate, sparsely and finely pubescent branches. Leaves: Alternate, filiform, 5-35 mm long,
about 0.5 mm wide, subterete, minutely pilosulous. Flowers: Staminate heads above pistillate heads or intermingled, sessile; staminate
involucres 15-20 flowered, 3-4 mm wide, 5-7 rounded lobes, crenate, finely pilosulous; receptacular paleae broadly spatulate, pinnately veined;
staminate corollas funnelform, puberulent; pistillate heads subtended by 1 to several linear bractlets. Fruits: Cypselae 6 mm long, with 7-12
wings in several series, beak about 2 mm long, wings reniform, narrowed to petiole-like base; sometimes in imperfect spiral. Ecology: Found
along sandy washes and on rocky slopes, rarely in saline soil below 4,000 ft (1219 m); flowers March-May. Distribution: s UT, AZ, and s CA;
south to nw MEX. Notes: Look for this species under Hymenoclea salsola in older literature. Spirally arranged wings can help to distinguish this
species, as can its small size and rounded growth form. Ethnobotany: Unknown, other species in this genera have uses. Etymology:
Hymenoclea is from hymen -membrane- and kleio -to encose, while salsola comes from the Latin salsus for salty. Synonyms: Hymenoclea
salsola Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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White Sagebrush
Artemisia ludoviciana Nutt. ssp. mexicana (Willd. ex Spreng.) Keck
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Perennial herbs arising from rhizomes; stems 20-100 cm tall, glabrous to
tomentose. Leaves: Alternate and sessile, mostly cauline; the blades entire, shallowly lobed (most often), or deeply pinnatifid, 1-9 cm long, up
to 2 cm wide, usually uniformly tomentose but can be floccose or glabrate on upper surface; color is variable and can be gray-green, green,
white, or bicolor with green on the upper surface and white below. Flowers: Flower heads disciform, sessile or drooping on peduncles,
arranged in usually compact panicles; involucre (the ring of bracts surrounding the flower head) 2-4 mm long, usually campanulate, the bracts
(phyllaries) densely tomentose or glabrous, with scarious (papery) margins; florets all discs, with yellow corollas, sometimes red-tinged,
including 6-45 bisexual florets surrounded by 5-12 pistillate florets. Fruits: Achenes glabrous, ellipsoid, about 0.5 mm. Ecology: Found in a
variety of habitats including exposed slopes, forests, woodlands, and sandy floodplains from 2,500-8,500 ft (760-2590 m); flowers August-
November. Distribution: All of N. Amer. including every state in the US; south to C. Amer. Notes: A common but variable species of many North
American regions and climates. Distinguished by its perennial, herbaceous growth form; aromatic, gray-green foliage often covered in a mat of
tangled hairs; the leaves sometimes simple but most often divided into lobes 0.5-1 cm wide (thinner lobes in other local Artemisia spp.), each
lobe often with a point at the end. Easily confused with A. carruthii but leaves are larger with wider, more robust lobes (vs. smaller leaves with
thin linear lobes in A. carruthii). These two species may hybridize. Five subspecies are found in AZ: subsp. albula; subsp. ludoviciana; subsp.
mexicana; subsp. redolens (rare); and subsp. sulcata. Characters distinguishing among the subspecies are related to leaf shape, color, and
pubescence. The species- hardiness, wide range of native habitats, and -mat-like- growth form make it potentially valuable in soil and
vegetation restoration efforts. It is a host plant for Painted Lady butterfly. Ethnobotany: Branches used in sweathouses. Used throughout the
Intermountain west as a medicinal bitter, a purifying and cleansing plant, and for making towels. Etymology: Artemisia is named for Artemis,
the Greek goddess of the hunt and namesake of Artemisia, queen of Anatolia; ludoviciana means of or from Louisiana (referring specifically to
the Louisiana Purchase). Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2014, AHazelton 2015

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Shortleaf Baccharis
Baccharis brachyphylla A. Gray
Common Name: shortleaf baccharis Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Much branched shrub or subshrub, 20-
100 cm tall; stems slender, lightly striate, pale green or slightly grayish due to a covering of short spreading hairs; many of the hairs gland-
tipped. Leaves: Alternate and sessile; blades linear, acute-tipped, 1 mm wide, 0.5 to 1 cm long; the upper leaves reduced to scalelike bracts
often less than 5 mm long. Flowers: Flower heads unisexual, discoid, arranged short terminal racemes; involucre (the ring of bracts surrounding
the flower head) bell shaped to funnel shaped, 3-5 mm high, the bracts (phyllaries) ovate to oblong-lanceolate, pale greenish and puberulent
along midrib, with scarious margins. Staminate florets 3-4 mm, all discs, with yellowish corollas; pistillate florets 2-3 mm, all discs, with white
corollas. Fruits: Achenes brownish, about 2 mm long, puberulent between 5 ribs, with a pappus of rusty or tawny-colored bristles, 6-8 mm long.
Ecology: Found on alluvial plains and slopes with well drained soils, from 1,500-4,000 ft (457-1219 m); flowers May-November. Distribution: CA
and NV, east to TX; south to n MEX (Baja California, Chihuahua, Sonora). Notes: Baccharis is a genus of shrubs with male and female flowers on
separate plants, gland-dotted leaves, all disc flowers, and a pappus of bristles on the seeds. B. brachyphylla is characterized by its short stature
(usually < 60 cm); densely branching growth form that looks similar to Ephedra; striate, bright green stems with hispidulous hairs (the short
hairs just visible with a hand lens); and scale-like leaves less than 1 cm long that tend to be appressed to the stems and covered with glandular
hairs (the glandular hairs often difficult to see using a hand lens); and a growth form which is not particularly broom-like, with the smaller twigs
and flower stalks somewhat spreading from the larger branches. B. sarothroides is a larger, woodier plant often 2 m or more tall, with a
strongly broom-like growth form (smaller branches are appressed against the larger branches they emerge from); the leaves, when present are
usually more than 1 cm long, but are more often absent; and stems and leaves are essentially hairless. Ethnobotany: Unknown, but other
species in this genus have many uses. Etymology: Baccharis is named for Bacchus, the god of wine, while brachyphylla means short-leaved.
Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2010, AHazelton 2015

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Mule-fat
Baccharis salicifolia (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers
Common Name: mule-fat Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Shrub Wetland Status: FAC General: Dioecious shrub, 1-4 m tall, with a
willow-like architecture; branches long, wand-like, tan. Leaves: Alternate, sessile or short-petiolate; blades lanceolate-elliptic and slightly
falcate (willow-like), 3-15 cm long by 0.5-2 cm wide, the margins finely and evenly serrate, and the surfaces gland-dotted and more or less
resinous. Flowers: Flower heads unisexual, discoid, arranged in terminal, flat-topped clusters; involucre (the ring of bracts surrounding the
flower head) hemispheric, 3-6 mm tall, the bracts (phyllaries) ovate to lanceolate, 2-4 mm, reddish or green in the center with scarious margins
and green or brownish purple tips; florets all discs, the pistillate 2-3 mm, with whitish corollas, the staminate 4-6 mm with whitish to yellowish
corollas. Fruits: Achenes small, 1 mm, with copious silvery-white pappus, 3-6 mm long. Ecology: Found along streams and drainages, often
forming thickets, below 5,000 ft (1524 m); flowers March-October. Distribution: CA east to OK and TX; south to S. Amer. Notes: Baccharis is a
genus of dioecious shrubs with gland-dotted leaves, all disc flowers, and a pappus of bristles. B. salicifolia is distinguished by the showy white
inflorescences; shiny, resinous, sticky, toothed leaves; willow-like, thicket-forming growth habit; and its characteristic habitat of riparian areas.
Can be difficult to to distinguish from B. salicina. B. salicifolia is more willow-like and glutinous; the leaves have evenly and finely serrate
margins; and the pappus on the achenes is shorter, 3-6 mm. B. salicina is also somewhat glutinous (sticky); the leaf margins are entire or have
1-4 pairs of teeth on the distal half or two-thirds; and the pappus on the achenes is longer (8-12 mm). B. salicifolia often increases in degraded
riparian areas, is not grazed by livestock or wildlife, and is good erosion control. It readily reproduces from stem cuttings along stream channels,
and tends to form streamside thickets. Ethnobotany: Used as a hair wash to prevent baldness and as an eyewash; the young shoots were
roasted and eaten as a famine food; the stems were mixed with adobe in house construction and used to make arrows for hunting small game.
Etymology: Baccharis is named for Bacchus, the god of wine; salicifolia means salix-leaved. Synonyms: Baccharis glutinosa, B. viminea, Molina
salicifolia Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2015

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Desertbroom
Baccharis sarothroides A. Gray
Common Name: desertbroom Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Shrub Wetland Status: FACU General: Dioecious, broomlike
shrubs 2-2.5 m tall; stems numerous, green and resinous distally, often nearly leafless; twigs longitudinally striate-ridged. Leaves: Alternate,
sessile, few, and quickly deciduous; blades linear to linear-lanceolate, up to 2 cm long; larger leaves often minutely toothed, but most leaves
are much smaller or reduced to scales. Flowers: Flower heads unisexual, discoid, and solitary on branch tips or arranged in dense panicles;
involucre (the ring of bracts surrounding the flower head) cylindric (pistillate) to hemispheric (staminate), 3-8 mm long, the bracts (phyllaries)
ovate to lanceolate, 1-5 mm long, yellowish-green in the middle, with yellowish, slightly scarious margins and rounded tips. Pistillate florets
white, and staminate flowers yellowish. Fruits: Achenes 10-ribbed, 2 mm long, with a pappus of bristles, 1 cm long, attached to the top.
Ecology: Found in sandy-gravelly washes, watercourses, shallow drainages, flats, low hills, and roadsides, sometimes in saline soil from 1,000-
5,500 ft (305-1676 m); flowers September-December. Distribution: s CA, s NV, AZ, s NM, sw TX; south to c MEX. Notes: Baccharis is a genus of
shrubs with male and female flowers on separate plants, gland-dotted leaves, all disc flowers, and a pappus of bristles on the seeds. Desert
broom is a conspicuous shrub of many southwest deserts, often growing along highways and dry washes. Distinguished by its broom-like
growth form with many erect-ascending branches; and leaves mostly small and spatulate or absent from stems, as they tend to fall off before
the plant flowers in late summer. Because of its evergreen nature, the species is often used as an ornamental; it is not particularly palatable to
livestock. Ethnobotany: Infusions were used for coughs and stomach aches; stems were used to make arrows or tied together in bundles to
make brooms. Etymology: Baccharis is named for Bacchus, the god of wine, sarothroides means broom-like. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley
2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2015

Parish Goldeneye
Bahiopsis parishii (Greene) E.E. Schilling & Panero
Common Name: Parish goldeneye Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Perennial shrub, straggly 50-130 cm tall,
with slender, strigillose to hispid stems and peduncles. Leaves: Mostly opposite, on petioles 2-8 mm, blades deltate to deltate ovate 1-3.5 cm
long by 1-3.5 cm wide, margins usually toothed, faces hispid and gland dotted beneath, scabrous above. Flowers: Heads several at end of
branching, naked, terminal, peduncle 1-15 cm long; campanulate involucres, 8-13 mm wide, 16-28 phyllaries lance-linear, 3-9 mm long by 1.5-2
mm wide; 8-15 ray florets with yellow rays 10-15 mm long; disc florets 50, yellow, corollas 3.5-5 mm. Fruits: Cypselae 2.5-3.5 mm, compressed,
oblong, distinctly ridged, strigose with brownish, forwardly appressed hairs. Ecology: Found on plains, along arroyos, and slopes, always in xeric
conditions below 5,000 ft (1524 m); flowers November-April. Distribution: AZ, CA, NV; south to MEX (Baja California, Sonora). Notes: This is a
recently segregated species, you-ll know it by its old name: Viguiera deltoidea var. parishii. The molecular systematics are pretty clear to
delineate the new genus Bahiopsis. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Bahiopsis is named for Juan Francisco de Bahi y Fonseca (1775-1841) a
Spanish botanist, and opsis which indicates a resemblance, while parishii is named for the brothers Parish, Samuel Bonsall Parish (1838-1928)
and William Fletcher Parish (1840-1918), botanical collectors who lived in California. Synonyms: Viguiera parishii, Viguiera deltoidea var.
parishii Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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Desert Marigold
Baileya multiradiata Harvey & A. Gray ex A. Gray
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual or short lived perennial herb, 20-40 cm tall; stems decumbent to
ascending, branching at base, leafy on lower portions only; herbage floccose-wooly. Leaves: Basal leaves are petiolate, 3-lobed, and 3-5 cm
long; cauline leaves are alternate, sessile, entire, spatulate, and 2-4 cm long; all leaves densely white-wooly. Flowers: Flower heads showy,
radiate, 4-5 cm wide including rays, and solitary on long peduncles,10-30 cm long, which raise the flower heads well above the foliage;
involucre (the ring of bracts surrounding the flower head) hemispheric, 7-8 mm high, 10-15 mm broad, the bracts (phyllaries) linear-lanceolate,
6 mm long, lanate; rays 35-55, bright yellow, the corolla lamina (ray petal) 2 cm long, its apex conspicuously 3-toothed; discs 100+, the corollas
yellow. Fruits: Achenes short-cylindric, 3-4 mm long, evenly striate, without pappus. Ecology: Found on arroyo bottoms, outwash slopes, sandy
plains and roadsides, below 5,000 ft (1524 m); flowers March-October. Distribution: s CA, s NV, s UT, southeast through AZ, NM and sw TX;
south to c MEX. Notes: A distinctive biennial common in most deserts of the southwest and quite visible lining the sides of highways in the early
spring. It is identified by its gray-green foliage; the soft, woolly leaves deeply 3-lobed and mostly condensed to the base; multiple, erect, nearly
leafless flowering stalks bearing terminal showy flower heads with many large, yellow, 3-lobed rays. Not always readily distinguishable from B.
pleniradiata; that species has leaves higher up the stems, sometimes to the apex; shorter peduncles (< 12 cm); and acute style branches. B.
multiradiata has leaves concentrated at the bottom of the stems; long peduncles (10-30 cm); and truncate or rounded style branches.
Ethnobotany: Rubbed under the arms as a deodorant; mixed with clay and used in making adobes and plaster. Etymology: Baileya is named for
Jacob Whitman Bailey (1811-1857) an early American microscopist; multiradiata refers to the many ray flowers per flower head. Synonyms:
None Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2014, AHazelton 2015

Sweetbush
Bebbia juncea (Benth.) Greene var. aspera Greene
Common Name: sweetbush Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Small, intricately branched, many stemmed
shrub, 80-120 cm tall; stems slender and brittle, glabrous or nearly so. Leaves: Sparse and readily deciduous, leaving stems naked and reedlike;
mostly opposite but distal leaves sometimes alternate; sessile; blades filiform to linear, 0.5-3 mm wide, 1-3 cm long, entire or remotely and
obscurely toothed, sometimes gland-dotted or stipitate-glandular. Flowers: Flower heads discoid, solitary or in loose clusters at branch tips, on
peduncles 1-10 cm long; involucre (the ring of bracts surrounding the flower head) campanulate, 1 cm wide, the bracts (phyllaries) ovate to
lance-linear, 1-6 mm long, in 3-5 series, the outer ones herbaceous and minutely villous, inner ones stramineous; florets all discs, the corollas
orange-yellow, tubular, 4-6 mm long, with 5 minute teeth at the top. Fruits: Achenes 2-3 mm long, densely strigose with ascending, fine but
stiffish hairs; topped with a pappus of 12-18 plumose bristles, 4-8 mm long, white to slightly tawny. Ecology: Found in sandy washes and on
rocky slopes, up to 4,000 ft (1219 m); flowers throughout the year. Distribution: s CA, s NV, s UT, AZ, s NM, sw TX; south to n MEX and the tip of
Baja. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Bebbia is named for Michael Schuck Bebb (1833-1895), an amateur systematic botanist who did
extensive work on the genus Salix; juncea means rush-like, which refers to the leafless stems. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn
2015, AHazelton 2015

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California Brickellbush
Brickellia californica (Torr. & A. Gray) A. Gray
Common Name: California brickellbush Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub Wetland Status: FACU General: Intricately
branched shrub, 50-200 cm tall; stems woody at the base and often well above the base, glandular-pubcescent; branches ascending, whitish
below and purplish, brownish, or grayish above. Leaves: Alternate, on petioles 5-60 mm long; blades 3-nerved from base, deltate to ovate, 1-10
cm long by by 1-9 cm wide, with irregularly dentate or crenate-serrate margins; the faces puberulent to glabrate and often gland dotted.
Flowers: Flower heads discoid, arranged in dense panicles or solitary in axils, on short peduncles, these 1-5 mm long; involucre (ring of bracts
wrapped around flower head) cylindric to obconic, 7-12 mm high, the bracts (phyllaries) 21-35 in 5-6 series, unequal, greenish stramineous to
purple-tinged with scarious margins, subacute to rounded at tips; florets 8-12, all discs, the corollas greenish white, often tinged with purple, 5-
8 mm long. Fruits: Achenes puberulent, 3 mm long, topped with a pappus of 24-30 white, barbellate bristles. Ecology: Found on dry rocky
hillsides, in arroyos and canyons, from 2,500-9,000 ft (762-2743 m); flowers July-October. Distribution: Much of western N. Amer. from OR east
to WY and south to CA, AZ, NM, and TX; south to s MEX. Notes: Brickellia is a genus of shrubs and perennial herbs with all disc flowers, these
usually white to cream colored; flower heads wrapped in several rows of bracts (phyllaries), the outer rows shorter than the inner rows; and 10-
nerved seeds topped with white tufts of bristles. B. californica is one of the more common shrubby Brickellia found in the region, distinguished
by the small diamond- to heart-shaped leaves, < 5 cm long, with toothed edges; on slender stems that are often woody well above the base of
the plant; flower heads clustered on short peduncles toward the ends of branches, forming drooping spike-like panicles; and glabrous
phyllaries. B. baccharidea is similar but in that species the leaves have cuneate (tapering) bases and the peduncles are longer, > 5 mm; also
similar to B. coulteri but that species has opposite leaves with enlarged sharp basal lobes at the base (hastate lobes). Ethnobotany: Used
ceremonially; as a lotion for sores; for cough and fever; as a rub for headaches; and as a tea. Etymology: Brickellia is named for Dr. John Brickell
(1749-1809), a botanist and physician who worked in Georgia; californica means of or from California. Synonyms: Bulbostylis californica,
Brickellia brandegei Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2015

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Coulter's Brickellbush
Brickellia coulteri A. Gray
Common Name: Coulter's brickellbush Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Shrub, 30-150 cm tall; stems much
branched from base; branches opposite, ascending- spreading, pubescent with yellow-gray hairs, often gland-dotted. Leaves: Opposite, on
petioles 4-12 mm long; blades deltoid to rhombic-ovate, 1-6 cm long by 1-3 cm wide, 3-nerved from base, margins with 1-3 sets of sharp teeth,
usually near the base, the bases truncate, hastate, or subcordate, the apices actute, and the faces sparsely puberulent. Flowers: Flower heads
discoid, arranged in loose panicles, the peduncles 5-40 mm long, pubesent and sometimes gland-dotted; involucre (ring of bracts wrapped
around the flower head) cylindric to campanulate 8-12 mm, the bracts (phyllaries) 17-22 in 4-6 series, narrowly lanceolate to linear, 4-5 striate,
unequal, greenish, often purple-tinged, with scarious margins; florets 13-25, all discs, the corollas 8 mm long, yellow-green or purple tinged.
Fruits: Achenes 3-5 mm, hispidulous, yellow-brown to yellow-gray, topped with a pappus of 28-40 smooth to barbellulate bristles. Ecology:
Found on arid and rocky slopes, from 2,000-4,000 ft (610-1219 m); flowers September-May. Distribution: AZ, s NM, sw TX; south to c MEX.
Notes: Brickellia is a genus of shrubs and perennial herbs with all disc flowers, these usually white to cream colored; flower heads wrapped in
several rows of bracts (phyllaries), the outer rows shorter than the inner rows; and 10-nerved seeds topped with white tufts of bristles. B.
coulteri is a fragrant shrub, very brittle in appearance, with somewhat more delicate branches and inflorescences than other shrubby
Brickellias; the leaves are small, usually less than 4 cm long, opposite, and triangular-ovate with 1-3 pairs of enlarged, sharp teeth at the base;
flower heads are clustered or solitary, on short peduncles less than 4 cm long. B. atractyloides also has leaves with sharply toothed edges, but
in that species the leaves are usually alternate and the teeth are not concentrated near the bottom of the leaves. Ethnobotany: Unknown, but
other species in this genus have uses. Etymology: Brickellia is named for Dr. John Brickell (1749-1809), a botanist and physician who worked in
Georgia; coulteri is named for Dr. Thomas Coulter (1793-1843), the first botanist to collect in Arizona. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2010,
FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2015

Maltese Star-thistle
Centaurea melitensis L.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Non-Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Introduced, invasive annual, 1-10 dm, gray-hairy. Leaves: Resin dotted,
more or less scabrous, lower leaves 2-15 cm, entire to lobed, general 0 at flower; cauline long-decurrent. Flowers: Heads 1-few, involucre 10-15
mm, ovoid, more or less cobwebby or becoming glabrous; main phyllaries straw-colored, appendage purplish, base spine-fringed, central spine
5-10 mm, slender; many flowers; corollas 10-12 mm, equal, yellow, sterile corollas slender. Fruits: Cypselae 2.5 mm, light brown, finely hairy,
pappus bristles 2.5-3 mm, white. Ecology: Found on waste ground and open sites or disturbed ground below 7,500 ft (2286 m); flowers May-
June. Distribution: Introduced to western N. Amer. , from B.C. south to CA and west to TX; south to S. Amer.; also in Africa, Australia and
Europe. Notes: Invasive weed often associated with agriculture and roads. Distinguished by being densely hairy all over, the spine-tipped
phyllaries; and the yellow corollas. Ethnobotany: Used medicinally for the kidneys. Etymology: Centaurea is a Latin reference to the Centaur
Chiron, while melitensis means of or from Malta. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

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Esteve's Pincushion
Chaenactis stevioides Hook. & Arn.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual herbs 5-35 cm tall; stems 1-12, freely branching, grayish woolly-
tomentulose when young, becoming glabrate. Leaves: Alternate, concentrated on lower stems, the basal leaves early-whithering; blades fleshy
but not succulent, 1-8 cm long, pinnatifid or bipinnatifid, the lobes linear, obtuse, with 4-8 pairs of primary lobes, ultimate segments involute or
twisted, 2-8 mm long. Flowers: Flower heads discoid, usually 5-20 per stem, arranged in loose panicles on 1-5 cm peduncles, these often
stipitate-glandular and/or tomentose; involucre (ring of bracts surrounding the flower head) obconic to hemispheric, 5-7 mm high, the bracts
(phyllaries) linear, 5-8 mm, outer phyllaries stipitate-glandular or arachnoid in fruit; florets 8-70, all discs; corollas white to pinkish, cream, or
pale yellow, 4-6 mm long; peripheral corollas spreading, zygomorphic, enlarged. Fruits: Achenes 4-7 mm long, brown to black, strigose, with
topped with a pappus of 4 scales, these half or more as long as the achene. Ecology: Found on open dry sites, often in sandy to gravelly soils,
below 6,500 ft (1981 m); flowers February-June. Distribution: CA, se OR, s ID, NV, UT, AZ, s WY, CO, NM; south to n MEX. Notes: Fairly
abundant spring wildflower. Distinctive with its rounded heads and no ray flowers but instead only milky white disc flowers, each of which is
topped by 5 somewhat showy corolla lobes; hairy phyllaries; and pinnately lobed basal leaves. Ethnobotany: Used as a heart medicine for
children with fevers, and as a glue to bind ceremonial items. Etymology: Chaenactis is from the Greek chaino, to gape and aktis, ray, referring to
the enlarged corollas, while stevioides is named for the Spanish botanist Pedro Jaime Esteve (d. 1566). Synonyms: Chaenactis gillespiei,
Chaenactis latifolia, Chaenactis mexicana, Chaenactis stevioides var. brachypappa, Chaenactis stevioides var. thornberi Editor: SBuckley 2010,
AHazelton 2015

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New Mexico Thistle

Cirsium neomexicanum A. Gray
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Biennial herb, 30-200 cm tall, from a stout taproot; stems stout, branching
above the middle, pubescent with tangled, wooly hairs. Leaves: Basal leaves sessile or with winged petioles, often present at flowering; cauline
leaves alternate, much reduced distally, decurrent at the base with spiny wings up to 5 cm along the stem; blades lanceolate to elliptic or
oblong, up to 40 cm long and 7 cm wide, shallowly and regularly pinnately lobed, the lobes further toothed and tipped with spines 2-8 mm long,
or blades rarely almost entire with spiny margins; surfaces pubescent with tangled, wooly hairs. Flowers: Flower heads discoid, solitary or a few
at the ends of stems and branches; involucre (ring of bracts wrapped around flower head) shallowly hemispheric to campanulate, 2.5-5 cm
high, pubescent with tangled woolly hairs, the bracts (phyllaries) in 7-10 series, linear, the outer and middle phyllaries spine-tipped and
reflexed, the inner phyllaries appressed with long, tapering tips; florets all discs, white to lavender or pink. Fruits: Achenes dark brown, 5-6 mm
long, topped with a pappus of bristles 2 cm long. Ecology: Found on dry, exposed slopes, from 1,000-6,500 ft (305-1981 m); flowers March-
September. Distribution: s CA, NV, UT and CO; south through AZ and NM, to n MEX. Notes: Characterized by being an erect biennial to 2m tall;
the leaf bases shortly decurrent (extending down stems as spiny wings < 5 cm); flower heads squashed-ball shaped, non-drooping, white to
lavender or pink, with reflexed, spine-tipped outer and middle phyllaries; and leaves and phyllaries that are tomentose (covered with long
tangled gray-white hairs), with the undersides of the leaves noticeably hairier than the upper surfaces. Seeds are a favorite of Goldfinches and
other birds while flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees. Host plant for Painted Lady butterfly. Ethnobotany: Taproots of young plants are
eaten raw or roasted. They are often sliced, fried, mashed or ground into flour. Flowers may be eaten raw or cooked and have high nutrition
content. Navajo use for chills, fever. Used also as a panacea as root infusion, especially for colds. Etymology: Cirsium is Greek for thistle, while
neomexicanum means of or from New Mexico. Synonyms: Cirsium arcuum, C. humboldtense, C. neomexicanum var. utahense, C. undulatum
var. albescens, C. utahense Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2014

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Canadian Horseweed
Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronq.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual herb, 50-150 cm tall; stems simple below and branched within the
inflorescence, glabrous to spreading-hairy. Leaves: Alternate; lower leaves short-petiolate with oblanceolate blades to 10 cm long; upper leaves
sessile, reduced in size, becoming linear; margins serrate to entire, often ciliolate; faces usually glabrate, with stiff, spreading hairs on nerves.
Flowers: Flower heads appearing discoid but actually inconspicuously radiate; many heads arranged in a terminal, open, leafy panicle; involucre
(ring of bracts wrapped around the flower head) turbinate, 2-4 mm high, the bracts (phyllaries) in 2-4 series, glabrous to sparsely strigose, the
outer phyllaries greenish to straw-colored, the inner phyllaries straw-colored to reddish; ray florets 20-30, the laminae (ray petals) up to 1 mm
long, white; disc florets 8-30 or more, the corollas yellow. Fruits: Achenes about 1 mm long, with minutely stiff hairs, topped with a pappus of
white capillary bristles, 2-3 mm long. Ecology: Found in disturbed soil from 1,000-8,000 ft (305-2440 m); flowers July-October. Distribution:
Throughout N. Amer., in every state in the U.S.; south to S. Amer.; throughout the world on every continent. Notes: This common, widespread
annual weed is identifiable by its solitary, upright, leafy stem which ends in a many-branched leafy inflorescence of numerous small white and
yellow flower heads. The leaves are simple, alternate, and narrow, with smooth or toothed margins. If you look closely at the flowers you-ll see
that they are radiate, though the ray petals are only about 1 mm long. C. bonariensis is a recent introduction to our region from South America;
it appears similar to C. canadensis but has pubescent-hirsute involucres. Ethnobotany: Used to make an astringent cleanser to treat acne;
crushed plant rubbed on sunburns; used as a poultice on temples for headaches; also used to treat earaches, stomachaches, diarrhea, and
asthma; raw, pulverized leaves and tender tops used for food, with a flavor similar to onions. Etymology: Conyza is from the Greek konis (dust),
from the use of powdered plants to repel insects; canadensis means of or from Canada. Synonyms: Conyza canadensis var. glabrata, Erigeron
canadensis var. glabratus, Erigeron canadensis, Conyza parva Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2015

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Fall Tansyaster
Dieteria asteroides Torr. Var. glandulosa (B.L. Turner) D.R. Morgan & R.L. Hartman
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Biennial to short-lived perennial herbs, to 70 cm tall; stems often
panicualtely branched, especially above the base; herbage hairy (puberulent to canescent) or sparsely to densely stipitate-glandular (covered
with gland-tipped hairs) or occasionally glabrous. Leaves: Alternate and sessile along the stems; blades lanceolate to oblanceolate, the mid-
stem blades 2-10 cm long; margins usually toothed, the teeth often tipped with tiny hair-like spines, visible with a hand-lens; surfaces hairy
(puberulent of canescent) and/or stipitate-glandular; upper leaf bases often clasping the stem. Flowers: Flower heads showy, radiate, purple
with yellow centers, arranged in terminal panicles; involucres broadly turbinate to hemispheric, 8-10 mm high, the bracts (phyllaries) in 5–12
series, well graduated in length with the outer phyllaries much shorter than the inner; phyllary bases straw colored and firm (indurate) and
phyllary tips green, herbaceous, spreading to reflexed, and acute to long-acuminate; phyllary faces puberulent or canescent on both the straw-
colored and green portions, sometimes also stipitate-glandular; ray florets white, lavender, or purple, the laminae (ray petals) 1-2 cm long; disc
florets yellow. Fruits: Achenes striate and glabrous to velutinous; topped with a pappus of bristles. Ecology: Found in alluvial soils and on slopes
in creosote shrubland and pine-oak and juniper woodlands, below 8,000 ft (2438 m); flowers March-October. Distribution: AZ, CA, NM, NV, and
UT Notes: Look for this species under Aster tephrodes in older texts. There are many other synonyms as well, most notably Machaeranthera
asteriodes. There have been a number of recent changes in what used to be the Aster genus, and species descriptions from different sources,
even recent sources, are in conflict. This species description is roughly in line with the one in Flora of North America (2006), with edits based on
which traits were actually visible and reliable on herbarium specimens at Northern Arizona University. There are 3 species in what is currently
being called Dieteria: D. asteroides, D. canescens, and D. bigelovii. They are morphologically variable, challenging to distinguish from each
other, and often intergrade so that differences described in the keys are not always helpful. D. asterides and D. canescens are the most similar;
distinguish between them by looking at the phyllaries with your hand lens. The phyllaries on D. asteroides are hairy all over, on both the straw-
colored bottom portion and the darker green tip, are more likely to have glandular hairs, and always have longer green tips, which are about as
long as the light-colored portion and spreading so that they point outward or downward. D. canescens has less hairy phyllaries, which are often
hairy on the green tip but usually not on the straw-colored base. The phyllaries on D. canescens are straw-colored for the lower two-thirds or
more, with short green tips that do not spread away from the flower head or only spread a little. The third species, D. bigelovii, is easier to tell
apart from the other two Dieteria spp. It has long narrow linear leaves with few, if any, shallow teeth or lobes, and larger flower heads, the
largest flower heads on most plants having involucres about 2 cm or a little more in diameter (usually 1.5 cm or smaller involucres on D.
asteroides and D. canescens.) D. bigelovii also has long-acuminate, reflexed (curved downward) phyllary tips, which are often tinged red or
purple. Ethnobotany: Unknown. Etymology: Dieteria comes from the Greek di, two, and etos, year, alluding to the biennial duration; asteroides
means resembling the Aster genus. Synonyms: Machaeranthera asteroides and many more Editor: LCrumbacher 2011, AHazelton 2017

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Brittlebush
Encelia farinosa A. Gray ex Torr.
Common Name: brittlebush Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Compact, rounded subshrub, 30-100 cm tall;
stems tomentose, much-branched distally, eventually developing smooth bark. Leaves: Alternate, on petioles 1-2 cm long, clustered near stem
tips; blades ovate to lanceolate, 2-7 cm long, densely white-tometose, giving the leaves a light silvery sage green color. Flowers: Flower heads
yellow, large and showy, radiate, elevated above the herbage on peduncles that are yellow-green and glabrous except near the flower heads;
involucre (ring of bracts wrapped around flower head) hemispheric, 4-10 mm wide, the bracts (phyllaries) 20-30 in 2-3 series, lanceolate; ray
florets 10-20, the laminae (ray petals) yellow, 1 cm long; disc florets dark yellow to brown-purple, 5-6 mm long. Fruits: Achenes 3-6 mm long,
compressed; with no pappus. Ecology: Found on dry, rocky or gravelly slopes below 3,000 ft (914 m); flowers November-May. Distribution: sw
UT, s NV, AZ, s CA; south to nw MEX Notes: A very distinctive plant with its bluish to gray-green powdery looking leaves; the whole plant usually
rounded in form and surrounded by bright yellow flower heads. Where the species is common it turns whole hillsides yellow in the
springtime. Ethnobotany: Used for toothaches and for pain; the gum was chewed by children, used to fasten arrow points, as a waterproofing
gum, and melted down for a varnish. Etymology: Encelia is named for Christoph Entzelt (1517-1583) a German naturalist; farinosa means mealy
or powdery. Synonyms: Encelia farinosa var. farinosa, Encelia farinosa var. phenicodonta, Encelia farinosa var. radicans Editor: SBuckley 2010,
AHazelton 2016

Virgin River brittlebush

Encelia virginensis A. Nels.
Common Name: Virgin River brittlebush Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Shrub General: Much
branched shrub 50-150 cm tall with slender hairy branches, developing fissured bark, stems with simple spreading
hairs, glabrous with age. Leaves: Cauline, on petioles 2-7 mm, ovate to deltate blades, gray-green,12-25 mm,
apices acute or obtuse, faces sparsely canescent and strigose. Flowers: Heads borne singly on canescent
peduncles, involucres 9-13 mm, narrowly ovate phyllaries; 11-21 ray florets, 8-15 mm, disc corollas yellow 5-6
mm. Fruits: Cypselae 5-8 mm with no pappus to rarely 1-2 bristlelike awns. Ecology: Found on flats, along
washes, and on slopes from 1,000-4,000 ft (305-1219 m); flowers April-June. Notes: Leaves folded along mid-
vein, ashy with short, fine , appressed hairs and stouter forward directed hairs from tubercules help to separate
this plant out; not farinose and the heads are borne singly helps to separate it from E. farinosa, while the color of
the leaves separates it from E. frutescens. Usually lower in elevation and petiolate. Ethnobotany: Var. actonii
(found in the Mohave desert) was used for rheumatic pains, and as a wash for cuts and bruises on
horses. Etymology: Encelia is named for Christoph Entzelt (1517-1583) a German naturalist, while virginensis is
named for the Virgin River in southern Utah, its type locality. Synonyms: Encelia frutescens var. virginensis,
Encelia virginensis var. virginensis Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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Turpentine Bush
Ericameria laricifolia (A. Gray) Shinners
Common Name: turpentine bush Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Compact,
broom-like shrub, 30-100 cm tall; stems erect to ascending, resinous; branchlets striate below leaf bases. Leaves:
Alternate, sessile, and densely crowded on younger branchlets; blades broadly linear and somewhat fleshy with
acute apices, ascending when young and spreading when older, 1-2 cm long by 1-2 mm wide, midnerves not
evident, surfaces conspicuously impressed-punctate-resinous. Flowers: Flower heads yellow, radiate, in irregular,
much bracted cyme-like clusters on short peduncles 3-15 mm long; involucre (ring of bracts wrapped around the
flower head) top-shaped, 3-5 mm high by 3-5 mm wide, spreading considerably in fruit, the bracts (phyllaries),
lance-linear and acute-tipped, in 4-5 imbricated series (overlapping and staggered like tiles on a roof); ray flowers
3-6 or absent in part of heads, the laminae (ray petals) yellow, 4-5 mm long and 1-2 mm wide, barely exceeding
disk corollas; disk flowers 9-16, the corollas yellow, 5-6 mm long. Fruits: Achenes 4 mm long, top-shaped to
narrowly lance-shaped, tan to brown and covered with white appressed hairs; topped with a pappus of light brown
bristles, about equaling disk corollas in length. Ecology: Found on rocky slopes, on mesas, in canyons, and along
rock walls from 3,000-6,000 ft (914-1829 m); flowers August-November. Distribution: s CA, s NV, AZ, s NM, sw
TX; south to n MEX. Notes: Distinguished by being a medium shrub to 1 m with a turpentine smell when crushed;
the overlapping, resinous, gland-dotted, filiform-shaped leaves and dense showy clusters of heads of very few (3-6
or absent) thin, yellow rays and mostly yellow disk flowers with long exserted stigmas. Similar to E. linearifolia but
that species has much larger flower heads, with involucres about 1 cm high, mature heads about 2 cm wide in
fruit, and longer peduncles 2-7 cm long. Look for it in AZ mostly below the Mogollon Rim and near the Grand
Canyon. Ethnobotany: Unknown, but other species in the genus have uses. Etymology: Eric- is ancient root for
heath or broom, and amari means bitter; laricifolia means having leaves like larch (genus Larix). Synonyms:
Haplopappus larcifolius Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2016

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Spreading Fleabane
Erigeron divergens Torr. & A. Gray
Duration: Annual, Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual to short-lived perennial herb from a taproot, 5-50 cm tall;
stems branched from base and above, erect to ascending but often weak, and covered with spreading hairs. Leaves: Alternate along the stem,
often also with a cluster of basal leaves persisting into adulthood; lower leaves larger, up to 5 cm long, long-petioled, oblanceolate, and entire
to slightly lobed; upper leaves smaller, sessile, and linear in shape. Flowers: Flower heads showy and radiate, with white to purple rays and
yellow discs, usually numerous and located on the ends of long leafy peduncles; involucres hemispheric, 4-5 mm high and 7-11 mm wide, the
phyllaries in 3-4 series, hirsute, and minutely glandular; ray flowers 75-150 per flower head, the petals 5-10 mm long and pale blue, pink or
white; disc flowers yellow. Fruits: Achenes sparsely hairy, 2-4 veined; topped with an inner pappus of 5-12 long, fragile bristles surrounded by
an outer pappus of short, narrow scales. Ecology: Found in a wide variety of habitats including roadsides, riparian zones, woodlands, and
forests, from 1,000-9,000 ft (305-2740 m); flowers April-Sept. Distribution: Most of western N. America from the Pacific to the Mississippi;
south to s MEX. Notes: Erigeron is a difficult genus, with many similar looking species distingushed from each other by subtle and obscure
characters. A hand lens is necessary for field ID, and making a collection is generally advisable in order to have any confidence in a
determination. Identify the genus as a whole from its characteristic daisy-like flowers with white to pale purple rays and yellow centers
(although a few species have extremely small rays); involucres with 2-5 series of phyllaries, all about the same length (subequal); and tufts of
bristles on the tops of the seeds. E. divergens is possibly the most commmon Erigeron spp. in the southwest; it is highly variable in growth form,
ranging from bushy and dense to upright with few stems and even decumbent. It also grows in a great variety of habitats, from low desert
riparian to Ponderosa Pine forest. It is distinguished by being a biennial or short-lived perennial; having stems with spreading hairs (use your
hand lens); leaves reduced as you move up the plant, these mostly simple but sometimes wth 2-3 pairs of lobes; and daisy-like flowering heads
7-11 mm in diameter. There are a number of other Erigeon spp. that strongly resemble this one, but E. divergens is by far the most
common. Ethnobotany: Aerial parts are sometimes used to make oil to treat pets for fleas (Hence the common name - fleabane). Many
Erigeron spp. used similarly.Etymology: Erigeron means Early-Old-Man, as named by Theophrastus; divergens refers to the divergent, or
spreading, hairs on the stems. Synonyms: Erigeron divergens var. typicus Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2014, AHazelton 2017

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Chaparral Fleabane
Erigeron oreophilus Greenm.
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Taprooted perennial with woody caudex, 25-90 cm tall, stems erect, sparsely
hirsuto-villous with hairs 0.6-2 mm, or glabrous to densely stipitate-glandular. Leaves: Basal and cauline, basal sometimes withering by
flowering; basal blades 15-60 mm long, 8-37 mm wide, cauline reduced above, margins deeply pinnatifid, lobes 2-4 pairs, faces usually glabrous,
stipitate-glandular. Flowers: Heads 5-25 in loosely corymbiform arrays, involucres 4.5-5.5 mm by 8-12 mm; phyllaries in 3-4 series, glabrous or
sparsely hirsute, densely stipitate-glandular; ray florets 75-130, corollas white, 8-14 mm, with laminae reflexing; disc corollas 2.8-3.5
mm. Fruits: Cypselae 1-1.2 mm, 2-nerved, faces sparsely strigose, with pappus of setae in outer and readily falling inner 10-12 bristles. Ecology:
Found in open rocky habitats, to rocky crevices or cliff ledges, to grasslands and mixed woodlands from 3,500-9,500 ft (1067-2896 m); flowers
July-October. Notes: Similar to E. neomexicanus in its perennial habit, pinnatifid leaves, white, reflexing rays, and 10-12 readily falling pappus
bristles, but is different by virtue of having dense, viscid, stipitate glands and sparse, spreading, nonglandular hairs, these on the stems, leaves,
and phyllaries. Ethnobotany: Unknown, but other species in the genera have uses. Etymology: Erigeron means Early-Old-Man, as named by
Theophrastus, while oreophilus means mountain loving. Synonyms: Erigeron delphiniifolius var. oreophilus Editor: SBuckley, 2010

Woolly Eriophyllum
Eriophyllum lanosum (A. Gray) A. Gray
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Low wooly annual herb, 3-15 cm tall; stems slender, decumbent to ascending,
sparingly branched, and loosely floccose (covered with tufts of long, tangled hairs). Leaves: Alternate and sessile; blades linear to narrowly
oblanceolate, 5-20 mm long by 1-3 mm wide, acute to apiculate at apex and gradually narrowing toward base, sparsely wooly, with entire
margins. Flowers: Flower heads white and yellow, radiate, and solitary on slender peduncles 1-6 cm long; involucre (ring of bracts wrapped
around flower head) bell-shaped, 5-6 mm high and 3-5 mm wide, the bracts (phyllaries) 8-11 in a single series, oblanceolate with short-
acuminate tips, floccose; ray florets 8-10, the laminae (ray petals) white, occasinally with red veins, 3-7 mm long; disc florets 10-20, the corollas
yellow to orange, 3 mm long. Fruits: Achenes linear-obpyramidal, 3 mm long, black, sparsely strigose (with straight appressed hairs); topped
with a pappus of 4-5 slender awns about the length of the corolla, and several shorter, obtuse scales. Ecology: Found on arid mesas, gravelly
slopes and in washes, from 1,000-3,000 ft (305-914 m); flowers March-April. Distribution: AZ, CA, NV, NM, UT; south to Baja Calif., MEX. Notes:
Distinguished by its wooly herbage, slender awn-tipped achenes, and white to rosy ray petals; look carefully, as these tiny little plants are often
overlooked when flowering in spring. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Eriophyllum comes from Greek erion for wool and phyllon for leaf;
lanosum means woolly. Synonyms: Antheropeas lanosum Editor: SBuckley, 2010, AHazelton 2015

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Pringle's Woolly Sunflower

Eriophyllum pringlei A. Gray
Annuals, 1-5 cm. Stems ± spreading. Leaves: blades ± cuneate, 3-10 mm, usually 3-lobed, ultimate margins entire, strongly revolute (apices ±
rounded), faces woolly. Heads borne singly or in clusters. Peduncles ± 0.1 cm. Involucresbroadly campanulate to hemispheric, 3-5+ mm
diam. Phyllaries 6-8, distinct. Ray florets 0. Disc florets 10-20; corollas ± 2 mm (tubes cylindric, throats broadly cylindric, abruptly dilated, lobes
glandular; anther appendages deltate, tapering distally, not glandular). Cypselae 1.5-2 mm; pappi of 5-12 ± oblanceolate scales ± 1 mm. 2n = 14
+ 0-1 B or 0-1 I, 16. Flowering Feb-Jul. Sandy or gravelly openings in desert, creosote-bush, or sagebrush scrublands, or chaparral; 300-2200 m;
Ariz., Calif., Nev.; Mexico (Baja California).

Western Marsh Cudweed

Gnaphalium palustre Nutt.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Low annual, commonly much branched at base with erect or ascending stems
10-25 cm long, herbage loosely floccose-lanate. Leaves: Wool persistent on stems but often more or less deciduous from spatulate to linear-
spatulate leaves, these 5 mm wide and 3 cm long but usually smaller, uppermost ones subtending and exceeding heads, usually lanceolate to
oblong. Flowers: Heads in dense subglobose glomerules at tips of branchlets, each 2-3 mm high, involucral bracts deeply embedded in loose
wool, only scarious tips showing, scarious part usually obtuse, often denticulate; flowers and pappus bristles about equaling longer involucral
bracts; pappus falling separately or in groups. Fruits: Cypselae 0.45-0.55 mm, papillate. Ecology: Found along streams, grassy plains and on
valley floors from 1,000-5,000 ft ( 305-1524 m); flowers March-October. Distribution: Alberta and British Colombia, CAN; south through NM,
AZ, and CA, to Baja California, MEX. Notes: Diagnostics for this plant are the heads clustered at the tips of the stem and branches and the
loosely floccose-woolly herbage. Ethnobotany: Unknown for this species, but others in the genus have medicinal use. Etymology: Gnaphalium
is derived from the Greek gnaphalon, a lock of wool, and palustre means growing in marshes.Synonyms: Filaginella palustris Editor: SBuckley,
2010

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Broom Snakeweed
Gutierrezia sarothrae (Pursh) Britt. & Rusby
Common Name: broom snakeweed Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Subshrubs, 10-60 cm tall, with minutely
hispidulous stems. Leaves: Alternate along the stems; blades linear to lanceolate, sometimes filiform and fascicled, up to 2 mm wide, little
reduced distally, 1-3 nerved. Lower portions of the stems lack leaves at time of flowering. Flowers: Flower heads small and narrow, yellow, and
radiate, arranged in dense flat-topped panicles; involucres cylindric to cuneate-campanulate, 2 mm in diameter, the bracts (phyllaries) whitish
with green tips, in 2-3 overlapping in 2-3 strongly graduated series; ray florets 3-8 per flower head, the laminae (ray petals) yellow, 3-6 mm
long; disc flowets 3-9 per flower head, yellow. Fruits: Achenes terete, about 1 mm long, densely silky-strigulose; topped with a pappus in of
scales. Ecology: Found on plains and slopes in almost any habitat from 3,000-7,000 ft (914-2134 m); flowers May-October. Distribution: Most of
western N. Amer. from CAN south to s CA, east to TX; south to c MEX. Notes: Gutierrezia in our region are mostly low-growing shrubs with
resinous, linear leaves lacking translucent oil glands and small flower heads with very few yellow ray and disk flowers, a pappus of erect bracts
(paleae) and no chaff (bracts from the involucre subtending florets). This species very similar to G. microcephala, except for the somewhat less
woody stems and larger heads with usually 3-9 ray flowers (1-2 in microcephela), 3-9 disk flowers (1-2 in microcephela) and >6 phyllaries. In the
low desert it should be compared against G. serotina which has narrowly campanulate involucres and glabrous stems. Usually an indicator of
overgrazed lands. Ethnobotany: Many medicinal uses, including as treatment for rheumatism, snake bites, respiratory ailments, constipation,
bruises, fevers, venereal disease, sores, and headaches; also used as a sedative, an insecticide, and used ceremonially. Etymology: Gutierrezia is
named for Pedro Gutierrez (Rodriguez), a 19th century Spanish noblemen and botanist, while sarothrae is from the Greek sarum, a broom.
Synonyms: Gutierrezia diversifolia, G. lepidota, G. linearifolia, G. linearis, G. linoides, G. longipappa, G. pomariensis, G. tenuis, Solidago
sarothrae, Xanthocephalum sarothrae, None. tenue Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017

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Common Sunflower
Helianthus annuus L.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Stout annual herbs, 30 cm to 2 m tall or more; stems erect, rough-hairy.
Leaves: Only the lowermost leaves opposite, otherwise alternate; long-petioled; blades ovate or even broader, especially the lower leaves, 4-20
cm long by 3-15 cm wide, the edges coarsely toothed to (less commonly) almost entire; surfaces rough-hairy. Flowers: Flower heads large,
showy and radiate, yellow with brown centers, solitary or few at the ends of stems and branches; involucres broadly hemispheric, the disc
generally 2-4 cm wide (more so in cultivated specimens), the bracts (phyllaries) ovate with a long narrow tip, more-or-less pubescent and
ciliate-margined; ray florets 10-30 per flower head (more in cultivated specimens), yellow, the laminae (ray petals) 15-40 mm long; disc florets
100 or more per flower head, purplish-brown or occasionally yellow; central receptacle bracts (paleae) inconspicuously pubescent at the tips
and more or less the same as the marginal paleae. Fruits: Achenes plump, 4-5 mm long or more when cultivated, glabrous or finely pubescent;
topped with a pappus of 2 or more awns or scales. Ecology: Found in open or disturbed areas such as roadsides and floodplains, from 1,000-
7,000 ft (305-2134 m); flowers March-October. Distribution: Cosmopolitan, on every continent, throughout N. America and in every state in the
US; south through MEX to S. Amer. Notes: This species is native to North America and has a long history of cultivation, originally by native
Americans for its edible seed. It is said to be the only North American plant to become a major agronomic crop, now cultivated worldwide for
edible seeds and oil production. A related native species, H. petiolaris, is very similar but smaller and more slender in all respects, with
phyllaries lanceolate and usually not ciliate-margined, and the central receptacle scales conspicuously white-bearded at the tip. Helianthus
specimens can be difficult to assign to species, especially since hybridization sometimes occurrs, including backcrossing between wild and
cultivated individuals. Host plant for California Patch, Bordered Patch, and Painted Lady butterflies. Ethnobotany: Seed is dried, ground and
mixed with water to make a coffee-like drink. It is also ground to make sunflower seed cakes or crushed and boiled to make oil. The oil relieves
coughs. The pith of a sunflower stalk has also been burned and used as a wart remover. Stalks used as fuel, livestock fodder, poultry food, and
silage. Stems used as source of commercial fiber. Fiber may be used in paper. Etymology: Helianthus is from the Greek helios, sun and anthos,
flower; annuus means annual. Synonyms: Helenium aridus, H. lenticularis Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017

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árnica
Heterotheca subaxillaris (Lam.) Britt. & Rusby
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Erect annual to biennial herb 40-150 cm tall with striate and short-hirsute
stems, moderately branched above. Leaves: Ovate-lanceolate to somewhat lyrate in outline, .8-3.5 cm wide, 2.5-10 cm long, at least upper
cordate-clasping, serrate-dentate, acute to obtuse and apiculate at apex, short hirsute-scabrous on both sides. Flowers: Heads corymbosely or
broadly paniculately arranged, 6-8 mm high, 10-18 mm wide at anthesis; involucral bracts in several series, lance-linear to subulate, rather rigid,
outer ones acute and apiculate, innermost attenuate and scraggly brush of spreading and ascending hairs on terminal part, pale greenish to
stramineous below, tips often brownish or reddish; ray flowers 30-50, ligules about 5 mm long, 1 mm wide, yellowish but soon turning brown;
corollas 4-5 mm long. Fruits: Cypselae of ray flowers about 3 mm long, glabrous, epappose; cypselae of disk flowers about as long as ray
achenes but mor e slender, densely silky-villous; pappus bristles reddish-brown, longer inner ones about 15 mm long. Ecology: Found in
streams, ditches, fence-rows, and in disturbed soils; 1,000-5,500 ft (305-1676 m); flowers August-November. Distribution: Southern half of the
US, from CA and NV, east to NY; south to c MEX. Notes: An erect annual that can be tall in the right conditions and has sticky-glandular foliage,
clasping leaves and showy heads with yellow rays and disks. Sometimes known as camphor-weed because of its odor. Ethnobotany: Unknown
for this species, other species in this genera have medicinal, poisonous, and as a dermatological aid. Etymology: Heterotheca is from Greek
heteros, different, and theke, ovary for the different achenes, while subaxillaris means below the axil. Synonyms: Chrysopsis scabra,
Heterotheca lamarckii, H. latifolia, H. psammophila, H. scabra Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2014

Alkali Goldenbush
Isocoma acradenia (Greene) Greene
Common Name: alkali goldenbush Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub Wetland Status: FACU General: Erect shrub,
densely branched 30-100 cm, with mostly ascending, slender, brittle, woody stems; herbage glandular punctate, copiously resinous-glutinous,
young herbage with sparse, short, white hairs covered in resin. Leaves: Oblong to oblanceolate, entire to toothed or lobed to shallowly parted.
Flowers: Involucral bract an apically thickened, wartlike, green area bearing minute dotlike resin glands near tip; phyllaries linear-oblong,
margins narrowly transparent-membranous and erose-ciliate at tip; corolla lobes 0.5-0.7 or occasionally 1 mm long, nearly acute, bright yellow,
longer than pappus. Fruits: Ribbed cypselae, moderately to densely pubescent, pappus of many coarse persistent barbellate and uneven
bristles. Ecology: Found on desert slopes, hillsides, and plains below 4,000 ft (1219 m); flowers August-October. Distribution: s CA, s NV, UT, AZ;
south to n MEX. Notes: Told apart from other Isocoma spp. by the characteristic wartlike resin pocket near tip of phyllaries. Ethnobotany: Used
as a poultice applied to sores, steeped for sore throats, and as a building material. Etymology: Isocoma is from the Greek meaning an equal
hair-tuft, referring to flowers, acradenia is from Greek for pointed-glanded. Synonyms: Haplopappus acradenius Editor: SBuckley 2010,
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Prickly Lettuce
Lactuca serriola L
Duration: Annual Nativity: Non-Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual herb; leafy-stemmed with milky sap. Stems erect, 30-150 cm tall;
glabrous for most of length, but prickly at bottom of stem. Leaves: Simple, alternate, sessile, with large prickles on the underside of the midrib
and finer prickles on the margins. Blades oblanceolate with pinnately lobed margins. Leaves usually twisted at the base and held in a vertical
plane. Milky sap is apparent. Flowers: Numerous (often 100+) small heads arranged in a large panicle or corymb, flowers are all ligulate (ray
flowers) and perfect, petals yellow, often drying to blue. Fruits: Cypselae, grayish to tan, oblanceolate and flattened, 2.5-3.5 mm; white pappus.
Ecology: Found in fields, waste places, disturbed areas, and roadsides, below 9,000 ft (2743 m). Flowers July-September. Distribution: Native to
Africa and Eurasia. Introduced to every continent including all of N. America; all of CAN and every state in the US except AK; south through MEX
into S. America. Notes: Distinguished by milky sap, mostly lobed leaves, prickles on stems, margins and midveins of undersides of leaves.
Superficially resembles a thistle, but look for the large open panicle inflorescence with many branches full of small (1 cm) cream-yellow flowers.
This species is know to hybridize with common garden lettuce, Lactuca sativa. Ethnobotany: Leaves are edible when young and tender. Navajo
use steeped plant tea as ceremonial emetic. The sap is said to be soporific. Etymology: Lactuca from lactugo, Latin for -milky,- while serriola
means saw-like, referring to the margins of the leaves. Synonyms: Linnaeus scariola Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2015

California Goldfields
Lasthenia californica DC. ex Lindl
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual, simple or freely branched, more or less hairy, erect or decumbent, less
than 40 cm tall. Leaves: Opposite, linear to oblanceolate, entire, 0.8-7 cm long, hairy. Flowers: Involucre 5-10 mm, bell-shaped or hemispheric;
phyllaries 4-13 free, hairy; receptacle conic, rough, glabrous; ray flowers 6-13; ligules 5-10 mm; generally many disk flowers, yellow; anther tips
triangular, style tips triangular. Fruits: Cypselae less than 3 mm, linear to club-shaped, glabrous or hairy, pappus of 1-7 narrow awns, wider
awned scales. Ecology: Found on dry mesas, plains, and slopes from 1,500-4,500 ft (457-1372 m); flowers March-May. Notes: Variable species,
slight differences in different habitats. Ethnobotany: The parched seeds were ground into flour and used to make mush by the Cohuilla.
Etymology: Lasthenia is named for the Athenian girl Lasthenia, a student of Plato, while californica refers to California. Synonyms: Baeria
chrysostoma, Lasthenia chrysostoma, Linnaeus hirsutula Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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Whitedaisy Tidytips
Layia glandulosa (Hook.) Hook. & Arn
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Erect annual, branched with purple streaked stems, 3-60 cm, glandular,
sometimes spice scented, moderately hispid throughout. Leaves: Basal leaves narrowly oblong to linear, 6-100 mm long, margins toothed to
lobed on basal leaves, upper leaves smaller and entire. Flowers: Radiate heads on a slender peduncle 1-15 cm long, usually markedly stipitate-
glandular with campanulate to hemispheric involucres, 4-11 mm high by 3-11 mm wide; phyllaries 3-14, acute at apex, hirsute; ray florets 3-14,
showy, white or tinged with yellow or pinkish yellow; disc florets 17-100, corollas 3.5-6.5 mm, anthers yellow to brownish. Fruits: Ray cypselae
glabrous; disc cypselae thicker, black, with pappuse of 10-15 usually white, linear-attenuate, equal scales 2-5 mm long, each with a tangle of
silky shining wool at base. Ecology: Found on dry open slopes in both gravelly and sandy soils, rarely in dunes below 5,000 ft (1524 m); flowers
March-June. Notes: The white flowers help to distinguish this species, as does the woolly hairs at the base of the cypselae. Ethnobotany: The
seeds were ground into flour and eaten as mush or porridge. Etymology: Layia is named for George Tradescant Lay (1799-1845) an American
botanist, while glandulosa means provided with glands. Synonyms: Layia glandulosa subsp. lutea Editor: SBuckley, 2010

Arizona Fluffweed
Logfia arizonica (A. Gray) J. Holub
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Diffuse to erect herb with slender stems 3-9.5 cm tall, slender internodes,
purplish, usually 0.5 mm in diameter or less. Leaves: Leafless between clusters of flower heads or 1 leaf between clusters; clusters small,
compact, axillary and terminal glomerules, subtended by linear, oblong or narrowly oblanceolate leaves 1-2.2 mm wide, 3-12 mm long, acute at
both ends, sessile, finely lanate-canescent. Flowers: Heads ovoid, 2.5-3.5 mm high, outer bracts boat-shaped, silky-lanate without, glabrous and
shiny within, margins hyaline-scarious, each one except outermost 3-6 subtending a pistillate epappose flower, back green beneath tangled
wool, hyaline tip less than one-half as long as body; inner bracts bracteate, oblong, only slightly boat-shaped, glabrous or nearly so, white to
stramineous; central flowers 4-7, perfect, glabrous, about 0.12-1.4 mm long. Fruits: Cypselae, smooth, about 0.6-0.8 mm long, pappus bristles
scaberulous, white, about 1.5 mm long. Ecology: Found on gravelly slopes and plains, often in fine textured soils and low places from 1,000-
2,500 ft (305-762 m); flowers March-May. Notes: The taxonomy of this plant is under consideration. You probably know this plant as Filago
arizonica. The globose flowering heads help to identify this genus, hence the name cottonrose. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Logfia is an
anagram of the genus Filago, while arizonica refers to Arizona. Synonyms: Filago arizonica, Oglifa arizonica Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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Cottonrose
Logfia filaginoides (Hook. & Arn.) Morefield
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Herbaceous annuals, to 55 cm tall, stems 1-7, typically erect, branches leafy
between the proximal forks, remaining grayish to greenish, surfaces arachnoid-sericeous. Leaves: Oblanceolate, the largest 10-20 mm long and
2-4 mm wide, blades pliant, tips mostly acute. Flowers: In small, cottony, white heads with pistillate and bisexual florets, heads pyramid-like,
the largest 3.5-4.5 mm long and 2.5-3 mm wide, pistillate florets with the outer 7-13 epappose, the inner 14-35 pappose, bisexual florets 4-7,
the corollas 1.9-2.8 mm long, with 4 lobes, the bright reddish to purplish, phyllaries absent, vestigial, or 1-4, if present unequal, receptacles
fungiform, mostly 0.6-0.7 mm long, pistillate paleae 7-13 in 2-3 series, spirally ranked and incurved 20-60-, somewhat gibbous, the longest 2.7-
3.3 mm long, glabrous below, the bodies cartilaginous, terete, with prominent wings, the innermost paleae 5, pistillate, spreading in 1 series,
heads borne in glomerules of 2-4 in raceme or panicle like arrays. Fruits: Cypselae, the outer nearly straight, erect, and compressed, mostly 0.9-
1 mm long, the inner mostly papillate, pappi of 17-23 or more bristles falling in complete or partial rings, 1.9-3 mm long. Ecology: Found on
diverse substrates including serpentine or granitic soils, on open slopes, flats, old disturbances, chaparral burns, warm deserts, or seasonally
moist sites, protected slopes or higher elevations, among rocks, boulders, and less disturbed areas, Distribution: Arizona, California, Nevada,
New Mexico, Texas, Utah Ethnobotany: Unknown. Etymology: Logfia is apparently an anagram of the genus Filago, and filaginoides means
resembling genus Filago. Synonyms: Gnaphalium filaginoides Editor: LCrumbacher2012

Plains Blackfoot
Melampodium leucanthum Torr. & A. Gray
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Perennial suffrutescent herb or subshrub, 12-40 cm tall, from a stout woody
root; lower stems often woody, the bark brownish or gray brown, fissured; upper stems strigose and cinereous, the hairs stiff, white, and
appressed. Leaves: Opposite along the branchlets, tapering at the base into winged petioles; blades linear to oblong-oblanceolate, 1-4 cm long
and 2-5 mm wide, strigose, with a midrib that appears prominent on the underside of the leaf and margins that are entire, slightly undulate, or
occasionally with small pinnate lobes. Flowers: Flower heads showy radiate, cream colored with yellow centers, on peduncles 3-7 cm long, well
surpassing the leaves; involucres hemispheric, 7-12 mm in diameter, the bracts (phyllaries) in two series, the outer series of 5 phyllaries united
at the base, ovate, and the inner series of phyllaries each enclosing a ray floret; ray florets 8-13 per flower head, the laminae (ray petals) 7-13
mm long, cream-white, the undersides often veined with purple; disc florets 25-50 per flower head, yellow, 2 mm long. Fruits: Achenes 4-5 mm
long, transversely rugulose with short irregular ridges; lacking a pappus. Ecology: Found on dry slopes, open sites, grasslands, along roadcuts,
and in shrublands, often on limestone, from 2,000-5,000 ft (610-1524 m); flowers March-October. Distribution: AZ, NM, s CO, KA, OK, TX; south
to c MEX. Notes: This attractive plant is distinguished by being a smaller much-branched perennial, often becoming woody at the base and
forming mounds; with opposite, linear leaves covered with straight, appresed hairs; the flower heads showy,possessing 8-13 overlapping white
rays that have purple veins and 2-3 uneven lobes at the tip, yellow disc florets, and outer phyllaries that are fused to each other and densely
hairy. A combination of these characters will distinguish it from similar taxa, including Psilostrophe and Zinnia. Ethnobotany: Unknown
Etymology: Melampodium comes from Melampus, a soothsayer of renown in Greek mythology; leucanthum comes from the Greek leukos,
white and anthemon, flower. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2014, AHazelton 2017

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Mojave Deserstar
Monoptilon bellioides (A. Gray) Hall
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Herbaceous winter annuals, prostrate, diffusely branched, herbage covered
with stiff, white hairs. Leaves: Leaves (phyllaries), alternate, thickish, often tufted below heads, linear to spatulate, obtuse to subacute, entire,
5-10 mm long, covered with stiff, white hairs. The upper leaves subtend the heads. Flowers: Heads somewhat showy, radiate, rays white to
purple, often dark-veined, many, corollas 6-11.5 mm long, ligules 5-8.5 mm long, disk flowers yellow, many, receptacles convex, naked,
involucres broad, bell-shaped or hemispheric, phyllaries 4-6 mm, many in 1 series, equal, folded, with acuminate tips, purplish, solitary heads
borne subsessile or on short stems to 25 cm. Fruits: Achenes 2-nerved, compressed, oblong to obovate, finely appressed-hairy, light brown, 1.5-
2 mm long. Pappus of 0-12 , 1-2 mm long, with several slender scales, 0.5-1 mm long, these dissected into bristles. Ecology: Found on sandy or
gravelly soild on flats, dunes, deserts and washes, from 200-3,500 ft (61-1067 m); flowering February-May. Distribution: Arizona, California,
Nevada, Utah; Mexico. Notes: Monoptilon spp. are easy to recognize by their compact, often decumbent growth form; relatively large daisy
flowers with white rays and yellow centers; and somewhat thick leaves covered with stiff, white hairs. Differentiate from M. bellidforme by the
pappus attached to the top of the seed; M. bellioides has a pappus of several bristles of unequal lengths, plus sometimes a few scales; M.
bellidiforme has pappus consisting of a scarious cup plus single plumose bristle. Ethnobotany: Unknown. Etymology: Monoptilon comes from
the Greek monos for one and ptilon for feather, referring to the single plumose bristle attached to the seed of sister species M. bellidiforme;
bellioides means resembling the genus Bellis. Synonyms: Eremiastrum bellioides Editor: LCrumbacher 2011

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Stinknet
Oncosiphon piluliferum (L. f.) Kallersjo
Duration: Annual Nativity: Non-Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Herbaceous annuals, to 50 cm tall, stems 1-5 or more from bases, erect to
ascending, branching from the base or throughout, puberulent to sparsely covered with stiff, slender bristles (strigillose), glabrous to gland
dotted (in pits), herbage strongly scented with a vile odor. Leaves: Small, alternate, mostly obovate, 1-4 cm long or more, 2-3-pinnately
dissected with linear segments 20-35 mm long, ultimate lobes linear to spatulate or oblanceolate, 0.5-1 mm wide, sparsely puberulent or
minutely strigose (with minute, stiff hairs), dotted minute resin glands. Flowers: Yellow and showy in globose, discoid heads, ill-smelling, disc
flowers generally 100-250 or more, corollas tubular, 4-lobed, 1.5-2 mm long, receptacles conic to subspheric, muricate, involucres 3-3.5 mm
long and 4-6 mm diameter, anthers minute, with lanceolate tips and rounded or cordate bases, styles short with truncate branches and bushy
tips, heads also bushy, borne singly or 2-4 in corymbiform arrays on bractless peduncles 1-8 cm long. Fruits: Cypselae (achenes) cylindric or 4-
angled and ribbed, faces resin-gland-dotted, 0.5-1 mm long, slightly curved, sparingly dotted with minute, glistening oil glands. Pappi minute, in
a narrow crown, 0.05-0.1 mm long with subentire or minutely dentate margin Ecology: Found on roadsides, river bottoms, waste ground and
disturbed areas from 1,500-3,000 ft (457-914 m); flowers February-June. Distribution: Arizona, California; South Africa. Notes: The showy,
yellow and spherical discoid heads and small pinnatifid leaves of this species standout in arid environments. Nicknamed pineapple weed for the
smell. The recent systematics of this plant give a realignment with Oncosiphon for the nomenclature for this species. This is a potentially nasty
invasive plant, it is spreading via southern California. Ethnobotany: Prolific uses as medicinal, from gynecological aid to antidiarrheal, to cold
remedy, to heart medicine, to use as food. Synonyms: Cotula pilulifera, Matricaria globifera, Pentzia globifera, Matricaria discoidea Editor:
LCrumbacher 2012 Etymology: Oncosiphon comes from the Greek onkos, "bulb, mass," and siphon, "tube," alluding to the tube of the corolla,
while piluliferum means bearing little balls or globules, in this case referring to the globular flowering heads.

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Chinchweed
Pectis papposa Harvey & A. Gray va r. papposa
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Yellowish green annual with slender, spreading-ascending or procumbent,
dichotomously branched, glabrous stems 10-30 cm. Leaves: Filiform or narrowly linear, 1-6 cm long, 1-2 mm wide or less, with 2-5 pairs of
bristles near base and conspicuous elliptical marginal glands. Flowers: Heads clustered in leafy cymes; peduncles 1-3 cm long, usually shorter
than subtending leaves; involucres turbinate, 3-5 mm broad, 4.5-6 mm high; bracts 7-9, narrowly linear and strongly involute, strongly keeled
and gibbous at base, obtuse and scarious-margined at apex, irregularly dotted with 3-7 conspicuous glands, concentrated at apex; 7-9 ray
flowers with yellow ligules 1.5-2 mm wide, 4-6 mm long; disk flowers 10-15 , corollas slender, 4-5 mm long. Fruits: Cypselae linear-clavate,
black, 4-5 mm long, sparsely stiff hairs, pappus of disk cypselae of 12-20 sparsely short-plumose or barbellate bristles 3-4 mm long or rarely
reduced to a crown. Ecology: Found on sandy or gravelly soils, plains and mesas below 6,000 ft (1829 m); flowers June-October. Distribution:
CA and NV to NM; south to n MEX Notes: Notably, the Pectis have C4 photosynthetic pathways which accounts for why they inhabit such hot,
dry sites. Ethnobotany: Used as a spice, a dye, a laxative, as eye drops for snowblindness, to the seeds being parched, ground and eaten.
Etymology: Pectis is from the Greek pecteo, to comb; papposa is from the Latin for -with pappus.- Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley, 2010

Emory's Rockdaisy
Perityle emoryi Torr
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Herbaceous annuals, sometimes persisting, to 60 cm tall, stems delicate to
robust, relatively few to many, erect or spreading, herbage puberulent to hirsute and stipitate-glandular. Leaves: Mostly cauline, often
proximally opposite, distally alternate, ovate, cordate, suborbiculate, or triangular, 17-60 mm long and 10-50 mm wide, margins deeply
toothed, lobed, cleft, or divided, lobes indented to irregularly dissected, petioles 3-45 mm long. Flowers: White with yellow centers, radiate,
rays (laminae) white, usually 8-14, rarely rudimentary or absent, oblong, 1-6 mm long and 1-3 mm wide, disc florets yellow, 40-100 or more,
corolla tubes 0.7-1.3 mm long, throats tubular to tubular-funnelform, 0.8-1.3 mm long, with 4 lobes 0.1-0.2 mm long, involucres campanulate
to hemispheric phyllaries 10-20, lanceolate or oblanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 4-6 mm long and 1-2 mm wide, anther tips triangular, style tips
tapered, heads borne singly or in corymbiform arrays, these 4-10 mm long and wide, infloresences on peduncles 1-70 mm long. Fruits: Cypselae
(achenes) suboblong, oblanceolate, or subcuneate, 1.5-3 mm long with thin, uncalloused margins, these long- or short-ciliate, awns solitary or
wanting. Pappi absent or of 1 antrorsely to retrorsely barbellate bristles 1-3 mm long plus crowns of h Ecology: Found on coastal bluffs, desert
plains, slopes, and washes, in creosote-bush scrub communities, from 50-5,000 ft (15-1524 m); January-June or flowering year round in
favorable conditions. Distribution: Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah; Mexico; South America (Chile, Peru). Ethnobotany: Unknown. Synonyms:
Many, see Tropicos Editor: LCrumbacher2012 Etymology: Perityle comes from the Greek peri, "around," and tyle, "a callus," and meaning
"around the margin," referring to the thick calloused margin of the achenes, while emoryi is named after after Maj. William Hemsley Emory
(1811-1887), Army officer and Director of the Mexican Boundary Survey.

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Arrowweed
Pluchea sericea (Nutt.) Coville
Common Name: arrowweed Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Shrub Wetland Status: FACW General: Slender, willow-like shrub,
1.5-3 m tall, erect and considerably branched, with densely pubescent stems. Leaves: Alternate, sessile and lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate
or narrowly oblanceolate, 1-5 cm long by 0.2-1 cm wide, crowded with both faces sparsely to densely sericeous. Flowers: Heads in small
corymbose clusters, the involucres generally campanulate, 4-6 mm by 3-5 mm, the phyllaries pink to purplish, villous-ciliate along margins, the
corollas hermaphroditic, 4.5-5.5 mm long, pink to purplish, with persistent pappi and distinct bristles. Fruits: Cypselae about 1 mm long,
glabrous. Ecology: Found on floodplains, streambanks and along dunes and sand flats from below 3,000 ft (914 m); flowers February-May.
Notes: Distinctive in its dense floodplain habitat, often distinguished by the sericeous cast covering the stems and leaves, along with the almost
Baccharis-like stems. Ethnobotany: The leaves were chewed for throat irritations, taken internally for diarrhea, the root for indigestion and
stomachache, bark as a wash for sore eyes, the roots were roasted and eaten, the stems were used as a building material and for thatch,
weaving, arrows, used in tanning hides, and used as spindles for cotton. Etymology: Pluchea is named for Noel-Antoine Pluche (1688-1761) a
French naturalist, while sericea means silky. Synonyms: Berthelotia sericea, Polypappus sericeus, Tessaria sericea Editor: SBuckley, 2010

Hierba del Venado

Porophyllum gracile Benth.
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Slender to moderately branched suffrutescent perennial, 20-70 cm tall,
internodes mostly 10-30 mm, faintly glaucous or quite green or purplish stems. Leaves: Scattered, sparsely glandular, thinly linear to filiform
blades, 0.5-1 mm wide and 2-5.5 cm long. Flowers: Heads solitary at ends of branches on peduncles 1-3 cm long and slightly dilated upward,
involucres cylindro-campanulate, 8-14 mm high, phyllaries 5, oblong to linear; florets 12-30, corollas whitish to purplish, 6-9 mm, with darker
purple streaks, tube shorter than narrow throat. Fruits: Brownish cypselae 6-10 mm, pappus of tawny, stramineous or rose-colored, very
slender bristles 5-8 mm long. Ecology: Found on rocky slopes, outwash fans, in canyons and arroyos; below 4,000 ft (1219 m); flowers March-
October. Distribution: s CA, s NV, s UT, AZ, sw NM and sw TX; south to c MEX, especially common in Baja. Notes: A very distinctive species with
wiry, diffuse, highly branched stems; the whole plant being dark bluish or purplish-green with a powdery coating; the leaves often sparse or
non-existent and when present, thin and linear. Especially memorable is the strong scent from the crushed plant. Ethnobotany: Taken for pain,
as a liniment for rheumatism, for aches, as a wash for sores, abdominal pain, and taken to regulate delayed menstruation. Etymology:
Porophyllum is from Greek poros, a passage or pore, and phyllon, leaf, a reference to the translucent glands on the leaf, while gracile means
slender, or graceful. Synonyms: Porophyllum caesium, Porophyllum junciforme, Porophyllum nodosum, Porophyllum putidum, Porophyllum
vaseyi Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

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Wright's Cudweed
Pseudognaphalium canescens (DC.) Anderb.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual to perennial herbs, to 50 cm tall, from a taproot; stems erect, much-
branched, tomentose. Leaves: Alternate and sessile; blades 2-4 cm long, oblanceolate to linear, gray-tomentose on both sides, with flat, entire
margins. Flowers: Flower heads discoid, arranged in open panicles comprised of many glomerulate clusters of flower heads at branch tips;
involucre (ring of bracts wrapped around the flower head) bell-shaped, 4-6 mm high, the bracts (phyllaries) strongly overlapping in 3-4 series,
pearly white, glabrous; florets all discs, the corollas yellowish. Fruits: Achenes ridged, warty; topped with a pappus of capillary bristles. Ecology:
Found on dry rocky slopes, lava beds, grasslands, oak, pine-oak, and pine woodlands, from 3,500-8,500 ft (1067-2591 m); flowers May-
November. Distribution: s CA and UT to OK and TX; south to MEX. Notes: A gray or silvery- green, often erect perennial herb with dense webs
of hairs all over; the flower heads with semi-clear, white phyllaries and dense hairs and pappus, making heads appear dense-white with minute
yellow and red stigmas. Distinguished from others in the genus by the top and bottom leaf surfaces being the same color and thick with matted
hairs (tomentose); the leaf bases being sessile but not clasping (clasping in P. luteoalbum and P. stramineum) and not fusing to and running
down stems (decurrent; leaves are decurrent in P. arizonicum). Ethnobotany: The ground, white flowers were inhaled for head colds, and the
bruised leaves were made into a paste and used as a liniment. Etymology: Pseudognaphalium is false gnaphalium, the former genus name;
canescens means covered with short gray or white hairs. Synonyms: Gnaphalium canescens, G. texanum Editor: LCrumbacher 2011, FSCoburn
2015, AHazelton 2016

Whitestern Paperflower
Psilostrophe cooperi (A. Gray) Greene
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Suffrutescent perennial, few to many stemmed clumps 25-30 cm tall, stems
and leaves densely white tomentose. Leaves: Alternate, linear, 1-4 mm wide, 2-10 cm long, green and glabrous with age, midrib conspicuous
with age. Flowers: Heads borne singly at the tips of branches on peduncles 2-10 cm long, involucres campanulate 6-8 mm, phyllaries 5-12 in 1-2
series; ray florets 3-8, pistillate, rays 12-20 mm, spreading to reflexed in fruit, pale yellow, coarsely 3-toothed, papery; 10-17 disc flowers
exserted 3-4 mm beyond involucre at anthesis. Fruits: Glabrous cypselae, sometimes gland-dotted, pappi of 4-6 oblong to lanceolate scales 2-
2.5 mm. Ecology: Found along washes, on gravelly slopes and rocky hillsides from 2,000-5,000 ft (610-1524 m); flowers March-September.
Distribution: s UT, s NV, s CA, AZ, w NM; south to nw MEX. Notes: The most suffrutescent of the Psilostrophe in the region, as well as having
the most tomentose herbage. Pay attention to the exserted disc flowers to distinguish between Psilostrophe, Zinnia, and Melampodium.
Ethnobotany: Unknown, but other species in the genus have many uses. Etymology: Psilostrophe is from Greek psilos, naked or glabrous, and
strophe, to turn, while cooperi is named for Dr. James Graham Cooper (1830-1902) an American geologist who collected plants in the Mojave in
1861. Synonyms: Riddellia cooperi Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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California Chicory
Rafinesquia californica Nutt
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Erect annual 20-150 cm tall, much branched above, glabrous. Leaves: Oblong
to oblanceolate in outline, denticulate to coarsely and shallowly or finely pinnatifid, upper leaves usually entire, lowermost to 20 cm long and
petiolate, middle and upper ones sessile and auriculate-clasping. Flowers: Heads paniculate or cymosely arranged at tips of branchlets;
involucres 12-20 mm high and 12 mm wide; phyllaries 7-20 in a single series, linear-lanceolate, equal with scarious margins; ray florets 15-30,
corollas white, sometimes with rose or purplish veins beneath, surpassing phyllaries by 5-7 mm. Fruits: Light tan or dingy cypselae, 9-14 mm,
with very slender beaks 5-7 mm, dull white, dingy or tawny pappus bristles 6-15. Ecology: Found among shrubs and along the margins of open
areas from 3,000-5,000 ft (914-1524 m); flowers March-May. Distribution: OR, CA, NV, AZ; south to n MEX (Baja California) Notes:
Distinguished by the rays only surpassing the phyllaries by 5-7 mm, as opposed to 15-20 mm in R. neomexicana, as well as having a smaller
cypselae body, a longer beak and plumose pappus bristles. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Rafinesquia is named for Constantine Samuel
Rafinesque-Schmaltz (1783-1840) a 19th century botanist, while californica means of or from California. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley,
2010

New Mexico Plumeseed

Rafinesquia neomexicana A. Gray
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Simple to very branched, glabrous plant 15-50 cm tall with weak, zigzag,
fistulous, purplish stems, frequently growing upward through shrubs. Leaves: To 15 cm long, 1-3 cm wide, deeply and often rucinately
pinnatifid, lobes to 2 cm long, acute; blades sessile and auriculate-clasping or short-petioled. Flowers: Heads solitary and scattered at tips of
branchlets, involucres about 2 cm long, main bracts lance-linear, with purplish midribs; ligules white within, rose-tinged without, outer ones 15-
20 mm long. Fruits: Cypselae 12-15 mm long, body tapering only slightly into beak, nearly twice as long as latter, minutely and closely papillate
or puberulent, pale to dark gray; pappus bristles 10-15 mm long, silvery white, about three times as wide as thick at base. Ecology: Found on
arid plains, mesas, and gentle slopes 200-3,500 ft (61-1067 m); flowers March-May. Distribution: CA, AZ, s UT, s NV, s NM, w TX; south to n MEX
Notes: One of the more conspicuous flowers in the spring. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Rafinesquia is named for Constantine Samuel
Rafinesque-Schmaltz (1783-1840) a 19th century botanist, while neomexicana is for New Mexico. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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Threadleaf Ragweed
Senecio flaccidus Less. var. Monoensis (Greene) B.L. Turner & T.M. Barkl
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Subshrubs, to 100 cm tall or more, from woody taproots; stems several in
clumps, arching to erect, not branching much; herbage can be glabrous or lanate-tomentose. Leaves: Alternate along the stems, sessile or
obscurely petiolate; blades narrowly linear to filiform or pinnately divided into linear-filiform segments up to 35 mm long; fascicles of several
small leaves sometimes borne in the axils of larger leaves. Flowers: Flower heads showy, yellow, and radiate, in large showy arrays; involucres
cylindrical to hemispheric, 10-15 mm high, often with 3-5 calyculi (bractlets just below the involucre) half the length of the phyllaries or longer;
phyllaries (bracts of the involucre) 13-21 in a single series, linear, 8-9 mm long, with green or black tips; ray florets 8-21 per flower head, the
laminae (ray petals) 10-15 mm long, yellow; disc florets yellow. Fruits: Achenes to 4 mm long, terete, ribbed and densely canescent with small,
coarse, stiff hairs; topped with a pappus of soft, silvery-white, capillary bristles, 7-8 mm long. Ecology: Found on dry plains, slopes, mesas, and
along washes, from 2,500-7,500 ft (762-2286 m); flowers most of the year. Distribution: CA to KS, OK and TX; south to MEX. Notes: This is a
common and widespread Senecio throughout the Southwest. FNA recognizes 3 intergrading varieties, though it notes that full understanding of
the varieties will require more thorough knowledge of the species in Mexico. Var. flaccidus is present from Arizona eastward to Texas and
Kansas, has densely white-hairy (tomentose) stems and leaves, and usually lacks calyculi (the small set of bractlets subtending the flower
heads). Var. douglassii is on the west slope of the Sierras and westward in California and Baja Calif., is more or less grayish-tomentose, and has
calyculi. Var. monoensis is present on the east slope of the Sierras and eastward throughout the species' range; it is nearly hairless and has
calyculi. When using older texts to key your plants, use the synonym Senecio longilobus. Kearney and Peebles note that this species is highly
poisonous to cattle and horses, causing lesions to the liver. Ethnobotany: This species was known to be toxic but had a variety of medicinal
uses; it is a strong laxative and was used internally to treat stomach and kidney trouble; it was used externally as an infusion or salve to treat
infected sores and cuts, sore muscles, acne, and skin diseases; the plant was used as a broom, and the herbage was added to bedding as a bug
repellent; the plant was also used ceremonially. Etymology: Senecio is from the Latin senex, old man, which refers to the gray hairs on the
seeds; flaccidus means weak or drooping and may refer to the arching stems. Synonyms: Senecio douglassii, Senicio longilobus Editor:
LCrumbacher 2011, AHazelton 2017

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Lemmon's Ragwort
Senecio lemmonii A. Gray
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Erect or ascendingly branched perennial from woody taproots, 20-100 cm,
herbage glabrous or with tufts of white hairs in leaf axils; stems smooth, unevenly reddish with a more or less deciduous cortex. Leaves:
Alternate, evenly distributed, petiolate or sessile, with blades lanceolate to lance-linear, 3-10 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, tapered bases or auriculate,
margins unevenly dentate to subentire, smaller leaves have expanded bases which are truncate to cordate and more or less clasping. Flowers:
Usually 4-12 flowers in corymbose cymes, radiate, 10-12 mm high, campanulate involucres with small bracts around the calyx, 3-5, linear to
subulate; phyllaries 21, 5-8 mm, tips often with minute black dots; 12-18 ray flowers, rays 8-10 mm long, 1.5-2.5 mm wide, spreading but soon
curled downward. Fruits: Hairy cypselae, 2.5-3 mm long, subcylindric, weakly 8-10 ribbed and minutely puberulent with short, stiff, ascending,
grayish hairs. Ecology: Found on dry hillsides and rock slopes, usually among shrubs from 1,500-3,500 ft (457-1067 m); flowers February-May.
Notes: Distinguished by the petiolate to sessile leaves, lanceolate to lance-linear; bases of middle leaves expanding, clasping. The axillary tuft of
hair is key. Ethnobotany: Unknown, but other species in this genus has other uses. Etymology: Senecio is from senex, old man, which refers to
the gray hairs on the seeds, while lemmonii is named for John Gill Lemmon (1832-1908) an American botanical collector. Synonyms: Senecio
decorticans Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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Chinta
Sonchus oleraceus L.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Non-Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual introduced herb; native to Europe; 10 cm-2 m tall; from a short
taproot; glabrous except for an occasional spreading gland-tipped hair on the involucres and peduncles; milky sap. Leaves: Alternate; pinnatifid
to occasionally merely toothed; soft; the margins only weakly or scarcely prickly; 6-30 cm long and 1-15 cm wide; all but the lowermost
prominently auriculate; leaves progressively less divided upwards. Flowers: Heads several in a corymbiform inflorescence; relatively small; 1.5-
2.5 cm wide in flower; involucre 9-13 mm high in fruit; yellow rays; 120-150 flowers per plant. Fruits: Cypselae 2.5-3.5 mm long; transversely
rugulose and 3-5 ribbed on each face. Ecology: Found in disturbed areas; 600-8,000 ft (185-2440 m); flowers March-October. Distribution:
Introduced to every continent in the world; occurs throughout N. America and in every state in the US; south through MEX to S. America.
Notes: An annual with milky sap, becoming robust in the right conditions; erect with clasping leaves with wavy, dentate margins, each tooth
with a sharp spine. Two other species of Sonchus in the Intermountain West. S. arvensis is also native to Europe and widely introduced in North
America; prefers fairly moist to wet soil. It is a perennial with deep-seated creeping roots and relatively large flowers. S. asper is an annual
introduced species occurring in meadows, along streambanks and obviously disturbed habitats. It differs from S. oleraceus by having clasping
leaf-bases which are recurved and not relatively straight as in oleraceus and mature several-nerved achenes that are not rugulose (mature
achenes are transversly rugulose as well as several-nerved in S. oleraceus). Ethnobotany: Young leaves are used in salads or cooked in curry and
rice dishes. Salves are used to treat hemorrhoids and ulcers. Tea is used to treat anxiety and asthma. The milky juice is often used as eyewash.
Etymology: Sonchus is the Greek name for sowthistle, while oleraceus means resembling garden herbs or vegetables used in cooking.
Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

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Brouwnplume Wirelettuce
Stephanomeria pauciflora (Torr.) A. Nels.
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Rounded perennial herbs to subshrubs, 30-60 cm tall, from deep-seated
rhizomes and a slender woody root crown; stems slightly woody at the base and diffusely branched throughout, the branches stiff, ascending or
spreading, glabrous, pale green and becoming grayish with age. Leaves: Basal and stem leaves mostly withering before flowering; blades linear,
2-6 cm long and 2-8 mm wide, the margins entire, toothed, or irregularly pinnately lobed; upper stem leaves reduced in size. Flowers: Flower
heads pinkish, ligulate, solitary at branch tips or in paniculate clusters on glabrous peduncles; involuvres cylindric-conical, 6-10 mm high,
subtended by calyculi of 3-7 bractlets; phyllaries 5-8 in 2 equal series, linear-lanceolate, and green or purple; florets all ligulate (like ray florets
but always bisexual), 3-5 per flower head, the ligules (ray petals) 7-10 mm long, flesh-colored. Fruits: Achenes 3-5 mm long, longitudinally
striate and often transversely rugulose; topped with a pappus of brown-tinged plumose bristles, 5-7 mm long. Ecology: Found along washes, on
gravelly bajadas, plains, and arid mesas, below 7,000 ft (2134 m); flowers April-October. Distribution: CA, NV, UT, AZ, CO, NM, WY, TX, KA, OK;
south to s MEX. Notes: A perennial with wiry stems and a slightly woody base; the basal leaves are pinnately lobed and stem leaves are
bractlike; leaves have tufts of hair at the base; all leaves may be gone by flowering time; flower heads have 4-6 pinkish florets; and the seeds
have tan-brown tuft of bristles which is plumose on the upper 80%. Similar to S. tenuifolia but that species is less woody at the base; has glands
on the peduncles; and the achenes have a pappus of white bristles which are plumose from the base to the top. Ethnobotany: Used to increase
mother's milk supply; as a narcotic; and chewed as gum; also used ceremonially. Etymology: Stephanomeria is derived from Greek stephane,
wreath or crown, and meros, division, referring to the pappus on the achenes; pauciflora means with little foliage. Synonyms: Lygodesmia
pauciflora, Ptiloria pauciflora, Stephanomeria cinera, S. neomexicana, S. pauciflora var. parishii Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015,
AHazelton 2017

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Everlasting Nest Straw

Stylocline gnaphaloides Nutt
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Herbaceous annuals, to 20 cm tall, stems 1 or more, erect, or ascending to
prostrate, branches forked, generally evenly leafy but becoming more or less leafless between distal forks, sometimes older branches woody,
herbage gray and cobwebby to tomentose. Leaves: Alternate, sessile, linear to elliptic or spoon-shaped (spatulate) to obovate, 6-14 mm long
and 1.5-3 mm wide or less, margins entire, blades becoming slightly reduced in length but wider, densely crowded and bract-like distally, apices
generally obtuse, sometimes with a tiny awn (mucronate). Flowers: Green or white with long, white, cobwebby hairs, disciform; outer flowers
pistillate, 12-25 or more with filiform corollas, each subtended by a boat-shaped, papery paleae 1-4.5 mm long, with broadly ovate wings,
bracts enclosing the pistillate florets with a narrow, only moderately wooly body, this with broad, thinly membraneous (hyaline) wings
throughout its length, disc florets staminate or hermaphrodite and infertile, clustered in small groupings of 2-5, corollas 1-2 mm long, generally
5-lobed, obscure and narrowly cylindric, involucres spheric, largest 3-6 mm in diameter, surfaces cobwebby with arachnoid to thinly lanuginose
white hairs, or sometimes shiny and appearing nearly glabrous with hairs obscured by palea wings, phyllaries ovate, 1-3.5 mm long, subequal,
persistent, receptacles narrowly cylindric, 1-2 mm long, with evenly distributed, slightly sunken scars, ovaries vestigial, 0-0.2 mm long, anther
bases tailed, with triangular tips, style tips linear-oblong, heads borne in glomerule-like clusters at branch tips. Fruits: Cypselae (achenes)
obovoid and laterally compressed, to 1 mm long, pistillate florets with each achene enclosed by the palea and deciduous with them,
hermaphrodite florets with more or less flattened paleae. Staminate or hermaphrodite pappi of 1-6 smooth Ecology: Found in sandy soils, on
slopes, flats, disturbed areas, dry drainages or relatively mesic sites in deserts, from 0-5,500 ft (0-1676 m); flowering January-July. Distribution:
Arizona, California; Mexico. Notes: This small annual has greenish-white cottony heads borne in small clusters at branch tips with leafy
subtending bracts, similar to Logfia. Good indicators for this species are the broad, hyaline wings of the moderately woolly bracts enclosing the
pistillate florets; if the bracts are densely long-woolly with the hyaling appendage only at the bract tips, check S. micropoides. FNA notes that;
Stylocline gnaphaloides...is not known from the Colorado River valley; it mainly occurs in disturbed areas of south-central Arizona and adjacent
Sonora, Mexico. Kearney and Peebles note this species occurring in Maricopa, Pinal, cochise, and Pima counties in Arizona. Ethnobotany:
Unknown. Synonyms: None Editor: LCrumbacher2012 Etymology: Stylocline comes from the Greek stulos for "column" and kline, "a bed," from
the long receptacle, while gnaphaloides means like genus Gnaphalium.

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Woolhead Neststraw
Stylocline micropoides A. Gray
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual branched at or near base with ascending or diffuse stems 2-14 cm tall.
Leaves: Acute, mucronate, cauline leaves linear, longest 8-20 mm long by 1.5-2.5 mm wide. Flowers: Heads in a panicle or cyme, rarely
dichasiform array, more or less spheric, with the largest 5-9 mm and thickly woolly; no phyllaries, receptacles narrowly cylindric, 2-3 mm, the
height 5-8 times the diameter, more or less flat; pistillate flowers numerous, enclosed in the woolly bracts, without laterial wings but the apical
half forms an oblong-ovate, hyaline, glabrous tip, with 3-6 staminate florets naked or subtended by oblong, glabrous or hyaline bract, with
abortive cypselae bearing 3-4 slender bristles. Fruits: Cypselae 1-1.4 mm, compressed. Ecology: Found in sandy washes from 500-4,000 ft (152-
1219 m); flowers March-April. Distribution: NM, AZ, s UT, s NV, s CA Notes: The low, woolly, and annual characters of this plant help to identify
it. As do the nearly globose flowering heads, even though minute, they are very distinctive because they are generally solitary stems and much
woollier than Logfia (Filago), with which you-ll probably confuse this plant. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Stylocline comes from the
Greek stylus, a style and kline, a bed, from the long receptacle, while micropoides means like the genus Micropus. Synonyms: None Editor:
SBuckley, 2010

American Threefold
Trixis californica Kellogg
Common Name: American threefold Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Profusely branched shrub to 1 m or less,
slender, brittle branches, appressed-puberulent branchlets, new growth glandular and often densely pubescent with brown hairs. Leaves:
Leaves and flowers appear at various seasons, leaves mostly 3-8 cm, upright, blades relatively thin, lanceolate, with minute hairs to sometimes
glabrate, densely glandular below and sometimes above but not as densely so, the margins toothed to nearly entire; sessile or petioles mostly
1-2 mm, usually winged, dead leaves semipersistent. Flowers: Heads in corymbose panicles, usually 12-14-flowered, inner phyllaries green, 10-
15 mm, oblong, with thickened yellow-brown bases extending into midrib; flowers yellow, corollas 1 cm long, sparsely puberulent at tips of
lobes. Fruits: Cypselae 8-10 mm long, slender, densely glandular with short stout hairs, pappus twice as long as achenes. Ecology: Found on
rocky slopes and ridges below 5,000 ft (1524 m); flowers February-June, rarely flowers again in autumn. Distribution: s CA, AZ, s NM, sw TX;
south to c MEX. Notes: Distinguished by being a medium-sized shrub with dark-green, lanceolate leaves which are densely glandular-dotted
beneath and can be sticky, especially when young, and with corky thickened bracts below petioles; the single row of phyllaries, appearing as if
they were just unfolded; and the showy orange-yellow bilabiate flowers in heads, with one ray smaller than the other. Ethnobotany: Unknown
Etymology: Trixis is from Greek trixos, three-fold, referring to three-cleft outer corolla lip, while californica refers to California. Synonyms: None
Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

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Silver Puffs
Uropappus lindleyi (DC.) Nutt.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Spring ephemeral with milky sap, glabrous or slightly puberulent herbage,
scapes 10-60 cm tall. Leaves: Linear to linear-lanceolate or pinnate with few slender segments, in basal rosette, 10-15 cm long, stems above
leafless with small glands near flower head. Flowers: Each stem bearing single, erect head; outer involucral bracts 1 cm long, acute, ligules
barely surpassing involucre, ephemeral, pale yellow but drying reddish or purplish. Fruits: Cypselae 8.5-10 mm long, blackish, linear-cylindric
and slightly tapered at each end, apex slightly flared; pappus with 5 papery, silvery, linear-lanceolate scales 9-10 mm, these deeply notched at
the apex with long, slender awn from notch. Ecology: Found on mesas, plains, outwash slopes and arroyos below 5,000 ft (1524 m); flowers
March-June. Distribution: Most of western N. Amer., from B.C. south to CA and west to TX, UT, ID; south to n MEX. Notes: Distinct by being
scapose with all basal,divided leaves, milky sap and especially the shiny silver pappus awns. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Uropappus
refers to the pappus having a long tail-like dip, while lindleyi is named for John Lindley (1799-1865) a British botanist. Synonyms: Microseris
linearifolia, Uropappus lindleyi, Uropappus linearifolius Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

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Slender Goldenweed
Xanthisma gracile (Nutt.) D.R.Morgan & R.L.Hartman
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual herbs, 10-30 cm tall, from a taproot; stems freely branching, bristly.
Leaves: Basal leaves early-withering, 2-6 cm long, once or twice pinnately lobed; stem leaves alternate, sessile, and erect (almost appressed to
the stem), the blades oblong to linear, 4-20 mm long and 1-3 mm wide, with 3-6 bristle-tipped teeth on each side; leaf surfaces moderately
hairy. Flowers: Flower heads showy, yellow, and radiate, at the tips of leafy branches; involucres hemisperic, 6-7 mm high and 7-12 mm wide,
the bracts (phyllaries) in 4-6 graduated series, the outer phyllaries much shorter than the inner; phyllaries hairy, straw-colored at the base,
grading into a spot of dark green near the tip, and terminating in a bristle; ray flowers 16-18 per flower head, the laminae (ray petals) 7-12 mm
long, yellow; disc flowers 44-65 per flower head, yellow. Fruits: Achenes 2-3 mm long, densely long-hairy; topped with a pappus of bristles.
Ecology: Found in open, dry sites, including rocky to sandy washes, slopes, and roadsides, from 3,000-7,500 ft (945-2286 m); flowers April-
October. Distribution: Southwestern US from CA and NV to CO and TX; south to MEX; also in Maine Notes: Currently classified in Xanthisma,
this species has formerly been placed in several other genera including Machaeranthera, Aster, and Happlopappus. Look for a low annual with
linear leaves lined with small bristle-tipped teeth, and yellow flower heads at the tips of most branches. Identify it as a member of the
Machaeranthera/ Aster group by its flower heads with multiple rows of phyllaries, the outer much shorter than the inner, all with straw colored
bases and dark green spots at the tip. However, it is easily distinguished from most members of the Machaeranthera/ Aster group by its yellow
ray flowers (blue, purple and white are most common with other members of the group). Appears most similar to Xanthisma spinulosum
(formerly Machaeranthera pinnatifida) which also has yellow ray flowers, but that species is a perennial growing from a more or less woody
caudex. Ethnobotany: Navajo make a cold tea as a wash for pimples, sores, boils and sore eyes. Steeped tea is used to treat internal injuries
and to clear nasal passages. Etymology: Xanthisma is a Greek name meaning that which is dyed yellow; gracilis means graceful or slender.
Synonyms: Machaeranthera gracilis, Dieteria gracilis, Haplopappus gracilis, Haplopappus ravenii, Sideranthus gracilis Editor: SBuckley 2010,
AHazelton 2017

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Spiny Haplopappus
Xanthisma spinulosum (Pursh) D.R. Morgan & R.L. Hartman var. gooddingii (A. Nelson) D.R. Morgan &
R.L. Hartman
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Perennial herb or subshrub, 10-100 cm tall, from a woody, branched caudex;
stems 1-30 or more per plant, branched throughout, hairy or glabrous, often stipitate-glandular. Leaves: Basal leaves often withering by
flowering, once or twice pinnately lobed, 1-3 cm long and 1 cm wide; stem leaves alternate, the blades 0.2 to 8 cm long, linear with entire
margins, or oblong to lanceolate with deeply lobed or toothed margins, the teeth 4–18 or more per side, each tipped with a white bristle; leaf
surfaces hairy or glabrous, often stipitate-glandular. Flowers: Flower heads showy, yellow, and radiate, located at branch tips; involucres
hemisperic to cupulate, 6-10 mm high and 8-25 mm wide, the bracts (phyllaries) in 5-6 graduated series, the outer phyllaries much shorter than
the inner; phyllaries often stipitate-glandular, always straw-colored at the base, grading into a spot of dark green near the tip, and terminating
in a white bristle; ray florets 14-60 per flower head, the laminae (ray petals) 5-12 mm long, yellow; disc florets 30-150 per flower head, yellow.
Fruits: Achenes 2 mm long, narrowly obovoid, about 20-nerved, and covered with tawny-hairs; topped with a pappus of tawny bristles, 4-6 mm
long. Ecology: Found on arid plains, mesas, and hillsides, from 1,000-5,500 ft (305-1676 m); flowers March-June. Distribution: Most of western
N. America from Manitoba south to TX, west to CA and south to s MEX. Notes: Currently classified in Xanthisma, this species has formerly been
placed in several other genera including Machaeranthera, Aster, and Happlopappus. Look for a perennial, sometimes woody at the base; flower
heads with yellow rays and disks and phyllaries tipped with a white bristle; seeds with a tuft of bristles attached to the top; and leaves which
are deeply lobed or toothed, each tooth tipped with a white bristle (though some leaves are linear and mostly lack teeth). Identify it as a
member of the Machaeranthera/ Aster group by its flower heads with multiple rows of phyllaries, the outer much shorter than the inner, all
with straw colored bases and dark green spots at the tip. However, it is easily distinguished from most members of the Machaeranthera/ Aster
group by its yellow ray flowers (blue, purple and white are most common with other members of the group). Appears most similar to
Xanthisma gracile, which also has yellow ray flowers, but that species is annual with a herbaceous base. Ethnobotany: The Navajo used it to
cure headaches. Etymology: Xanthisma is a Greek name meaning that which is dyed yellow; pinnatifida means pinnately cut. Synonyms:
Machaeranthera pinnatifida, many others, see Tropicos Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2014, AHazelton 2017

Spiny Haplopappus
Xanthisma spinulosum (Pursh) D.R. Morgan & R.L. Hartman var. paradoxum (B. L. Turner & R. L.
Hartman) D. R. Morgan & R. L. Hartman

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Cadillo
Xanthium strumarium L.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual herbs, 20-80 cm tall (occasionally up to 2 m tall); stems erect,
appressed-hairy or sub-glabrous. Leaves: Alternate along the stems, on long petioles; blades broad, sub-orbicular to deltate (triangular), 4-18
cm long, 3-18 cm wide, toothed and sometimes shallowly 3- 5-lobed, the surfaces rough-hairy. Flowers: Flower heads inconspicuous, in sessile
axillary clusters. Fruits: Burs brownish or yellowish-brownish, subglobose to ellipsoid, mostly 2-4 cm long, terminated by two stout, incurved
beaks, and covered with stout, hooked prickles. Ecology: Found in moist, disturbed areas including fields, waste places, floodplains and lake
beaches, below 7,500 ft (2286 m); flowers April-October. Distribution: Native to the New World and widespread throughout the US and CAN;
south through MEX, C. Amer., to the tip of S. America; widely introduced in the Old World. Notes: Easily distinguished by its large fruits that are
burs with long hooked bristles. The leaves sand-papery to the touch, and the flowers resemble those of ragweed (Ambrosia spp.) Many
subspecies and varieties have been proposed based on burr morphology, but FNA does not formally recognize any of them. Burrs become
entangled in animal hides and hikers' socks, promoting the dispersal of the seeds. Seeds and cotyledon leaves are poisonous to livestock, while
morning doves eat the seeds. Ethnobotany: The leaves made into a tea make a useful diuretic, but in large quantities it can have toxic effects.
The plant can be used to make a yellow dye. Etymology: Xanthos is Greek for yellow, referring to the yellow dye made from the leaves;
strumarium comes from the Latin struma, or tumor, possibly referring to the burrs. Synonyms: Xanthium strumarium var. strumarium,
Xanthium acerosum, Xanthium californicum, Xanthium californicum var. rotundifolium, Xanthium campestre, Xanthium canadense, Xanthium
cavanillesii, Xanthium cenchroides, Xanthium commune, Xanthium echinatum, Xanthium gl Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton
2017

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Algerita
Berberis haematocarpa Woot
Common Name: red barberry Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Shrub General: Evergreen shrubs 1-4 m tall. Young stems smooth
with grayish purple bark, older stems with rough and fissured bark. Leaves: Alternate and petiolate, the petioles to 0.5 cm; leaves mostly
evergreen, thick and rigid, blue-green and smooth on the uppermost side, papillose underneath, pinnately compound with 3-9 leaflets; leaflets
spine-tipped and with 2-4 teeth on the undulate to crispate margins. Flowers: Yellow, in small, lax, 3-7 flowered racemes; flowers subtended by
membranous bracteoles with acuminate tips; flowers 3-merous, 3-8 mm. Fruits: Berries purplish red, smooth, spheric, juicy and firm, 5-8 mm.
Ecology: Found on slopes and flats in desert shrublands, grasslands, and oak woodlands, from 3,000-7,500 ft (914-2286 m); flowers February-
June. Distribution: sw US from s CA and s NV to CO, NM, w TX; south to Sonora, MEX. Notes: This spiny-leaf shrub is common at the middle
elevations in Arizona, particularly below the Mogollon Rim. The keys to identify this species are the bright red berries, and the terminal leaflets
being long and narrow, mostly 2-5 times as long as wide. B. fremontii has yellow to blue-black berries and shorter terminal leaflets.
Ethnobotany: Delicious jelly can be made from the berries. Etymology: Berberis is the Latinized form of the Arabic name for the fruit,
haematocarpa refers to having blood-red fruits, from the Greek haima, blood, and karpos, fruit. Synonyms: Mahonia haematocarpa Editor:
LCrumbacher 2011, AHazelton 2015

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Menzies' Fiddleneck
Amsinckia menziesii (Lehm.) A. Nels. & J.F. Macbr. Var. Intermedia (Fisch & C.A. Mey.) Ganders
Annual herb 15 - 80 cm tall Stem: unbranched below, erect, and covered with long, white, firm, bristly, spreading hairs. Leaves: alternate,
mostly stalkless, non-toothed, narrow (under 1 cm wide), oblong, and covered with appressed and spreading, bristly, swollen-based hairs. The
basal leaves are almost linear, but the stem leaves gradually become wider up the stem. Inflorescence: usually of at least two, spike-like, many-
flowered branches with lower flowers subtended by leaf-like bracts. The flower “spikes” are tightly coiled at the top and uncoil as they mature.
Flowers: numerous, yellow to golden-orange, small (under 1 cm tall, less than 4 mm broad), tubular or funnel-shaped, and radially symmetric.
Sepals: five, but fused at base, then separating into lobes over 5 mm long which are covered with firm, bristly, 1 -2 mm long, somewhat golden
hairs. Petals: yellow to orangish, five, but fused into a tube for most of their length, then separating into broadly flaring, rounded lobes.
Stamens: five, attached to inside of petal tube, and not exceeding the tube in length. Pistil: with a four-lobed, superior ovary; a single, slender,
threadlike style; and a single stigma that is included within or scarcely extended beyond the petal tube. Fruit: a stalked (at least the lower),
cluster of four, pale, bluntly warty or bumpy, over 2 mm long, three-sided, egg-shaped nutlets. Root: a stout taproot over 5 cm long.

Bristly Fiddleneck
Amsinckia tessellata A. Gray
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Stout, often profusely branched annual 30-80 cm tall with coarsely hispid stems
and herbage, hairs conspicuously pustulate at base. Leaves: Linear, lanceolate, oblong or narrowly ovate, lower ones gradually narrowed to a
short petiole, upper sessile, 2-10 cm long, conspicuously spreading-hispid. Flowers: Spikes 1-5 cm long in flower, elongating to 20 cm or more in
fruit, flowering tips dense, later rather lax, calyx lobes 3-5, often of two narrow ones and one broader, 2-3 dentate at apex, 5-8 mm long in
flower to 12 mm long in fruit, sparsely hispid; corona yellow or pale orange, 8-12 mm long, 20-nerved below stamens, limb 2-4 mm, broad.
Fruits: Nutlets broadly ovoid, erect or slightly incurved 2.5-3.2 mm long, back flattened or slightly rounded. Ecology: Found on grassy slopes,
valley floors, rocky to gravelly soil, slopes, flats, and arroyo beds below 5,000 ft (1524 m); flowers April-June. Distribution: e WA to AZ and CA;
also in Argentina and Chile Notes: A. tessellata is told apart from A. intermedia by fewer calyx lobes, which are unequal in width, and the 20-
nerved corolla tube base. Ethnobotany: The leaves and seeds were eaten raw or parched for food. Etymology: Amsinckia named for Wilhelm
Amsinck (1752-1831), tessellata means tessellate or checkered, patterned like a mosaic, referring to the seed. Synonyms: None Editor:
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Bearded Cryptantha
Cryptantha barbigera (A. Gray) Greene
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Slender annual herbs, 10-55 cm tall; stems erect, branched at the base and
above; branches ascending, spreading-hirsute. Leaves: Alternate and sessile, clustered at the base and scattered along the stems; blades lance-
linear to oblong, 3-7 mm broad, 1-7 cm long, obtuse at apex, bristly hirsute. Flowers: White, in scorpioid spikes, these usually paired at the ends
of branches, to 15 cm long, densely flowered; calyx lobes linear-lanceolate, 4-10 mm long, constricted above the nutlet, the tips recurved above
the constriction, midrib thickened and spreading-hirsute; corolla white, inconspicuous, funnelform, the limb 1-2 mm broad. Fruits: Nutlets
usually 4 per flower, lance-ovoid, 1.5-2.5 mm long, strongly warty, the edges rounded or obscurely angled, the back convex, the groove narrow
or broad. Ecology: Found on desert sands, along arroyos and on hillsides, below 5,000 ft (1524 m); flowers March-June. Distribution: c and s CA,
c and s NV, s UT, AZ, sw NM; south to n MEX. Notes: Cryptantha is a genus of bristly herbs with white or yellow flowers in spikes that are usually
1-sided and curling like a scorpion-s tail (-scorpioid-). The seeds, called -nutlets- in the borage family, are crucial to identification of the species.
As the nutlets are quite small and difficult to examine in the field with a hand lens, it is usually necessary to make a collection of mature
material for later identification under a dissecting scope. Cryptantha barbigera is distinguished by being a mostly erect, slender, densely bristly
annual with linear to spatulate leaves; calyx erect in flower and constricted with recurved tips in fruit; 4 same-size tuburculate nutlets with
rounded margins; and the style longer than the nutlets. Strongly resembles C. nevadensis, but that species often has lax, flexulous branches
(ascending in C. barbigera) and a mixture of appressed and spreading hairs on the stems and leaves (spreading hairs only in C. barbigera).
Ethnobotany: Unknown, but other species in the genus have uses. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2015
Etymology: Cryptantha comes from the Greek krypto, "hidden," and anthos, "flower," a reference to the first described species in the genus
which has inconspicuous flowers that self-fertilize without opening; barbigera means bearded.

Gravelbar Cryptantha
Cryptantha decipiens (M.E. Jones) Heller
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Small, herbaceous annual, 10-40 cm covered with stiff, stinging, white hairs,
simple to branching, often growing in small bunches. Leaves: Cauline, simple, entire, linear to lanceolate, covered with stiff, white, stinging
hairs, bristles appressed to spreading, basal leaves whorled, opposite near the base, becoming alternate as one moves up the stem. Flowers:
Tiny, borne in cymes, dense to open when fruiting, appearing white, more so due to the stiff hairs covering the inflorescence, sepals free, tube
1-13 mm, ovary 4-lobed. Fruits: Fruit 1-2 lanceolate nutlets, generally smooth, white granular. Ecology: Found in dry, sandy, open areas in
grasslands and scrublands, to 5,000 ft (1524 m); flowering March-May. Distribution: AZ, CA, s NV Synonyms: None Editor: LCrumbacher, 2011
Etymology: Cryptantha comes from the Greek krypto, "hidden," and anthos, "flower," a reference to the first described species in the genus
which has inconspicuous flowers that self-fertilize without opening; decipiens means deceptive, in some sense not what it appears to be.

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Pointed Cryptantha
Cryptantha muricata (Hook. & Arn.) A. Nels. & J.F. Macbr
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual with stem branched throughout or above the middle, thinly strigose
and spreading soft to rough hairy, 10-100 cm tall. Leaves: Linear, 0.5-4 cm long, rough-hairy to bristly, some bristles bulbous-based. Flowers:
Generally open inflorescence in fruit, upper flowers sometimes touching or overlapping; sepals 1-2 mm, 2-4 mm and lanceolate in fruit, strigose
and spreading-bristly, corolla limb 2-6 mm wide. Fruits: Nutlets 4, 1-2 mm, ovate to deltate, back covered in tubercles, groove more or less
closed, forked to flared open at base. Ecology: Found in sandy or gravelly soils, usually in openings from 2,000-5,000 ft (610-1524 m); flowers
April-June. Distribution: CA, NV, AZ; south to n MEX. Notes: Distinguished by being ascending to decumbent, slender, annual, with semi-sparse
stiff hairs on stems (the similar barbigera is more bristly) much-branched throughout; calyx erect to spreading, shorter, more or less closed, and
not recurved (barbigera lobes are long and open); 4 same-size tuburculate nutlets with rounded margins; style longer than the nutlets. nutlets
glossy but tuburculateThis is a species to collect, as it is so difficult to distinguish between Cryptantha without a dissecting scope. Ethnobotany:
Unknown, but other species in the genera have uses. Synonyms: Cryptantha muricata var. denticulata, Cryptantha muricata var. jonesii,
Cryptantha muricata var. muricata Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015 Etymology: Cryptantha comes from the Greek krypto, "hidden," and
anthos, "flower," a reference to the first described species in the genus which has inconspicuous flowers that self-fertilize without opening;
muricata means muricate, as in a surface roughened by means of hard points or sharp projections.

Peluda
Cryptantha pterocarya (Torr.) Greene var. cycloptera (Greene) J.F. Macbr
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual herbs, 10-40 cm tall; stems erect with a few ascending branches,
sparsely strigose with stiff apressed hairs. Leaves: Whorled to opposite near the base and alternate above, sessile, the basal leaves early-
withering; blades linear to oblong, 0.5-5 cm long, covered with bristles, the margins entire. Flowers: White, in cymes that are slightly
scorpionoid or not at all scorpioid; calyx lobes broadly ovate with obtuse tips, appearing angled due to thickened midribs; corolla white or
sometimes yellow, funnelform, 1-13 mm long, the limb enlarging to 5-6 mm wide as the fruit matures. Fruits: Nutlets 4 per flower, all the same
size and winged, or with 3 nutlets winged and 1 unwinged, these 2-3 mm long, lanceolate to lance-ovate, studded with blunt tubercles; the
wing on the winged nutlets is broad, light-colored, and entire or crenate. Ecology: Found on rocky and gravelly soils, below 8,000 ft (2438 m);
flowers March-June. Distribution: WA and ID, south through CA, AZ, NM and w TX; to n MEX (Sonora) Notes: Cryptantha is a genus of bristly
herbs with white or yellow flowers in spikes that are usually 1-sided and curling like a scorpion-s tail (-scorpioid-). The seeds, called -nutlets- in
the borage family, are crucial to identification of the species. As the nutlets are quite small and difficult to examine in the field with a hand lens,
it is usually necessary to make a collection of mature material for later identification under a dissecting scope. C. pterocarya is an annual of the
Intermountain West and Sonoran Desert which becomes quite common in wet years. The winged nutlets clearly distinguish it from others in
the genus. The nutlets are also larger (2-3 mm) than many other annual Cryptanthas. Ethnobotany: Unknown, but other species in the genus
have uses. Synonyms: Eritrichium pterocaryum, Krynitzkia pterocarya Editor: SBuckley, 2010, AHazelton 2015 Etymology: Cryptantha comes
from the Greek krypto, "hidden," and anthos, "flower," a reference to the first described species in the genus which has inconspicuous flowers
that self-fertilize without opening; pterocarya means wing nut from Greek pteron and karyon.

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Peluda
Cryptantha pterocarya (Torr.) Greene var. Pterocarya

Palmer's Grapplinghook
Harpagonella palmeri A. Gray var. Arizonica I.M. Johnston
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Slender spreading annual herb, 3-15 cm tall; stems disarticulating at the nodes
at maturity; herbage thinly strigose-hirsute with slender white hairs. Leaves: Tufted basally and alternate along the stems, attenuate into
slender petioles; blades linear to linear-lanceolate, 0.5-2.5 mm wide, 1-3 cm long. Flowers: Inconspicuous and crowded into short, faintly
scorpioid spikes in bud, the internodes elongating after anthesis so fruits are distant and mostly axillary, on deflexed pedicels; calyx lobes lance
linear, about 1 mm long, at anthesis strigose and reflexed; corolla salverform, barely 2 mm long, white, with a rotate limb about 1.5 mm in
diameter. Fruits: Burlike capsules 2 mm long, strigose, bearing hooked spines 1-2 mm long, on upper two-thirds; containing 2 nutlets, each
about 1 mm long. Ecology: Found in gravelly or sandy soils below 3,500 ft (1067 m); flowers March-April. Distribution: s AZ, s CA; south to n
MEX. Notes: Often found in the creosote bush shrublands and under mesquite. Similar in appearance to Pectocarya but it has appressed-
pubescent herbage to distinguish it. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Harpagonella is a diminutive form of harpago, meaning a small
grappling hook, a reference to the calyx spines, while palmeri is named for Edward Palmer (1829-1911) who was a botanist who explored the
southwestern US and northern Mexico. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2010, AHazelton 2015

Chuckwalla Combseed
Pectocarya heterocarpa (I.M. Johnston) I.M. Johnston
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Stems prostrate to procumbent, several from vase, 5-25 cm long, stigulose with
finer hairs than most species. Leaves: Linear to narrowly oblanceolate, .5-1.2 mm wide, 5-25 mm long, stiff hairs. Flowers: Small, about 2 mm
long, sepals elliptic-lanceolate or linear lanceolate, 1.5-2 mm long at anthesis, corolla white. Fruits: 2 broadly margined nutlets, margins
lacerate-toothed and deltoid teeth tipped with uncinate hairs, other 2 nutlets unmargined and somewhat reflexed, tuft of uncinate hairs
distally. Ecology: Found on arid, gravelly, sandy slopes, in valleys and washes and in disturbed areas below 5,000 ft (1524 m); flowers February-
May. Distribution: AZ, sw UT, se CA; south to n MEX (Sonora). Notes: Distinguished from other Pectocarya spp. by the nutlets which are
unequal in size on this species. Two of the nutlets are ascending and have conspicuous margins which can be entire or toothed; the other two
nutlets are recurved and lack the conspicuous margin. Also this species has strongly asymmetric calyxes. Also look for the fruits near the base of
the plant which are apparently from cleistogamous (self-fertilizing) flowers, as all four of the nutlets are recurved and lack the conspicuous
margins. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Pectocarya from the Greek pectos, combed and karua, nut, while heterocarpa is from Greek
heteros, different and karphos, a chip of wood, splinter, nail. Synonyms: Pectocarya penicillata var. heterocarpa Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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Broadfruit Combseed
Pectocarya platycarpa (Munz & Johnston) Munz & Johnston
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Small annual herbs, 4-25 cm tall; stems ascending to erect, sometimes
prostrate and spreading; herbage strigose. Leaves: Generally alternate, sessile; blades 0.5-4 cm long, linear, strigose to sharp-bristled. Flowers:
Tiny and white, on pedicels that recurve and extend in fruit to 2.5-4 mm long; calyx lobes free, equal in length; corolla funnel-shaped, white, the
limb 0.5-2.5 mm wide. Fruits: Nutlets 4, together forming a cross-shape; each nutlet 2.5-4.5 mm long, linear to spoon-shaped-oblong, recurved,
with a conspicuous toothed margin differing in texture from the rest of the nutlet; margin teeth fused at the base, the width of the teeth at
Ecology: Found in washes and roadsides in creosote-bush scrub and Joshua-tree woodland, below 5,000 ft (1524 m); flowers February-May.
Distribution: s CA to sw UT and w TX; south to nw MEX (Baja California) Notes: P. platycarpa is a fairly common delicate annual herb in the
springtime wash bottoms of the Sonoran Desert. The genus is characterized by the plus-sign shape that the nutlets form together. P. platycarpa
is distinguished from other Pectocarya spp. by the broad, conspicuous margin with wide, fused teeth which surrounds each nutlet. P. recurvata
nutlets are more strongly recurved and have a inconspicuous margins with sharp, narrow, deeply dissected teeth; P. heterocarpa has two
somewhat straight nutlets with conspicuous margins and two recurved nutlets with inconspicuous margins out of each set of four.
Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Pectocarya is from the Greek pectos, combed and karua, nut; platycarpa is from the Greek platys (broad)
and karpos (fruit). Synonyms: Pectocarya gracilis var. platycarpa, Pectocarya linearis var. platycarpa Editor: AHazelton 2015

Curvenut Combseed
Pectocarya recurvata I.M. Johnston
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Small annual herbs, 4-20 cm tall; stems ascending to erect, sometimes
prostrate and spreading; herbage strigose. Leaves: Generally alternate, sessile; blades 0.5-4 cm long, linear, strigose to sharp-bristled. Flowers:
Tiny and white, on pedicels that recurve and extend in fruit to 2-3 mm long; calyx lobes free, equal in length; corolla funnel-shaped, white, the
limb 0.5-2.5 mm wide. Fruits: Nutlets 4, together forming a cross-shape; each nutlet 2.5-4 mm long, linear, coiled to recurved, with a toothed
margin inconspicuously differing in texture from the rest of the nutlet; margin teeth free to the base, narrow, the teeth clearly longer than
Ecology: Found in the shelter of rocks, at bases of shrubs, and occasionally on roadsides, in creosote-bush scrub and Joshua-tree woodland,
below 5,000 ft (1524 m); flowers February-May. Distribution: s CA, AZ, s NV, s UT, sw NM; south to n MEX. Notes: P. recurvata is a fairly
common annual herb in the low deserts. The genus is characterized by the plus-sign shape that the nutlets form together. P. recurvata is
distinguished from other Pectocarya spp. by the strongly recurved nutlets with sharp, narrow, deeply dissected teeth around the edges; P.
platycarpa nutlets are less strongly recurved and have broad, conspicuous margins with wide, fused teeth; P. heterocarpa has two somewhat
straight nutlets with conspicuous margins and two recurved nutlets with inconspicuous margins out of each set of four. Ethnobotany: Unknown
Etymology: Pectocarya is from the Greek pectos, combed and karua, nut; recurvata refers to the strongly recurved shape of the nutlets.
Synonyms: None Editor: AHazelton 2015

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Moth Combseed
Pectocarya setosa A. Gray
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Small, herbaceous annual, erect and usually ascending, 2-25 cm, covered with
white, strigose to bristly appressed hairs. Leaves: Mostly linear, again covered with white, bristly, appressed hairs, opposite below and fused
near the base, with upper leaves often alternate. Flowers: Small, white flowers which appear to have 5-6 minute petals at the tip of 1-3 mm
corolla, flowers and sepals having evident long, white, strigose or bristly hairs, style persistent and attached to the receptacle. Fruits: Nutlets, (3
wide and 1 narrow), obovate to rounded, with thin, membranous wings surrounding the fruits and marginal, hooked prickles, off-white.
Ecology: Found on disturbed soils in sagebrush scrub, creosote flats, pi-on-juniper woodlands, and grasslands, from 500-7,500 ft (152-2286 m);
flowers April-May. Notes: This species is similar in appearance to Cryptantha, however, look for the slightly larger flowers and rounded, winged
discs of the fruit to differentiate. Ethnobotany: Unknown Synonyms: Gruvelia setosa Editor: LCrumbacher, 2011 Etymology: Pectocarya comes
from the Greek pectos, "combed," and karua, "nut," because of comb-like margins on some of the nutlets, while setosa means bristly hairy.

Arizona Popcornflower
Plagiobothrys arizonicus (A. Gray) Greene ex A. Gray
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual herb, 1 to several stems from base, simple, erect, ascending or slightly
decumbent, 10-30 cm long, hispid herbage with slender spreading hairs 1-2.5 mm long; delicate hairs among bases of spreading hairs, stems,
roots, and leaves, particularly midribs that are distinctively purplish-red. Leaves: Lanceolate to linear-oblanceolate, 1.5-5 mm broad, 1-6 cm
long, basal ones gradually narrowed to slender base, acute to obtuse at apex, strigose and with some spreading hairs, not noticeable pustulate.
Flowers: Spikes compact at anthesis, elongated and lax in fruit, to 15 cm long, naked or few-bracteate toward base; calyx lobes ovate, distinct
about one-half way to base, densely tawny-hirsute; calyx 3-4 mm long in fruit, at length circumsessile, lobes equal; corolla 2 mm long, 1.5-2 mm
broad, white. Fruits: Nutlets usually 2, sometimes fewer, ovoid, short-acute, 1.5-2 mm long, transversely rugulose, reticulate dorsal and lateral
keels. Ecology: Found on arid sandy hillsides and plains below 5,000 ft (1524 m); flowers February-May. Distribution: CA, NV, UT, AZ, w NM;
south to n MEX. Notes: Distinguished by the low-growing, often bunchy habit; ascending to prostrate red stems; red mid veins and margins of
leaves; small white flowers and especially the deep-red dye from stem bases and roots. Ethnobotany: Red coating on outside leaves and lower
stems used as a red pigment to paint the body and face. Etymology: Plagiobothrys is derived from Greek plagios, oblique or placed sideways,
and bothros, a pit or scar, arizonicus is named for Arizona. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

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Pringle's Popcornflower
Plagiobothrys pringlei Greene
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Prostrate or decumbent annual with several rather coarse stems 10-25 cm
long, from slender taproot, herbage hispid throughout. Leaves: Not developing a distinct rosette, lowermost commonly opposite, upper ones
alternate, blades linear to linear-oblong, 2-3 cm long, acute or obtuse at apex. Flowers: Borne throughout length of stems, even in axils of basal
leaves; calyx lobes narrowly linear-lanceolate, 1.5-2 mm long, somewhat spreading in fruit; corolla white, minute. Fruits: Nutlets 4, ovoid, finely
wrinkled and finely roughed, keeled both dorsally and ventrally. Ecology: Found on arid plains, sandy mesas, and hillsides from 1,000-4,500 ft
(305-1372 m); flowers February-April. Notes: Long striped nutlets is unique among the borages. Of conservation concern in Arizona.
Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Plagiobothrys is derived from Greek plagios, oblique or placed sideways, and bothros, a pit or scar, pringlei
is named for Cyrus Guernsey Pringle (1838-1911). Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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BRASSICACEAE (Mustard Family)

Perennial Rockcress
Boechera perennans (S. Wats.) W.A. Weber
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Long-lived perennial herbs, 15-70 cm tall, from a woody caudex; stems usually
2-5 per caudex branch, arising laterally just below leaf rosettes or sterile shoots, often elevated above the ground surface on woody base; lower
portions of stems densely pubescent mostly with y-shaped hairs (i.e. a short stalk forking into 2 branches); upper stems usually glabrous.
Leaves: Basal leaves petiolate, clustered in distinct rosettes; stem leaves alternate, sessile; basal blades oblanceolate to obovate, 3-20 mm
wide, margins dentate, surfaces moderately to densely pubescent with stalked, 3-6 rayed stellate hairs; stem leaves few, clasping the stem with
auricles 0.5-3.5 mm; uppermost stem leaves hairless. Flowers: White to purple, in terminal racemes of 16-35 flowers, on 1-2 cm pedicels which
are ascending in flower and horizontal in fruit; sepals 4, pubescent; petals 4 in a cross formation, white to purplish, 5-9 mm long and 1 mm
wide. Fruits: Capsules linear, 3-7 cm long and 2 mm wide, usually curved, widely pendent, glabrous; seeds 1 mm long, 1 mm wide, winged, in
one row per locule. Ecology: Found on rocky slopes and gravelly soil in warm desert, chaparral, and low montane habitats, below 6,000 ft (1829
m); flowers February-May. Distribution: AZ, CA, NV, NM, TX, UT; south to n MEX Notes: Because of hybridization, polyploidy, and self-
fertilization, Boechera is an extremely problematic group. There have been several re-organizations of this group over the years (including
splitting it out from the genus Arabis). For simplicity it is better to use a recent treatment to identify your plants; this description is based on the
Flora of North America treatment (2010) and the key divisions in the Flora Neomexicana (Allred and Ivey 2012). B. perennans is a fairly common
early-flowering perennial in the warm desert regions of the southwest. One of its distinguishing features is that it often develops a footlike
extension of the caudex between the basal leaves and the ground, appearing to be the consequence of shedding the basal leaves from the
previous season. It is most similar to B. gracilenta; it is distinguished by the woody base that elevates the stems and basal leaves above the
ground; the toothed margins on the basal leaves; and the mostly y-shaped hairs on the lower portions of the stems; and the seeds in one row
per locule. Ethnobotany: Used to treat hiccoughs caused by dry throat; to counter the effects of a bad dream; and taken or made into a lotion
to treat general body pain. Etymology: Boechera is named after Tyge Wittrock Boecher (1909-1983), born in Copenhagen, an authority on
Arctic vegetation and the flora of Greenland who also worked in Argentina; perennans means perennial. Synonyms: Arabis angulata, Arabis
arcuata var. perennans, Arabis eremophila, Arabis recondita, Boechera perennans Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017

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Popcornflower
Brassica tournefortii Gouan
Duration: Annual Nativity: Non-Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Introduced exotic, coarse winter annual with well-developed taproot,
stems simple to many-branched above, flowering branches spreading, 30-120 cm; lower part of plant hirsute with coarse, rough white hairs,
especially lower leaf surfaces, veins and margins. Leaves: Basal rosette 15-30 cm, petioled, pinnatifid with the terminal lobe usually largest, or
leaves of stunted plants often obovate and merely toothed; stem leaves reduced upwards. Flowers: Sepals 3.5-4 mm, pale, almost translucent,
drab purple-brown, slightly swollen basally; petals, stamens, and stigma pale yellow; petals 6-8 mm, corolla bilaterally symmetrical. Fruits:
Silique on pedicel 12-16 mm, spreading; silique linear, terete, 2.1-2.4 mm wide, 3.7-6 cm long with well-developed beak 11-14 mm; finely
netted inside. Ecology: Found in open, sandy soils, waste ground and disturbed sites below 3,000 ft (914 m); flowers January-June. Distribution:
Native to Mediterranean, sw Asia; Naturalized in the US from CA and s NV to TX Notes: One of the most widespread exotics in the region. Think
daikon radish in appearance, only with a much smaller root. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Brassica is the Latin name for cabbage,
tournefortii is named for Joseph Pitton de Tournefort (1656-1708). Synonyms: Brassica tournefortii var. sisymbrioides Editor: SBuckley, 2010

California Mustard
Caulanthus lasiophyllus (Hook. & Arn.) Payson
Annuals; (not glaucous), usually sparsely to densely hispid or hirsute, rarely subglabrate. Stems erect, unbranched or branched distally, (0.8-)2-
10(-16) dm, at least sparsely hirsute basally. Basal leaves soon withered. Cauline leaves petiolate (proximal and median 0.5-3 cm); blade
lanceolate to oblong or oblanceolate, pinnatifid, 2-12 cm × 5-50 mm, (smaller with fewer lobes distally), margins of lateral lobes dentate or
entire. Racemes without a terminal cluster of sterile flowers, (considerably elongated in fruit). Fruiting pedicels strongly reflexed or spreading,
(slender or thickened), (0.7-)1-2.2(-3) mm. Flowers: sepals erect, oblong, 2-4 × 0.7-1 mm, (not saccate or urceolate); petals usually white to
creamy white, rarely pinkish, (narrowly oblanceolate), 2.5-5(-6.5) × 0.9-1.1 mm, not channeled or crisped, claw undifferentiated from blade;
filaments slightly tetradynamous, median pairs 3-4.5 mm, lateral pair 1.5-2.5 mm; anthers ovate, equal, 0.4-0.7 mm. Fruits ascending or
descending (straight to slightly curved, sometimes subtorulose), terete, 2-4.8(-5.7) cm × 0.7-1.2 mm; valves each with obscure midvein,
(glabrous or sparsely pubescent); ovules 14-60 per ovary; style 0.5-2 mm; stigma subentire. Seeds (brown), 0.9-1.5 × 0.6-1 mm. 2n = 28.
Flowering Mar-May. Desert flats, gravelly areas, limestone rocks, talus slopes, shrub communities, hillsides, sandy banks, disturbed sites, grassy
fields, ravines; 0-1400 m; Ariz., Calif., Nev., N.Mex., Oreg., Utah, Wash.; Mexico (Baja California, Sonora). Caulanthus lasiophyllus is highly
variable in flower size, leaf morphology, fruit morphology (length, width, curvature, presence or absence of indumentum) and orientation,
number of ovules per ovary, and plant height. This species is badly in need of thorough studies at both populational and molecular levels, and it
is very likely that some varieties recognized by E. B. Payson (1923), such as var. rigidus, may well represent distinct species or subspecies.

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Pamita
Descurainia pinnata (walt.) Britt. Ssp. Ochroleuca (Woot.) Detling
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual herbs, 10-70 cm tall, from a slender taproot; stems usually branched,
sparsely to densely pubescent, sometimes glabrous near the top, glandular or not. Leaves: Basal leaves on petioles, withering before flowering;
stem leaves alternate, sessile or short-petiolate; blades 1-15 cm long, once or twice pinnate, with 4-9 pairs of linear to ovate lateral lobes, the
margins entire or toothed; surfaces densely pubescent. Flowers: Whitish to yellow in terminal racemes, on 3-20 mm long pedicels which are
ascending in flower and ascending to spreading and sometimes recurved when in fruit; sepals 4, spreading to ascending 1-3 mm long, yellow,
purple, or rose; petals 4 in a cross formation, 1-3 mm long, whitish to yellow. Fruits: Capsules clavate (club-spaped), 4-15 mm long and 1-2 mm
wide, erect to ascending, not at all constricted between the seeds, glabrous; seeds less than 1 mm long, oblong, reddish-brown, in two rows per
locule. Ecology: Found in variety of soils and conditions, below 8,000 ft (2438 m); flowers April-August. Distribution: Throughout N. Amer.
except for AK and Yukon, CAN. Notes: Descurainia is a genus of weedy-looking mustards with feathery, pinnately lobed leaves, racemes of
inconspicuous white to yellow flowers, and narrow seed pods. The raceme is compact when in flower and then expands substantially in fruit so
that the seed pods are well-spaced along the stalk. To distinguish among the various species of Descurainia, focus on the shape, size, and
orientation of the seed pods. D. pinnata has seed pods which are a bit wider and rounded at the tip compared to the base (clavate, or club-
shaped), about 1 cm long, not constricted between the seeds, and the pods point upwards even though the pedicels tend to be more horizontal
or only slightly upward pointing. D. obtusa and D. sophia both have narrow (1 mm wide), linear seed pods longer than 1 cm 1 which are slightly
constricted between the seeds and can be horizontal or upward pointing. There are 2 subspecies in our area. Subsp. glabra has glabrous central
stalks of the racemes, and subsp. ochroleuca has canescent (white-woolly) stems and rose-colored or purple sepals. Host plant for Spring
White, Checkered White, Pearly Marble, and Sara Orangetip butterflies. Ethnobotany: Edible greens and seeds. Tansy mustard appears in clan
names and migration tales as an important plant. Etymology: Descurainia is named for French pharmacist and botanist Franscois Descourain
(1658-1740); pinnata means feathered or winged, referring to the leaves. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton
2017

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Gasa
Draba cuneifolia Nutt. ex Torr. & A. Gray var. Integrifolia S. Wats
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual herb, 1-25 cm tall, from a slender taproot; stems simple or branched at
the base, pubescent at least near the base with simple and/or forked hairs. Leaves: Crowded at or near the base; basal leaves orbicular to ovate
or obovate, 0.5-5 cm long, 2-27 mm wide, entire or often with a few teeth near the tips, pubescent with 2-4 forked hairs and sometimes simple
ones as well; stem leaves few to several, similar to the basal leaves but usually much reduced. Flowers: White and inconspicuous, in terminal
racemes on long stalks, the racemes crowded in flower but elongating in fruit; pedicels spreading to ascending, 1-10 mm long, with branched
hairs; sepals 4, pubescent, 2 mm long; petals 4 in a cross formation, white, 3-5 mm long. Fruits: Capsules oblong to linear, strongly laterally
compressed, 4-15 mm long and 2-4 mm wide, hairy or glabrous; seeds less than 1 mm long, 20 or more per capsule. Ecology: Found in sandy
soil or rocky slopes, from 1,000-7,000 ft (305-2135 m); flowers February-May. Distribution: Much of the s half of the US, from CA east to PA;
south to c MEX. Notes: Distinguished by being a diminutive annual covered in stellate (branched) hairs (use your hand lens), with leaves in a
basal rosette; several nearly leafless flower stalks, usually only a few inches long, rising out of the cluster of leaves; clusters of small, 4-petaled
white flowers at the tops of the flowering stalks with fruits spreading off below; fruits are usually hairy, plump and slightly elongated, flattened
and curved upwards. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Draba is from the Greek drabe for sharp or acrid, probably referring to the taste of
the leaves; cuneifolia means leaves tapered at the base. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017

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Lentejilla
Lepidium lasiocarpum Nutt
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual herb, 15-40 cm tall, from a slender taproot; stems few to several per
plant, erect to ascending (sometimes outer stems decumbent), and branching above the base; herbage hirsute to hispid with unbranched hairs.
Leaves: Basal leaves petiolate, not forming distinct rosettes, usually early-withering; stem leaves alternate, usually short-petiolate; blades
oblanceolate, 1-8 cm long and 4-30 mm wide, pinnatifid to dentate, the uppermost leaves sometimes entire. Flowers: Small and white, in
multiple terminal racemes, each 2-10 cm long, often crowded on larger plants; pedicels flattened, 2-4 mm long, glabrous or pubescent; sepals
4, oblong, 1 mm long; petals 4 in a cross formation, 1 mm long, white. Fruits: Capsules round to ovate, flat, 2-3 mm across, with notch at the
tip; persistent style absent or present but inconspicuous, 0.1 mm long, much smaller than the notch where it sits; seeds brown, ovate, 2 mm
long. Ecology: Found in playas, washes, arroyos, beaches, saline soils, roadsides and other disturbed areas, below 6,500 ft (1981 m); flowers
February-May. Distribution: CA, NV, UT, AZ, CO, NM, w TX; south to C. Amer. Notes: Lepidium is a genus in the mustard family with distinctive
small, round, flat seed pods and small white flowers. The primary characteristic that distinguishes L. lasiocarpum from other similar species is its
flattened, hairy fruiting pedicels (use your hand lens). It is also distinguished by this combination of traits: plants are taprooted annuals; stems
and leaves are hirsute to hispid but not covered with scurfy scales; upper stem leaves are sessile to short-petiolate but not clasping the stem;
racemes are erect and located at branch tips; flowers have only 2 stamens; seed pods are hairy, at least on the margins, and are not wrinkled.
There are 2 subspecies: subsp. wrightii has seed pods covered in pustular-based hairs, and subsp. lasiocarpum has seed pods with non-pustular
hairs. Ethnobotany: Plant used as a disinfectant; seeds were gathered, ground, parched, and eaten in a variety of ways. Synonyms: None
Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017 Etymology: Lepidium comes from the Greek lepidion, meaning "a little scale," in
reference to the flattened shape of the seed pods; lasiocarpum means having woolly seeds or fruits.

Moapa Bladderpod
Physaria tenella (A. Nelson) O’Kane & Al-Shehbaz
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual, sparsely to densely stellate pubescent with some simple hairs, finely
glandular; stems slender 15-60 cm tall, decumbent to erect, often branched in larger plants; clambers through small shrubs. Leaves: Narrowly
elliptic to obovate, entire to wavy, or shallowly or sometimes coarsely toothed; other stems leaves elliptic to linear, entire and sessile above.
Flowers: Racemes 9-20 cm, flowers widely spaced, bright yellow, showy, 9-10 mm wide; petals 8-10 mm. Fruits: Fruiting pedicels S-shaped,
often 15-18 mm; globose fruit 3.5-4.8 mm wide. Ecology: Found on sandy and rocky soils in washes and on slopes below 4,000 ft (1219 m);
flowers February-March. Distribution: CA, s NV, UT; south to nw MEX. Notes: L. tenella is told apart from L. gordonii by the stellate hairs of the
ovary and fruits, and by the margined seeds. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Physaria is from Greek phusa or physa or bellows, while
tenella is Latin for quite delicate, dainty. Synonyms: Lesquerella tenella Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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London Rocket
Sisymbrium irio L
Duration: Annual Nativity: Non-Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual herb, up to 75 cm tall, from a taproot; stems erect, branching from
base and above; herbage glabrous to sparsely pubescent. Leaves: Basal leaves petiolate, not arranged in a rosette; stem leaves alternate,
petiolate; blades oblanceolate or oblong in outline, 3-12 cm long, pinnately divided into 2-6 pairs of lobes; margins entire, dentate, or lobed;
uppermost stem leaves sometimes not lobed. Flowers: Yellow, in usually several terminal racemes per plant; pedicels ascending, 5-14 mm,
slender, much narrower than the fruit; sepals 4, green; petals 4, 3-4 mm long, yellow; Fruits: Capsules linear, slender, < 1 mm in diameter, 2-5
cm long, curving upward. Seeds oblong, yellow, less than 1 mm long. Ecology: Fairly widespread weed of all disturbed areas below 4,500 ft
(1372 m); flowers February-May. Distribution: Native to the Asia and the Mediterranean; now found throughout the world. In the US from CA,
NV, AZ, UT, CO, NM, TX, the midwest and FL. Notes: Introduced from Eurasia, this is an abundant weed distinguished by being an erect annual
with mostly glabrous foliage; pinnately lobed leaves with broad lobes which are not filiform; yellow flowers and elongated, slender, linear,
terete fruits 3 cm or longer with a very small thickened section near the end. The common name London rocket is misleading, as this plant is
also an introduced species in the British Isles. Distinguish from S. altissimum based on the fruiting pedicels, which are slender on S. irio and
stout on S. altissimum, about the same width as the seed pod. Ethnobotany: Used by the Pima as food. Seeds were parched and made into
pinole and leaves were eaten raw, boiled, or fried. Etymology: Sisymbrium is from sisymbrion, an ancient Greek name referring to a number of
different mustards; irio is a reference to an old kind of cress. Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2015, AHazelton 2017

Sand Fingepod
Thysanocarpus curvipes Hook
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual with simple or branched stem, 10-80 cm tall, hairs generally below.
Leaves: Oblong to elliptic or linear, 12-60 cm long, dentate to shallowly lobed, middle and upper cauline sessile, entire to dentate, base lobed,
clasping stem. Flowers: Racemes without bracts, sepals about 1 mm, often purplish with a white margin, petals white or purple tinged, just
exceeding the sepals. Fruits: Silicle elliptic to round, 5-8 mm, hairy or not, wing entire, wavy-margined or crenate, often perforated, pedicel
recurved, 4-7 mm. Ecology: Found on slopes, in washes, and desert scrub below 7,000 ft (2134 m); flowers March-May. Notes: This species is
named fringepod because of the distinctive margins of the silicle, that makes it hard to not know this plant as it is fruiting in spring.
Ethnobotany: Taken for stomachaches and the seeds were used in pinole mixtures. Etymology: Thysanocarpus comes from Greek thusanos,
fringe and karpos, fruit, which is a reference to the fringed silique, while curvipes means with curved feet or stalks. Synonyms: Thysanocarpus
amplectens, Thysanocarpus curvipes var. elegans, Thysanocarpus curvipes var. eradiatus, Thysanocarpus curvipes var. longistylus,
Thysanocarpus elegans Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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CACTACEAE (Cactus Family)

Saguaro
Carnegiea gigantea (Engelm.) Britton & Rose
Common Name: saguaro Duration: Perennial Protected Status: Highly safeguarded, Salvage restricted in Arizona. General: Upright, a large
simple stem with 1 to several lateral branches reaching 16 m tall with branches 30-65 cm in diameter and 12-25 ribs that are obtuse and 1-3 cm
high, which varies with water availability. Spines: Aeroles 2-4 cm apart on older growth, crowded at apex of stem, the spines on top needle
shaped, yellowish brown and extending forward, the central spine more stout than the radial ones, these up to 7-8 cm long, dark brown to
black. Flowers: Nocturnal and 10-12 cm long by 5-8 cm diameter when expressed, the floral tube is 1-1.5 cm long and green with a throat 2.5-
3.5 cm long and perianth segments that are waxy white, with white filaments. Fruits: Green berry tinged with red, fleshy, 6-10 cm long, splitting
irregularly. Ecology: Found on rocky or gravelly soils on slopes, rocky ridges, outwash fans, canyons, and benches from 500-3,500 ft (152-1067
m), flowers May (rarely in August with rains). Distribution: se CA, s AZ, nw MEX Notes: You know this plant. If not, you-d better learn it.
Ethnobotany: O'odham peoples have gathered the fruits using traditional long sticks. The fruit has uses that range from mush, to wine, to jam,
syrup, to using the seeds for oil; the plant can be used for splints, furniture, fences and for fodder. Etymology: Carnegiea is named for Andrew
Carnegie (1835 1919), while gigantea refers to the enormous size. Synonyms: Cereus giganteus Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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Buckhorn Cholla
Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa (Engelm. & Bigelow) F.M. Knuth var. coloradensis (L.D. Benson) D.J.
Pinkava
Common Name: buck-horn cholla Duration: Perennial Protected Status: Salvage restriced status in Arizona. General: Small tree or shrub that is
sparsely to much branched, 1-2 m tall with stem segments firmly attached, these cylindric 10-30 cm long and 2-2.5 cm in diameter, with
prominent tubercles that range from narrow to broad, 1.5-4.5 cm long. Spines: Areoles white, yellowish, to tan, almost felty, aging gray black,
elliptic to subcircular, 4-5.5 mm long, 4-5 mm wide. The spines in areoles toward the tips with 6-20 per areole, each with 0-5 short bristle spines
at the areole margins, the apical spines are terete, yellow or tan. Flowers: Inner tepals bright yellow to bronze to brick red, spatulate, the small
pointed tip notched 2-3 cm long, the filaments dark red and the anthers yellow with the style and stigmas white to light green. Fruits: Tan at
maturity, obconic to ellipsoid with basal tubercles the longest, dry with apical flange above shallow umbilicus, 1.5-3.5 cm long, 1.5-2 cm in
diameter, densely to sparsely spiny, rarely spineless, with 12-30 areoles. Ecology: Found on sandy flats to rocky slopes from 500-5,000 ft (152-
1524 m), flowers March-June Distribution: sw UT, s NV to s CA, w AZ and Sonora, MEX. Notes: There are four varieties in Arizona: var. thornberi
is told apart by its 25-45 mm long prominent tubercles, with gray green segments, and not or barely interlaced areoles; var. acanthocarpa told
apart by the whitish to light brown spines 15-25 per areole and oval tubercles, var. coloradensis has branches mostly at acute angles, with
yellowish green segments 15-30 cm long; var. major has branches mostly at obtuse angles with green to dark green segments, 8-20 cm and 14-
18 spines per areole. Ethnobotany: Dry woody joints make handicrafts, stem ash was applied to burns or cuts, taken for stomach troubles, the
fruits was gathered and eaten fresh or dried, pit roasted, and baked for food. Etymology: Cylindropuntia is from Greek kylindros or a cylinder,
plus the genus Opuntia, while acanthocarpa means with thorny fruits like the genus Acanthus. Synonyms: Opuntia acanthocarpa Editor:
SBuckley, 2010

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Arizona Pencil Cholla

Cylindropuntia arbuscula (Engelm.) Knuth
Common Name: Arizona pencil cholla Duration: Perennial Protected Status: Salvage restriced status in Arizona. General: Shrubby chollas that
are 1-2.5 m, as wide or wider than tall, intricately branched with a dense crown, the trunk short, often well developed, up to 15 cm to the
lowest branch, can reach 16 cm in diameter. The bark smooth and dark bronze on older branches and young trunks, becoming dark gray, scaly,
and flaking with age, usually much branched above, the joints 3.5-15 cm long, 7-12 mm wide, green to yellow-green all year, becoming shorter
upwards. Spines: Spines 0-5 and sparsely distributed along stem, pale yellow at apex to red-brown at base, aging black, stout and usually
deflexed, the longest 1-5 cm long; sheaths loose-fitting, yellowish brown. The glochids are pale yellow and encircle the areole in an apical tuft
with only a few marginal ones. Flowers: The inner tepals are dark bronze to orange bronze to a greenish yellow or yellow brown, spatulate,
apiculate, 1.5-2 cm long, with dark green-bronze filaments and yellow anthers with a style that is whitish basally to light orange apically with
very pale green stigmas. Fruits: Green even when ripe, becoming yellowish apically, sometimes purplish at areoles, commonly sterile, narrow
and tuberculate to 2.5 cm long, the fertile ones obconic-stipitate, becoming smooth and spineless, fleshy, 2.5-5 cm long, 1.5-3.5 cm in diameter,
wi Ecology: Found in sandy-silty or granitic soils, bajadas, desertscrub, small washes, shallow drainages and in Larrea flats from 1,000-3,500 ft
(305-1067 m), flowers April-June. Notes: During years of drought flower buds often dry without opening. Ethnobotany: Fruits boiled with
saltbush and used for food, calyxes pit roasted with inkweed and dried for future use or eaten fresh, flowers pit roasted and eaten, the young
joints boiled and eaten as a vegetable in times of want by the Papago. Etymology: Cylindropuntia is from Greek kylindros or a cylinder, plus the
genus Opuntia, while arbuscula means resembling a small tree. Synonyms: Opuntia arbuscula Editor: LCrumbacher, 2010

Teddybear Cholla
Cylindropuntia bigelovii (Engelm.) Knuth var. Bigelovii.
Common Name: teddybear cholla Duration: Perennial Protected Status: Salvage restriced status in Arizona. Spines: Areoles white, yellow, to a
felty brownish but aging gray, elliptic-deltoid, 3-7 cm long, 2-4 mm wide, with 7-11 spines at most areoles, these spines pale yellow to tan and
aging dark brown. The upper spines terete and erect, spreading, 20-30 mm long, basal subterete to flattened. Flowers: Inner tepals pale green
and sometimes red-tipped, these spatulate with an irregular margin each 20-35 mm long. Bearing pale green filaments with yellow orange
anthers, a light green style, and a cream to green stigma. Fruits: Yellow and strongly tuberculate, cylindric to broadly obconic, fleshy and
leathery, becoming spineless, 22-40 mm long and 16- 20 mm diameter with 36-76 areoles. Ecology: Found on sandy flats to gravelly slopes to
rocky washes, bajadas, and hillsides from 1,000-3,000 ft (305-914 m), flowers March-June Distribution: sw UT and s NV to n MEX (Sonora, Baja
California Notes: Ours is var. bigelovii. Known to hybridize with C. acanthocarpa var. major. Ethnobotany: The buds were cooked, roasted or
baked, eaten, and stored for food. Etymology: Cylindropuntia is from Greek kylindros or a cylinder, plus the genus Opuntia, while bigelovii is
named for Dr. John Milton Bigelow (1804 -1878) a botanist who collected as part of the Whipple survey of 1853-1854. Synonyms: Opuntia
bigelovii Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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Chain-fruit Cholla
CACTACEAE (Cactus Family) Cont.

Cylindropuntia fulgida (Engelm.) Knuth

Common Name: jumping cholla Duration: Perennial Protected Status: Salvage restriced status in Arizona. Spines: Areoles gold to tan felty but
aging gray to black, obdeltoid, 5-7 mm long by 2.5-4 mm wide. Bearing spines 0-12 per areole, yellowish, aging brown, with uniformly whitish
sheaths, the upper spines erect and tending to spread in all directions, the sheaths are loose, terete to subterete,with the largest to 3 cm long.
The basal spines erect to deflexed but basally flattened, the largest to 3.5 cm long with yellow glochids in an apical tuft and scattered along
areole margins, these 1-3 mm. Flowers: Opening in late afternoon or evening with pink to magenta inner tepals, these obovate to strap like and
with a small notch at the tip, the tepals 12-16 mm long. The filaments pale pink to magenta with white to cream anthers, a pinkish style and
whitish to pale yellow stigmas. Fruits: Gray green and obconic, borne on a stalk and forming long pendulous chains that branch, fleshy and
spineless with tubercles becoming obscure. The basal fruits are 32-55 mm long by 23-45 mm wide, with terminal fruits 20-33 mm long by 12-23
mm diameter, bot Ecology: Found on sandy flats, rocky slopes, and rolling hillsides from 500-4,000 ft (152-1219 m), flowers April-Sept. Notes:
The fruit can persist for up to 22 + years, with the seeds remaining viable no matter how many years the fruits persist on the plants, and even
after the fruits have fallen and taken root. There are two varieties in Arizona: var. fulgida and var. mamilla Ethnobotany: The buds were pit
baked and eaten as a staple food, as were the young shoots which were eaten in summer. Etymology: Cylindropuntia is from Greek kylindros or
a cylinder, plus the genus Opuntia, while fulgida might mean resembling something shiny. Synonyms: Opuntia fulgida Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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Christmas Cholla
Cylindropuntia leptocaulis (DC.) Knuth
Common Name: Christmas cactus Duration: Perennial Protected Status: Salvage restriced status in Arizona. General: Shrub-sized cactus, 0.5-
1.5 m tall; stems jointed and branching mostly at right angles with an alternate branching pattern; stem segments gray-green or purplish,
cylinder shaped, 2-8 cm long and 3-6 mm in diameter, with linear tubercles which look like elongate wrinkles when dried (tubercles are the
regularly-spaced bumps along the stems; the tip of each tubercle has an areole with a cluster of spines emerging from it). Terminal stem joints
are usually spineless. Spines: Spines emerge from broadly elliptic, woolly white to yellow areoles which turn gray with age. Spines usually 0-1
per areole, but occasionally up to 3 per areole; spines are erect, flexible, straight or arching, terete with an angular-flattened base; spine color is
red-brown with grey-white coating and yellow at the tip; the longest spines are 14-45 mm long. Each spine has a grey, purple-grey, or yellow
sheath, unless it fell off already. Each areole also has a tuft of yellow or reddish brown glochids (fine barbed bristles), 1-5 mm long. Flowers:
Petals numerous, pale yellow to greenish yellow and sometimes red-tipped, narrowly obovate, 5-8 mm long, with a small pointed tip; stamens
numerous, with filaments that are greenish-yellow, topped with yellow anthers; style yellow, topped with a ring of greenish-yellow stigma
lobes. Fruits: Fruits fleshy, red (occasionally yellow), smooth or covered in minute glochids, obovoid, 1-3 cm long and 6-12 mm wide, with 16-20
areoles; seeds round to square-ish, 3-5 mm wide, pale-yellow. Ecology: Found on sandy, loamy, or gravelly soils in deserts, grasslands,
chaparral, woodlands, flats, bajadas, and slopes, below 5,000 ft (1524 m); flowers March- August. Distribution: AZ, NM, TX, s OK; south to n
MEX. Notes: Commonly known as Christmas cactus, this species is distinguished by the narrow stems (only about 1/2 cm in diameter) and the
bright red fruits. This plant grows much taller when growing in a nurse plant association with mesquite or palo verde. Ethnobotany: Fruits were
used to sweeten and add potency to tulbai, a beer-like beverage made by fermenting sprouted corn; the small fruits were also eaten raw.
Etymology: Cylindropuntia comes from kylindros, for the cylinder-shaped stem segments, and the related genus Opuntia, from which this genus
was segregated. Leptocaulis means slender-stemmed. Synonyms: Opuntia leptocaulis Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017

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Tucson Pricklypear
Cylindropuntia x tetracantha (Toumey) Knuth
Common Name: Tucson pricklypear Duration: Perennial Protected Status: Salvage restriced status in Arizona. General: Sprawling to suberect
shrub 0.5-1.3 m tall that is open and widely branching with alternate stem segments, the stems green to gray green and 5-28 cm long by 0.7-1.4
cm wide, with moderately prominent tubercles that are narrowly elongate and 1.5-3 cm. Spines: Bearing 1-4 spines per areole in all but lowest
parts of the stem segment, usually all deflexed and yellow with whitish to pinkish basal coating, generally they are moderately stout to needle
shaped. The sheaths whitish at base to golden at the tips with areoles that are subcircular and 1.5-3 mm diameter with a tan wool that ages
gray, and yellow glochids in an apical tuft encircling the areole about 1-3 mm. Flowers: Inner tepals greenish bronze to red to magenta and 10-
15 mm, spatulate to obovate near the tip with reddish filaments and light yellow anthers. Fruits: Commonly sterile, often proliferating and
green but becoming yellow with red blush to red, they are obconic to obovate stipitate, 15-23 mm by 10-20 mm and fleshy with 10-18 areoles.
Ecology: Found on desert flats, hills, and desert scrub from 1,500-3,500 ft (457-1067 m), flowers April-June. Notes: Looks similar to C. arbuscula
but has many more prominent tubercles. Thought to be a hybrid of C. acanthocarpa and C. leptocaulis it can be confused with other hybrids,
especially between C. leptocaulis and C. spinosior which is spineless, reddish and has strongly tuberculate fruits. Ethnobotany: Unknown
Etymology: Cylindropuntia is from Greek kylindros or a cylinder, plus the genus Opuntia, while tetracantha is from the Greek tetra for four and
akan tha for spine or thorn. Synonyms: Opuntia californica, Opuntia kleiniae var. tetracantha, Opuntia x tetracantha Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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Engelmann's Hedgehog Cactus

Echinocereus engelmannii (Parry ex Engelm.) Lem.
Common Name: Engelmann's hedgehog cactus Duration: Perennial Protected Status: No status in Arizona. General: Perennial succulent with 3-
60 stems that are in open to dense masses or mounds 30-60 cm across with erect cylindric stems that are tapering near top, usually 3-9 cm
wide, each with 10-13 ribs, the crests slightly undulate, with areoles 6-10 mm apart. Spines: Usually 15-20 spines per areole, these are usually
straight but of variable color, there are 6-14 radial-spines per areole about 8-20 mm long. There are 4-6 central spines per areole, these are
divergent and extended forward, with the lower central spine often fading whitish and flat to sharply angled (terete in some areas). Flowers:
Tepals rose pink to magenta and varying from paler to darker, overall the flowers are 6-9 cm long and 5-9 cm wide, with a flower tube 13-30
mm by 10-30 mm, the tepal tips thin, and bearing delicate yellow anthers. Fruits: Fleshy fruit red or orangish, 25-45 mm with whitish pulp
becoming infused with pink or red. Skin thin, with large and readily detachable spine clusters; fruit juicy, edible; seeds black, tuberculate.
Ecology: Found in gravelly, sandy, or rocky soils from 2,000-5,000 ft (610-1524 m), flowers March-April. Distribution: s UT to Sonora and Baja
Calif., MEX. Notes: There is extensive variation in this species. For that matter, there are many varieties. FNA discusses some of this variation
and the difficulties in distinguishing them. The Benson 1969 key has the separation between E. engelmanii and other species as being the
basally flattened principal spine, which is sharp angled in cross section, this species also always has 4 or more central spines according to FNA.
Key to field ID are the 4-6 long twisted central spines, 6-14 radial spines, all of which are yellow to white. Ethnobotany: The ripe fruits were
eaten raw or boiled and then eaten. Etymology: Echinocereums is fro the Greek echinos, hedgehog or spine and cereus, waxy, while
engelmannii is named for Georg Engelmann (1809-1884) a German born, American botanical collector. Synonyms: Cereus engelmannii, Cereus
munzii, Echinocereus engelmannii var. acicularis, Echinocereus engelmannii var. armatus, Echinocereus engelmannii var. chrysocentrus,
Echinocereus engelmannii var. howei, Echinocereus engelmannii var. munzii Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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Biznaga
Ferocactus cylindraceus (Engelm.) Orcutt
Common Name: California barrel cactus Duration: Perennial Protected Status: No status in Arizona. General: Stems cylindric, straight and erect
or nearly so (rarely leaning) 45-150 cm tall by 25-40 cm wide, with 21-31 ribs that are shallowly notched immediately above each areole, the
plant is generally taller than wide. Spines: Spines 12-32 per areole with the central spines and larger radial spines whitish, yellowish, pink, dull
red or brown, the smallest spines per areole are slender and sometimes bristlelike but less than 1 mm in diameter, there are 4 central spines
per areole with a curved principal central spine with an upper surface that is flat to concave and 36-40 mm long by 2-4.5 mm wide, the central
spine of each areole curved or twisted but not strongly hooked. Flowers: Maroon outside and yellow inside, they are 3-6 cm long and 6 cm
wide, sessile and radial, the inner tepals are yellow but rarely with reddish midstripes while the stigma lobes are yellow to red. Fruits: Fleshy or
leathery to scaly and bright yellow, 30-40 mm tall by 15-20 mm wide, they are readily dehiscent through basal pore. Ecology: Found on gravelly
or rocky slopes and sandy areas from sea level to 5,000 ft (1524 m), flowers early spring to summer. Notes: This is similar in appearance to the
F. wislizeni, but is different in that it grows (generally) straight up, rather than leaning. Another note in FNA suggests that the earlier recognized
varieties are not consistent. Ethnobotany: The plant was used as a reliable source of water, the buds were sun dried for food, eaten fresh,
parboiled, or baked in a pit. Etymology: Ferocactus from Latin ferus, fierce and cactus referring to spines, while cylindraceus means long, round,
and cylindrical. Synonyms: Ferocactus acanthodes Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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Cabeza de Viejo
Mammillaria grahamii Engelm.
Common Name: Graham's nipple cactus Duration: Perennial Protected Status: Salvage restriced status in Arizona. General: Low globular cactus
that is either branched or unbranched plant with 0-9 branches and diffuse roots, the stems are spheric to cylindric and 5-16 cm tall by 3.5-7 cm
wide with tubercles that are 5-12 mm by 3.5-7 mm with axils that appear naked. Spines: Spines 26-33 per areole and glabrous, with 17-35 radial
spines that are whitish or pale tan and bristlelike, these 6-12 mm long and less that 1 mm wide and stiff, the 3-4 central spines have 1-3 hooked
ones which are reddish to purplish brown to black and the others shorter, less colored and straight. Flowers: Roughly 2 cm by 2 cm with the
outermost tepal margins minutely fringed with inner tepals that are bright rose pink to rose purple, 10-16 mm long by 4-8 mm wide, with
stigma lobes that are yellow green to green and 3-7 mm. Fruits: Fleshy fruits green turning bright red, scarlet to carmine, they are barrel shaped
and elongating until the color change is complete, often with the floral remnants. Ecology: Found on silty, sandy, gravelly, or rocky soils, often
on slopes in the chaparral and grasslands from 2,000-5,000 ft (610-1524 m); flowers April-September, fruits September-March. Distribution: s
CA, AZ, s NM, TX; south to n MEX. Notes: Distinguished by being erect with tubercles; hooked central spines; no nipples visible; the flowers
ringed around towards the top but not at the apex of the 4-7 cm wide stem; and the 2.5 cm wide pink tepals which are not or only minutely
fringed, and are followed by elongated bright red fruits. There are quite a few varieties, at least historically. The systematics according to FNA
seem to make this a geographically variable species, rather than making species distinctions. Benson 1969 listed two varieties. Ethnobotany:
The dried fruit was cooked and eaten, as was the raw fruit, it was boiled and placed warm in the ear for earaches, and the raw pulp was eaten,
primarily by children as a snack food. Etymology: Mammillaria from the Latin mammilla, a nipple, while grahamii is named for James Duncan
Graham (1799-1865), he was the astronomer for the survey of the final boundary between Mexico and the United States in 1851. Synonyms:
Mammillaria grahamii var. grahamii, Mammillaria grahamii var. oliviae, Mammillaria microcarpa, Mammillaria microcarpai var. auricarpa,
Mammillaria milleri, Mammillaria oliviae Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

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Dollarjoint Pricklypear
Opuntia chlorotica Engelm. & Bigelow
Common Name: dollarjoint pricklypear Duration: Perennial Protected Status: Salvage restricted status in Arizona. Spines: Absent or mostly in
upper areoles, they are yellow and aging red brown to blackish while being straight or weakly curved, the larger spines are 0-7 per areole and
are terete or basally flattened, 25-45 mm, with usually with few straight to wavy bristle spines, the glochids are crowded in a narrow crescent
along the upper margins of the areoles and are yellow but aging reddish brown and reach 14 mm. Flowers: Flower 4-6 cm diameter by 5-7.5 cm
long with yellow inner tepals (sometimes with reddish blush near base) that are broadly spatulate and apiculate, 2-3 cm, with filaments that are
white to yellow, while the style and fresh stigmas are white to yellowish or very pale green. Fruits: Fleshy red and barrel shaped, 30-60 mm long
by 18-40 mm wide, they are glabrous and spineless with 40-68 areoles. Ecology: Found on rocky ledges on hills, in canyons, and rarely on desert
flats, in desert grasslands, woodlands, and chaparral from 2,000-8,000 ft (610-2438 m), flowers April-June, fruits in summer or fall. Distribution:
s CA, s NV, AZ, sw NM; south to c MEX. Notes: Told apart from other Opuntia by the well-defined trunk, the paucity of spines where areoles are
mostly dense patches of yellow glochids with few yellow, generally deflexed spines; and the mostly orbicular pads. Ethnobotany: The raw fruits
were eaten. Etymology: Opuntia from ancient root puncti for prickled, while chlorotica means pale yellowish green. Synonyms: None Editor:
SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

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Cactus Apple
Opuntia engelmannii Salm-Dyck
Common Name: cactus apple Duration: Perennial Protected Status: Salvage restricted status in Arizona. General: Shrubs- like cactus, 1-3 m tall,
from a short trunk which is sometimes decumbent; stems jointed into a series of flattened pads; pads circular to obovate or rhombic, 15-40 cm
long by 10-40 cm wide, yellow green to blue green, often glaucous, with areoles in diagonal row across the middle of the pads; juvenile plants
have pads that bear long hair-like spines. Spines: Spines usually 1-6 per areole, straight or slightly curved and wider toward the base, the color
ranging from white to yellow with red to dark brown at the base, and aging to gray or black; the longest spine at each areole is 1-5 cm long,
spreading or reflexed. Each areole also has a scattered yellow to red-brown glochids (fine barbed bristles), of irregular lengths, up to 1 cm long,
which turn gray or black with age. Flowers: Petals numerous, yellow to buff but sometimes orange to pink to red, 3-4 cm long; stamens
numerous, whitish to cream-colored filaments; style is whitish to cream-colored, topped with a ring of yellow green to green stigma lobes.
Fruits: Fleshy, deep red to purple, spineless, and elongate-ovate to barrel shaped, 3-9 cm long by 2-4 cm in diameter, with 20-32 areoles near
the top of the fruit; seeds flat and round to triangular, tan to grayish, 2-6 mm long. Ecology: Found on sandy, gravelly, or rocky soils, slopes,
bajadas, and flats from 1,000-9,000 ft (305-2743 m); flowers April-July. Distribution: s CA, AZ, NM, TX; south to c MEX. Notes: There are four
recognized varieties: var. engelmannii, var. flavispina, var. lindheimeri, and var. linguiformis. Consult Pinkava 2003 for clarification of a variety
type. The systematics of this species and O. phaeacantha still appear to remain unresolved, perhaps due to hybridization. The variability of
these species is significant and as such other texts should be consulted to clearly distinguish among them. Overall, good characters for easy
identification are the larger size of plants, being several segments(pads) tall, the large pads, with generally three visible central spines, often
with spines and obvious patches of sparse glochids in areoles over the entire pad; and the consistently golden- yellow flower petals, whereas
other species have various colored bases. Ethnobotany: A poultice of the heated plant applied to the breasts was an aid for breast-feeding; the
ripe tunas (fruit) are eaten fresh, dried, ground, mixed with corn meal, used as a red dye, fermented for a beverage, and made into a syrup; the
tender pads are eaten as nopalitos. Etymology: Opuntia is from Latin root puncti for prickled; engelmannii is named for Georg Engelmann
(1809-1884) a German born, American botanical collector. Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017

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Dark-spine Pricklypear
Opuntia phaeacantha Engelm.
Common Name: tulip pricklypear Duration: Perennial Protected Status: Salvage restriced status in Arizona. Spines: Spines emerge from
obovate to elliptic, tan to brown areoles which turn gray with age; spines present at most areoles or sometimes only on the upper quarter of
each pad; when present, spines 2-8 per areole, with the largest spines 3-7 cm long, usually deflexed, straight or curved, and distinctly wide and
flat at the base, the color brown to red-brown or chalky white; each areole has a crescent-shaped patch of tan to red-brown glochids (fine
barbed bristles), up to 5 mm long. Flowers: Petals numerous, yellow with red near the base, or occasionally entirely pink or red, 3-4 cm long;
stamens numerous, with filaments that are greenish near the base and pale yellow to white near the top; style white, topped with a ring of
green to yellow-green stigma lobes. Fruits: Fruits fleshy, wine-red to purple on the outside and with greenish or reddish flesh in the inside,
spineless, obovate to barrel-shaped, 3-5 cm long by 2-3 cm wide, with about 20 areoles; seeds round, tan-colored, 4-5 mm wide. Ecology:
Found on sandy to rocky soils, below 7,000 ft (2134 m), flowers April-June. Distribution: s CA, s NV, s UT, AZ, CO, NM, s KS, OK, TX, SD; south to
n MEX. Notes: This is a notoriously variable species within a notoriously confusing and much-hybridizing genus. Several former varieties were
recently re-assigned to O. engelmannii, a species with which this taxon is known to hybridize. Distinguish O. phaeacantha by the usually
sprawling, decumbent growth form; pads turning reddish (or occasionally purplish) after stress; dense glochids at each areole; the usually
downward-pointing brown spines; flower petals that are yellow with reddish-peach bases or reddish throughout; and the fleshy fruits with skin
the color of red wine and often greenish flesh if you cut them open. Distinguished from the similar O. engelmanii by the trailing growth form,
usually smaller pads (15-40 cm long in O. engelmannii vs. 10-25 cm in this species), density of glochids, and the flower color (O. engelmannii has
yellow to red flowers but not bicolored). Also similar to O. macrocentra, which shares the trait of bicolor yellow and red flower petals;
distinguish from that species based on spine length (O. macrocentra can often have much longer spines, up to 17 cm long); and the spine shape,
which is quite flattened in this species but mostly round in cross section with a slightly flattened base on O. macrocentra; O. macrocentra is also
much more likely to have purple-tinted pads. Ethnobotany: The fruit is edible and is eaten fresh or dried, made into jams, jellies, juice and wine;
pads are also edible and were prepared by roasting, boiling, or pulping and making into cakes; the seeds were ground into flour, although some
say that prickly pear seeds are toxic and should not be eaten in quantity. Etymology: Opuntia is from the Latin root puncti for prickled;
phaeacantha is from the Greek root phaeo for dark or dusky and akantha, thorn. Synonyms: Opuntia superbospina Editor: SBuckley 2010,
FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017

Searchlight Pricklypear
Opuntia x curvospina Griffiths (pro sp.)
Common Name: searchlight pricklypear Duration: Perennial Protected Status: Salvage restricted status in Arizona. General: Upright and
shrubby from 0.5-1.5 m tall with trunks to 20 cm long, the pads are gray green to yellow green, flattened and glabrous, they are circular to
broadly obovate and sometimes wider than long at 12-22 cm long and 12.5-20 cm broad, there are 6-9 areoles per diagonal row across the
midstem, they are prominent and circular to elliptic, 4-7 mm long by 3-7 mm broad, with a wool that is tan to brown but aging gray. Spines:
Spines in most areoles are reddish yellow to red brown, the upper yellow and basal ones sometimes whitish, the 0-9 major spines are stiff and
mostly deflexed but sometimes spreading on pad margins, sometimes they are curved and the largest are 4-6 cm long, the glochids are
crowded in an extended marginal crescent that nearly encircles the areole and the less dense subapical tuft is obscured by long dense wool that
is yellow to yellow brown and 1-6 mm. Flowers: The inner tepals are 2.2-3.5 cm long and yellow with faint basal reddish blush, broadly obovate
and apiculate, with yellow filaments and anthers, and a white style. Fruits: Dull red with green flesh, they are ovate to obovate and spineless, 3
-5 cm long and 1.5-3 cm wide, with 28-46 areoles. Ecology: Found on sandy to gravelly flats or slopes, in desert grasslands, woodlands, gravelly
flats, or slopes from 3,000-5,000 ft (914-1524 m), flowers April-July. Notes: Opuntia martiniana was separated from this taxon by Parfitt in
1980, but Pinkava argues that their both being tetraploid putative hybrids, close proximity, and similar traits don't warrant separation.

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CACTACEAE (Cactus Family) Cont.

Nightblooming Cereus
Peniocereus greggii (Engelm.) Britt. & Rose var. transmontanus (Engelm.) Backeberg
Common Name: nightblooming cereus Duration: Perennial Protected Status: No status in Arizona, but endangered in New Mexico. General:
Slender and erect to sprawling but usually inconspicuous, the roots are deep, large and turnip shaped, the stems are gray green to gray and
simple or with 2-5 branches that are each 40-120 cm tall, it is narrowed toward base and has 4-6 prominent ribs. Spines: Areoles are 12 mm
apart along ribs and circular to elliptic, each 2-5 mm by 2 mm with 11-15 spines per areole, usually in 3 vertical rows, the abaxial 3-5 spines are
appressed and yellowish white throughout or only at tips and are 3 mm and puberulent when young, the adaxial spines are black, subulate and
only reach 1 mm. Flowers: Nocturnal and 15-25 cm in diameter, the scales of flower tubes are green and tipped red or brown, the outer tepals
are greenish white with brown to reddish midstripes, while the inner tepals are white or lightly tinged cream, they are 4-7 cm and attenuate to
mucronate with stamens about 2.5 cm long and anthers that are cream yellow, with a white style, 10-14 cm. Fruits: Bright red, darkening in
age, it is ellipsoid and 60-90 mm by 40-50 mm. Ecology: Found under trees and among branches of bushes and trees in sandy or gravelly loams,
on edges of washes and on slopes of small hills from 1,000-3,500 (305-1067 m); flowers spring and summer. Distribution: s AZ, s NM, s TX;
south to c MEX. Notes: Usually flowers on one or two nights in late May, June, or July. The perfume is remarkable.Flowers are a showy, ghostly
white and fruits are pear-shaped and red. Vegetatively distinguished by having erect, branching, thin stems < 2cm diameter with 4-9 prominent
ribs; spines but no glochids in areoles; and spineless fruits. Var. transmontanus is most likely variety, told apart by its nearly circular areoles that
are 2 x 2 mm, with flowers 22-25 cm by 7-8 cm. Often found in nurse associations under Larrea, Prosopis, and Parkinsonia. Ethnobotany: Root
taken as a cardiac stimulant, as a salve for sores, for diabetes, the flowers and fruits used for food, roots and stalks were eaten. Etymology:
Peniocereus is from Latin cereus for waxy, while greggii is named for Josiah Gregg (1806 1850). Synonyms: Cereus greggii Editor: SBuckley
2010, FSCoburn 2015

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CARYOPHYLIACEAE (Carnation Family)
Hairy Rupturewort
Herniaria hirsuta L.
Plants annual, gray-green, densely pubescent. Stems prostrate to ascending, 4-20 cm. Leaves opposite proximally, often alternate distally;
stipules 0.5-1.3 mm; blade elliptic to oblanceolate, 3-12 mm, hirsute or ciliate, ad-axial surface sometimes glabres-cent. Inflorescences axillary,
leaf-opposed or on short branches, mostly 3-8-flowered. Flowers 0.9-1.8 mm, densely pubescent; calyx burlike; sepals equal or somewhat
unequal, 0.8-1.5 mm, hirsute, hairs of perigynous zone hooked or tightly coiled, each sepal with 1-2 spinelike hairs at apex; stamens 2-3 or 5;
staminodes petaloid, 0.4-0.6 mm; styles distinct or connate in proximal 1/3. Utricles 0.7-0.9 mm, ca. equaling sepals. 2n = 18, 36 (Europe). We
are following J. R. Akeroyd (1993) rather than M. N. Chaudhri (1968) in treating Herniaria cinerea as an infraspecific taxon of H. hirsuta. We
believe it more appropriate to recognize the differences at varietal level; intermediate conditions found in both European and North American
populations weaken the distinctions.

Spreading Pygmyleaf
Loeflingia squarrosa Nutt.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Glandular pubescent, somewhat fleshy, stiff stems, dichotomously branched at
or near the base, variously branched, prostrate or decumbent 5-15 m long. Leaves: Usually connate proximally into short, scarious sheath,
stipules filamentous to spinose, 0.4-1.5 mm; blade erect to recurved, 0.4-5.5 mm apex blunt to spine-tipped. Flowers: Secund inflorescence,
flowers. Sepals similar to leaves 4-5 mm long, recurved, rigid, bristle-tipped; calyx squarrose owing to spreading-recurved tips of sepals; petals
minute or wanting; stamens 3-5, 0.4-.7 mm long, equaling ovary at anthesis. Fruits: Oblong capsule 3-angled, 1.5-3.7 mm, 2-5 times as long as
sepals. Ecology: Found in sandy and gravelly soils from sea level to 7,000 ft (2134 m); flowers March-April. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology:
Loeflingia is named for Pehr Lofling (1729-1756) a Swedish botanist, while squarrosa means scaly or rough. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley,
2010

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Douglas' Stichwort
Minuartia douglasii (Fenzl ex Torr. & A. Gray) Mattf.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Delicate annual with slender stems 5-25 cm tall, sparingly capitate-glandular or
glabrate. Leaves: Opposite, filiform-subulate, 5-30 mm long, bases slightly expanded, scarious at margins and connate, thread-like, becomes
curled. Flowers: Loosely cymose, filiform pedicels, 5-45 mm long, ovate sepals, 2-3 mm long, margins scarious, midrib often reddish; petals
obovate, 3-5 mm long. Fruits: Subglobose capsule, 4-5 mm high, seeds reddish brown, about 1 mm broad, smooth. Ecology: Found on rocky
slopes, flats, and sandy places from 2,500-6,000 ft (762-1829 m); flowers March-June. Notes: Jepson 1993, suggests this is often found on
serpentine soils in addition to being in chaparral, oak, and pine woodlands. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Minuartia is named for Joan
Minuart (1693-1768) a Spanish botanist and apothecary, while douglasii is named for the Scottish botanical collector David Douglas (1798-
1834). Synonyms: Arenaria douglasii, Arenaria douglasii var. emarginata, Arenaria emarginata, Minuartia douglasii var. emarginata Editor:
SBuckley, 2010

Sleepy Silene
Silene antirrhina L.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual herb, to 80 cm tall, from a slender taproot; stems slender and erect,
sparingly branched or unbranched, mostly glabrous, with sticky brown or red bands on the upper portions of the stems. Leaves: Opposite and
sessile along the stems; blades linear to oblong-lanceolate, 2-5 cm long and 2-12 mm wide; basal leaves often have ciliolate margins, especially
near the leaf bases. Flowers: Pink to white, in diffuse terminal panicles, on slender pedicels 1-3 cm long; sepals 5, united into a subcylindric
tube, 6-7 mm long in flower, expanding to be 7-9 mm long and ovoid in fruit, prominently 10-nerved, and topped with 1 mm long teeth; petals
5, exceeding calyx teeth about 1 mm, white, bright pink, or tipped with deep rose, each petal shallowly cleft into 2 lobes at the tip. Fruits:
Capsules 6-8 mm long, ovoid, about the same length as the calyx, splitting open by 6 short teeth; containing many tiny light reddish-brown
seeds, less than 1 mm long. Ecology: Found on open sandy hills, often in burned areas or other weedy locations, below 8,500 ft (2591 m);
flowers March-May. Distribution: In every US state and the southern Canadian provinces. Ethnobotany: Unknown, but other species in the
genus have uses. Etymology: Silene may refer to the mythical Silenus, the intoxicated father of Bacchus, who was described as covered in foam,
perhaps alluding to the viscid nature of many species of Silene; antirrhina makes reference to Antirrhinum, the genus of cultivated
snapdragons, which have similar leaves. Synonyms: Silene antirrhina var. confinis, S. antirrhina var. depauperata, S. antirrhina var. divaricata, S.
antirrhina var. laevigata, S. antirrhina var. subglaber, S. antirrhina var. vaccirifolia Editor: SBuckley 2010, AHazelton 2017

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CELASTRACEAE (Bittersweet Family)

Corona de Cristo
Canotia holacantha Torr.
Common Name: crucifixion thorn Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Tree General: Shrub, 2-5 m tall with slender, rigid, spine-tipped
branches which are flexible when young; branchlets pale green. Leaves: Small, scale-like and soon deciduous; triangular-ovate, obtuse at apex,
about 1-1.5 mm long, leaving minutely papillose elevations as scars. Flowers: On racemes 1-3 cm long along branches, the parts glabrous;
pedicels 2-6 mm long, calyx lobes deltoid, 1 mm long, subfleshy, margins finely erose; petals 3.5-4 mm long, oblong to narrowly oblanceolate,
white; stamens equaling petals. Fruits: Dehiscent capsule along 10 lines, ovoid-elliptic, dark brown, faintly glaucous, body 6-8 mm in diameter,
9-13 mm long, awl shaped beak, 5-10 mm long; seed 3-3.5 mm long, dark brown with thin wing, as wide as body and as long. Ecology: Found on
arid slopes from 2,000-5,000 ft (610-1524 m); flowers May-August. Distribution: s UT, AZ, se CA, nw MEX Notes: Told apart from the similar
looking Koeberlinia by the fruit being a 2-celled berry and not having winged seeds; Koeberlinia is in the Caper (Capparaceae) family, so it has
four sepals and petals. Koeberlinia is also found largely in the Chihuahuan desert, so it does not spread much past the Gila River. In the middle
elevations just above the Parkinsonia communities in the Sonoran Desert, this becomes a more dominant plant. Can also be confused with
Parkinsonia because of its green stems. Look for the growth form with many mostly parallel branches reaching for the sky or curving over; and
the dark brown trunks (palo verde trees have green trunks and branches that spread at sharper angles). Ethnobotany: The berries are edible
and were eaten. Etymology: Uncertain origins Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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CHENOPODIACEAE (Spinach Family)

Fourwing Saltbush
Canotia holacantha Torr.
Common Name: fourwing saltbush Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Shrub General: Shrub, frequently 1.5-2 m, moundlike, much
branched and drought-deciduous. Leaves: Alternate, sessile, gray-green, entire, narrowly spatulate to narrowly oblong, 5 cm long or less, salty
tasting. Flowers: Inconspicuous, tiny, with male and female flowers on separate plants; staminate flowers yellow (rarely brown), in clusters 2-3
mm wide, borne in panicles 3-15 cm; pistillate flowers lacking a perianth, borne inpanicles 5-40 cm. Fruits: Small seeds enclosed by 4-winged
bracts, often 1-2 cm long and nearly as wide. Ecology: Found on sandy or gravelly soils, from desert scrub to pinon-juniper communities from
300-6,500 ft (100-1981 m); flowers spring and summer. Distribution: Most of western N. Amer. from Alberta south to CA and east to TX
(disjunct in Novia Scotia); south to s MEX; also in Australia. Notes: Common diecious shrub distinguished by the gray-green, often narrow leaves
and distinctive 4-winged fruits. Browse for livestock, deer and antelope; seeds eaten by birds and rodents; very tolerant of saline soils.
Traditionally placed in the goosefoot family (Chenopodiaceae), that entire family was recently lumped into Amaranthaceae. Ethnobotany:
Seeds used for meal, yellow dye. Havasupai used it to make soap for washing hair and to treat itches and rashes. Hopi used the ashes as a
substitute for baking soda. Navajo used it as an emetic, to treat ant bites, cough, and as a hair tonic. Etymology: Atriplex is the ancient Latin
name for this plant, derived from the plant-s Greek name atraphaxes; canescens means covered with short gray or white hairs. Synonyms:
None Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2015

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Chamizo Cenizo
Atriplex elegans (Moq.) D. Dietr.var. Elegans
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual, rarely perennial herb 5-45 cm tall, stems ascending or procumbent to
erect, stramineous or whitish, simple or much branched at base, obtusely angled in age, slender or stout, scurfy to glabrate. Leaves: Many,
alternate, subsessile or shortly petiolate; blade elliptic to spatulate, oblanceolate, oblong, or obovate 5-30 mm long by 2-8 mm wide, base
cuneate to attenuate, margin entire or irregularly dentate, densely scurfy abaxially, usually green and glabrate adaxially. Flowers: Small and
inconspicuous; staminate flowers with 3-5 parted perianth; pistillate flowers lacking a perianth, intermixed with staminate flowers in small
axillary clusters. Fruits: Fruiting bracteoles subsessile or short stipulate, orbiculate, strongly compressed, 2-4 m long and wide, united except at
thin margin, margin dentate, terminal teeth often prominent, faces smooth or with appendages; seeds brown, 1-1.5 mm wide. Ecology: Found
in alluvial soils, ditchbanks, field edges, roadsides, washes, generally disturbed soil below 3,500 ft (1067 m); flowers March-August.
Distribution: s CA, s NV, AZ, s UT, s NM, s TX; south to c MEX. Notes: Distinguished by being an annual with elliptic leaves that are white-scurfy
on the bottom and green on top, with the whole plant being densely farinose, or covered with white mealy (-flour-like-) hairs. Especially
identifiable when fruiting by the deeply toothed bracteoles that enclose the seed. Two varieties are recognized: var. elegans from the
Chihuahuan to the Sonoran deserts, with bracteole margins dentate to incised with teeth to 0.5-1 mm; and var. fasiculata from the Mojave to
Sonoran deserts, with finely toothed bracteole margins, 0.3-0.5 mm, and a strongly samara-like bracteole. Ethnobotany: Pima and Gila boiled
the plant with cactus fruits and other foods, to contribute its salty flavor. Etymology: Atriplex is ancient the Latin name for the plant, derived
from the plant-s Greek name atraphaxes; elegans means elegant. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2015

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Blendo
Chenopodium berlandieri Moq.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Herbaceous annuals, 10-150 cm tall; stems erect to ascending, much-branched
to simple; herbage farinose. Leaves: Alternate, petiolate, nonaromatic, and farinose; petiole 0.2-9 cm; blade lanceolate, rhombic, ovate, or
triangular, often with 2 basal lobes, 1-12 cm long by 0.5-8 cm long, with a cuneate to truncate base, irregularly dentate or entire margins, and
an acute to acuminate apex. Flowers: Inconspicuous, green, and clustered, the clusters (glomerules) arranged in panicles 5-17 cm long;
glomerules irregularly rounded, 4-7 mm diameter; perianth segments 5, farinose, often prominently keeled, covering fruit at maturity. Fruits:
Utricles depressed-ovoid, the pericarp adherent or nonadherent near base of style, rough honeycombed; with round seeds 1-2 mm diameter,
brown to black, minutely pitted. Ecology: Widespread, often in disturbed habitats below 8,000 ft (2438 m). Distribution: Ranges all across the
western United States and into Mexico. Notes: Chenopodium is a genus of usually weedy annual herbs with simple, alternate leaves, herbage
that is commonly farinose (with mealy, or floury hairs) to some degree, and clusters of small green flowers lacking petals, which mature into
fruits composed of a single seed wrapped in the persistent calyx. The leaves of C. berlandieri are farinose on the underside but can be glabrous
above, and usually have irregular, shallow teeth or lobes. It is similar to several other Chenopodiums, with differences being that this species
has relatively large, dense glomerules of flowers; the calyx adheres tightly to the fruit at maturity; seed coats are pitted; and the leaves have
shallow teeth in the margins. C. fremontii has mostly entire leaves with only a pair of lobes at the base, and smooth seeds; C. album has leaves
that are similar to C. berlandieri but the seeds are smooth or only lightly ridged. In general, mature seeds are necessary for conclusive ID of any
species within the Chenopodium genus. Look for it in Chenopodiaceae in older texts; that entire family is now considered to be part of
Amaranthaceae. Ethnobotany: Leaves are edible. Etymology: Chenopodium is goose foot in Latin, berlandieri is named after Jean Louis
Berlandier (1805-1851) a Belgian botanist. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2010, AHazelton 2015

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Desert Goosefoot
Chenopodium pratericola Rydb
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Strictly erect stems, simple or branching above, 20-80 cm tall, moderately to
densely farinose. Leaves: Petiole 0.4-1 cm, blade linear to narrowly lanceolate, or oblong-elliptic, 3-veined, 1.5-4.2 cm by 0.4-1 cm, thick and
somewhat fleshy, cuneate base, margins entire or with pair of lobes near base, apex acute, abaxial surface densely to sparingly white-mealy.
Flowers: Glomerules in terminal and axillary panicles, 1-13 cm by 0.15-0.5 cm; densely disposed, maturing irregularly, bracts leaflike; perianth
segments 5, distinct nearly to base, lobes oblong-ovate, 0.8-1 mm by 0.5-0.7 mm, apex obtuse, rounded or emarginated, strongly keeled along
midvein, densely farinose, usually spreading from fruit; stamens 5, stigmas 2. Fruits: Ovoid utricles, pericarp nonadherent, smooth; round
seeds, black, 0.9-1.3 mm diameter, rounded margins. Ecology: Open sandy soils, often in saline or alkaline places from sea level to 8,000 ft
(2438 m); flowers May-September. Ethnobotany: Leaves boiled and eaten by the Gila Pima. Etymology: Chenopodium means goose foot,
pratericola is from Latin partum, a meadow, meaning it dwells in meadows. Synonyms: Chenopodium albescens, Chenopodium pratericola
subsp. eupratericola, Chenopodium pratericola var. leptophylloides Editor: SBuckley, 2010

Goosefoot
Chenopodium watsonii A. Nels
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Much branched annual, stems densely farinose, strongly scented, erect or
ascending, 10-45 cm tall. Leaves: Blades 10-40 mm long, nearly as wide as long, broadly rounded-deltoid to rhombic or broadly ovate, rounded
or obtuse and short-apiculate at the apex, rounded to truncate or broadly cuneate at the base, entire, sometimes lower bearing 1 or 2 rounded
teeth on each side, farinose on both sides, petioles shorter than to as long as blades. Flowers: Glomerules in paniculate spikes, 14-24 cm long
by 2-3 cm wide; leaflike bracts; 5 perianth segments, connate into 0.3 mm tube, lobes ovate, enclosing fruit at maturity. Fruits: Achenes ovoid,
pericarp adherent, strongly whitened, honeycombed, seeds subglobose, 0.9-1.3 mm diameter. Ecology: Found on dry soils from 1,000-7,000 ft
(305-2134 m); flowers May-September. Notes: Distinguished by the entire leaves with only 1-2 teeth near base, with subglobose seeds,
pericarp slightly whitened. Ethnobotany: The seeds were eaten. Etymology: Chenopodium means goose foot, while watsonii is named for
Sereno Watson (1826-1892) an assistant to Asa Gray at Harvard. Synonyms: Chenopodium dacoticum, Chenopodium glabrescens,
Chenopodiumolidum Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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Patata
Monolepis nuttalliana (J.A. Schultes) Greene
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Semisucculent annual herb, stems decumbent to ascending, 10-35 cm long,
unbranched or branching close to the base; herbage moderately scurfy-farinose in youth, soon glabrate. Leaves: Alternate, succulent, triangular
to lanceolate-hastate, 3-12 mm wide, 1-7 cm long; lower leaves hastately lobed and on slender petioles to 6 cm long; upper leaves sessile, often
entire and reduced to leafy bracts. Flowers: Inconspicuous, greenish and sometime suffused with pink, in dense sessile axillary clusters; each
flower with a single perianth segment, 1 mm long, spatulate to obtuse and partially spreading at maturity. Fruits: Lentil-shaped, minutely pitted
utricle, 1 mm in diameter and 0.5 mm thick, with a grayish membranous pericarp. Ecology: Found on dry or alkaline and often heavy soil below
10,000 ft (3048 m); flowers February-October. Distribution: Most of N. Amer. except for southeastern states; also in S. Amer. Notes:
Distinguished by being mostly found in alkaline areas; the spreading growth form with succulent, triangular to spatulate leaves, and small dense
axillary clusters of small flowers. Superficially resembles other succulent, prostrate weeds such as Portulaca oleracea and Trianthema
portulacastrum, but those have roundish leaves; Portulaca halimoides and Halogeton glomeratus are also succulent and spreading but have
cylindric, un-lobed leaves, and Halogeton-s leaves are also spine-tipped; and species in the genus Chenopodium have similar flower types and
often have similar hastately lobed leaves, (both Monolepis and Chenopodium were traditionally treated in the Chenopodiaceae) but
Chenopodium species tend to be larger and upright, not prostrate. Ethnobotany: Used as a ceremonial emetic, as a poultice for skin abrasions,
and eaten; seeds were ground to make mush and pinole, the roots were boiled, and the greens were eaten. Etymology: Monolepis is from the
Greek monos, one and lepis scale, referring to the single perianth segment in each flower; nuttalliana honors Thomas Nuttall (1786-1859) an
English botanist. Synonyms: Blitum nuttallianum Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2015

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Prickly Russian Thistle

Salsola tragus L.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Non-Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Introduced annual; up to 100 cm; many-branched stems which detach at
the base after fruiting; often w/reddish, longitudinal striations; glabrous or somewhat hairy. Fresh young plants have succulent stems and
leaves, which harden with age. Leaves: Alternate, sessile, thread-like, 1-5 cm, rigid with maturity; sharp-tipped. Flowers: Solitary flowers
located in leaf axils; flowers perfect, 5-merous, without petals; sepals pink-white 2.5-3 mm. Fruits: Small; seeds shiny black, 1-2 mm wide.
Ecology: Widespread on disturbed ground; 0-8,000 ft (0-2440 m) Distribution: Native to Eurasia and introduced to every continent in the world.
Throughout the Americas and in every state in the US except AK. Notes: Native to Eurasia. This is the genus of the common tumbleweed. S.
tragus is an annual, has many-branched stems, leaves which are mostly <1mm (in dried specimens) and become rigid and sharp-tipped at
maturity, and small flowers in the axils. This plant is a very problematic invasive in North America. Livestock, mule deer, and elk all forage on it,
and pronghorn eat summer growth. Seeds are eaten by 8 species of granivorous birds and small mammals. It is also used as cover by birds and
small mammals. Host plant for Western Pygmy Blue butterfly. Ethnobotany: Extremely tasty as cooked spinach - eat whole plant up to 5 inches
tall- double boil to remove bitterness and only eat young plants. Young plants also for sheep and horse feed. Navajos used it to treat influenza,
small pox, and insect bites. Etymology: Salsola is from Latin salsus, for salty, while tragus is ancient word for goat. Synonyms: Salsola australis,
S. iberica, S. kali subsp. ruthenica, S. kali subsp. tenuifolia, S. kali subsp. tragus, S. pestifer, S. ruthenica Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2014,
AHazelton 2015

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CAPPARIDACEAE (Caper Family)

Redwhisker Clammyweed
Polanisia dodecandra (L.) DC. Ssp. Trachysperma (Torr. & A. Gray) Iltis
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual herb, 20-80 cm tall; herbage glandular-pubescent, strong-scented.
Leaves: Alternate along the stems, on petioles 1-4 cm long; blades compound with 3 distinct leaflets, the leaflets oblanceolate to oval, 1-4 cm
long and 3-18 mm wide. Flowers: White, purple, and showy, in terminal racemes; sepals 4, purple-tinged, 4-5 mm long; petals 4, clawed,
whitish, 1 cm long; stamens 10-20 per flower, with purple filaments, the longer ones up to 3 cm long, exserted well beyond the petals. Fruits:
Capsules long and narrow, somewhat compressed, 2-3 cm long, and generally pointing upward; containing numerous brown seeds, about 2 mm
long. Ecology: Found in wash bottoms and other disturbed areas, from 1,000-6,500 ft (305-1981 m); flowers May-October. Distribution:
Throughout western North America. Notes: Look for this odd-smelling annual herb in wash bottoms at the low and middle elevations. The
flowers are quite distinctive with 4 white petals and many long purple stamens which are longer than the petals and stick out of the flower. The
long narrow seed pods are on nearly horizontal stalks, though the seed pods themselves point upwards. The leaves are in sets of 3 oval to
oblong leaflets. Appears similar to P. uniglandulosa but that species is perennial; has more stamens per flower (20-30 stamens vs. 10-20 in P.
dodecandra); usually has longer stamens (up to 5 cm, vs. 3 cm in P. dodecandra); and has larger flowers (petals 10-30 mm long, vs. petals 8-15
mm long in P. dodecandra). There are 3 subspecies of P. dodecandra: subsp. trachysperma is most common in the southwest. Subsp.
dodecandra grows in the midwest and eastern US, but may occasionally occur in the southwest; it has smaller flowers, with petals only 3-8 mm
long. Subsp. riograndensis is found in Texas and Mexico, and has pink, rose, or purple flowers. Ethnobotany: Pueblo tribes boil and eat the
greens, and sometimes store them for winter use; Zuni use ceremonially. Etymology: Polanisia is from Greek polys, many, and anisos, unequal,
referring to the many stamens of various lengths; dodecandra means 12 men, referring to the approximately 12 stamens in each flower. Editor:
SBuckley 2010, AHazelton 2017

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CONVOLVULACEAE (Morning Glory Family)
Oreja de Raton
Evolvulus arizonicus A. Gray
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Suffrutescent herbs, densely appressed-pilose to almost woolly tomentose
throughout; few to many stems from a woody base, erect to ascending or decumbent, 10-30 cm tall. Leaves: Lanceolate to linear-lanceolate,
10-25 mm long, 2.5-6 mm wide, gradually decreasing in size toward apex, the upper leaves linear, acute or obtuse apically, attenuate basally,
petioles absent or short. Flowers: 1-3 flowered cymes on slender peduncles as long as or longer than leaves; flowers on pedicels 3-4 mm long,
reflexed in fruit, bracteoles linear-subulate, 1.5-3 mm long; sepals equal, lanceolate, acuminate, 3-3.5 mm long, corollas blue or blue with white
stripes, rotate to broadly campanulate, 12-22 mm wide, filaments inserted near base, 1.5-2 times as long as the linear anthers; glabrous ovary.
Fruits: Globose fruit, 3.5-4 mm long. Ecology: Found in disturbed, often rocky sites; 3,000-6,000 ft (914-1829 m); flowers April-October.
Distribution: AZ, NM; south to n MEX. Notes: Our Evolvulus species are often low-growing, have alternate, usually linear to ovate, entire leaves;
blue, white or purple flowers often the shape shallow bells or funnels (salverform, rotate, funnelform) that arise from axils; and capsules. E.
arizonicus is a perennial with many branching stems (not as nest-like as alsinoides); dense, long, appressed silver hairs all over; stems below
flowers (peduncles) which are longer than subtending leaves (shorter to absent in nuttalianus and sericeus) blue flowers 12-20 mm wide,
obviously larger than E. alsinoides (5-10mm). Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Evolvulus comes from the Latin evolvo, meaning to unroll,
while arizonicus refers to being from Arizona. Synonyms: Evolvulus arizonicus var. laetus, Evolvulus laetus Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn
2015

Transpecos Morning-glory
Ipomoea cristulata Hallier f.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Vine General: Annual herbaceous vine; stems twining, often growing on other shrubs; herbage
mostly glabrous. Leaves: Alternate along the stems, on slender petioles 2-9 cm long; blades 2-10 cm long and 1-7 cm wide, broadly heart-
shaped (common), but can also be ovate or palmately divided into 3-5 lobes; leaf tips acute to acuminate; upper leaf surface bright green and
lower surface glabrous to pilose. Flowers: Showy and bright red, in clusters of 3-7 flowers on long peduncles (3-20 cm long) from leaf axils;
sepals 5, unequal in length, 3-5 mm long, often tipped with a green spreading awn 3-5 mm long; corolla red to red-orange, trumpet-shaped,
about 2 cm long with a long narrow throat and short, abruptly spreading limb, the limb 1 cm or more wide. Fruits: Capsules 7-8 mm wide,
globose with a short, pointed tip to 2 mm long; containing 1-4 seeds, these ovoid, black or dark brown, and finely tomentose. Ecology: Found in
disturbed areas, roadsides, chapparal, oak woodlands, and pine forests, from 2,500-9,000 ft (762-2743 m); flowers May-November.
Distribution: MN, IA, south to TX and west to AZ; south to s MEX. Notes: Distinguished from other regional Ipomoea spp. by being hairless on
leaves and stems (sometimes hairs on nodes or undersides of leaves); having variable-shaped leaves, often with divided and entire leaves on
the same plant; hairless sepals; and especially the red, trumpet-shaped flowers. There is a long history of mis-naming this species as Ipomoea
coccinea. Ethnobotany: Unknown, but other species in the genus have uses. Editor: LCrumbacher 2011, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017

CONVOLVULACEAE (Morning Glory Family) Cont.

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CONVOLVULACEAE (Morning Glory Family) Cont.

Ivyleaf Morning-glory
Ipomoea hederacea Jacq
Duration: Annual Nativity: Non-Native Lifeform: Vine General: Twining introduced annual, stems densely to sparsely pubescent. Leaves: Ovate
to orbicular, 5-12 cm wide and long, entire to 3-5-lobed, basally cordate, lobes apically acute to acuminate, pubescent, petioles to 12 cm long,
rarely longer. Flowers: Bearing 1-3 flowered cymes, peduncles 5-10 cm long; bracts foliaceous, elliptic to lanceolate, 5-8 mm long; pedicels 3-7
mm long, erect in fruit; sepals 12-24 mm long, 4-5 mm wide, herbaceous, lanceolate, narrowed form rounded base to narrow acuminate apex,
curved in fruit, apex sometimes strongly curved, densely long-hirsute; funnelform corolla 2-3.7 cm long, light blue, tube white or pale yellow
inside, limb 1.7-3.5 cm wide. Fruits: Globose capsule, 8-12 mm wide, enclosed within sepals. Ecology: Found in disturbed sites, roadsides;
3,000-6,000 ft (914-1829 m); flowers August-November. Distribution: Introduced to much of N. America; from AZ, NM, north to Ontario, CAN,
east to ME; south through FL, W. Indies, MEX, C Amer. into S. Amer.; also introduced to every other continent in the Old World. Notes:
Distinguished from other regional Ipomoea by being hairy on leaves and stems; leaves divided into 3-5 broad lobes and without glandular dots
below; sepals which are relatively linear, gradually narrow to a point, curve out in fruit and have long, spreading hairs especially at the base.
Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Ipomoea comes from Greek ips, a worm and homoios, like, referring to plant-s habit, hederacea means of
or pertaining to ivy. Synonyms: Many, see Tropicos Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

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CRASSULACEAE (Stonecrop Family)
Sand Pygmyweed
Crassula connata (Ruiz & Pav.) Berger
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Succulent General: Erect herb, simple to bushy branching 2-6 cm high, in age red. Leaves: Ovate to
oblong, obtuse to acute or apiculate, 1-3 mm long, 0.5-1.5 mm wide. Flowers: Mostly crowded, 1-2 per node, 0.5-1.5 mm long, on pedicels 0-6
mm long, sepals triangular-lanceolate, acute to aristate; petals longer to shorter, narrowly triangular, acute to attenuate. Fruits: Follicles 1-2
seeded, ovoid, tapering to subterminal style. Ecology: Found locally abundant in sandy and gravelly soil of washes or small depressions, on
hillsides or flats from 1,000-4,500 ft (305-1372 m); flowers January-May. Distribution: OR to AZ and Baja Calif, MEX; Chile Notes: It is distinct as
it ages red, the little delicate flowers is often only discovered when you get down on the ground and look carefully. Ethnobotany: Unknown
Etymology: Crassula is from the Latin crassus, thick, while connata means connate or together. Synonyms: Tillaea connata, Tillaea erecta
Editor: SBuckley, 2010

Panamint Liveforever
Dudleya saxosa (M.E. Jones) Britt. & Rose ssp. collomiae (Rose ex Morton) Moran
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Succulent General: Succulent perennials, caudices to 5 cm tall and 3 cm wide, reddish, especially
when in flower, simple or apically branched, (axillary branches absent), plants growing in dense tufts (cespitose), herbage not farinose, covered
with a whitish or bluish waxy coating (glaucous), at least when young. Leaves: Alternate, with 1-2 basal rosettes (not in clumps), rosettes 10-25-
leaved, 3-12 cm in diameter, blades pale green, oblong-lanceolate, 3-15 cm long, 0.5-2.5 cm wide, and 1.5-6 mm thick, tapering from the base
or slightly wider near the middle, bases 0.5-2.5 cm wide, apices narrowly acute, cauline leaves or bracts of the infloresence 5-20 in number,
ascending, triangular-lanceolate, 5-70 mm long and 3-10 mm wide, with acute tips. Flowers: Bright to greenish yellow to orange-red or or red-
marked, conspicuous when in bloom, petals connate or fused at the base for 1-4 mm, erect and spreading at the tips, 8-20 mm long and 9-20
mm wide, with acute apices, the tips often curved outwards, sepals triangular (deltate), 4-8 mm long, with acute tips, calyx 4-8 mm long and
4.5-7 mm wide, pistils convergent and erect, inflorescences with red stems, flowers in 2-3 branched, obpyramidal cymes 5-20 cm wide,
branches not twisted with flowers on the topside, simple or branched into 2 forks (bifurcate), these with 2-3 tightly coiled (circinate) or
scorpoid-like (cincinni) flowering stems, 2-20-flowered, 1-18 cm long, floral shoots 5-40 cm long and to 1 cm wide, pedicels erect and not bent
in fruit, 5-20 mm long. Fruits: Whorls of follicles, each follicle dehiscent along an adaxial suture, unripe follicles erect. Seeds 1-20 or more,
brown, narrowly ovoid, longitudinally and finely cross-ribbed. Ecology: Unknown. Distribution: Arizona, California. Notes: This species is not
currently recognized as occurring in Arizona by USDA Plants and cannot be found in older versions of Kearney and Peebles, however, Jepson
2012 does note this species occurring in Arizona, but provides no other ecology data as of May 2012. Ethnobotany: Specific uses for this species
are unknown, but other species in the genus have uses; leaves and flowering stems eaten raw. Synonyms: None Editor: LCrumbacher2012
Etymology: Dudleya is named for William Russel Dudley (1849-1911), first professor of botany and head of the Botany Department at Stanford
University, and saxosa means "full of rocks," hence growing among rocks.

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CROSSOSOMATACEAE (Crossosoma Family)
Ragged Rockflower
Crossosoma bigelovii S. Wats
Common Name: ragged rockflower Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Shrub General: Dense spinescent shrub to 1.5 m tall, with
fascicled clusters of leaves grouped in bunches along the stems. Leaves: Alternate, lanceolate to elliptic oblanceolate or circular, 5-15 mm long,
the apex rounded to acute, commonly mucronate. Flowers: Terminal or axillary, with a glandular disk lining the hypanthium with 5 ovate to
circular sepals 4-5 mm long, 5 white narrowly lanceolate, elliptic, to oblanceolate petals, 9-15 mm long. Fruits: Horizontally wrinkled or
reticulately marked with a cartilaginous suture on the upper surface. Ecology: Found in rock crevices or on rocky slopes from 200-4,500 ft (61-
1372 m), flowers January-April. Distribution: Ranges across the Arizona deserts to California and north to Nevada, south into Baja and Sonora,
and east into Chihuahua. Notes: The glaucous appearance of the leaves, lending them an almost fleshy quality, along with the shrub-s rocky
habitat, and the 5 white petals arrayed around the hypanthium are key to distinguish this species. An unassuming plant with attractive flowers,
often growing in out of the way places. The flowers resemble those of the family Rosaceae, but this family differs in the lack of stipules
subtending the leaves; the seeds with arils; and the unique fruit structure of the several pistils maturing into separate follicles (capsules splitting
open along a single line.) Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Crossosoma is drevied from the Greek krossoi, fringe, and soma, body, because of
the aril, which is an extra seed covering , bigelovii refers to botanist and physician Jacob Bigelow (1787-1879), author of the first botany
textbook. Synonyms: None Editor: LCrumbacher and SBuckley, 2011

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CUCURBITACEAE (Squash Family)

Chichi Coyota
Cucurbita digitata A. Gray
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Vine General: Perennial prostrate vine with deep root, slender branches distantly run, but rarely
climb; slender stems, glabrous, ribbed, whitish-pustulate with flat oval trichomes on anges, tendrils shot-petiolate, 3-5 parted, branches gland
tipped. Leaves: Five-cleft nearly to base of blade, lobes 4-10 cm long, linear-lanceolate to linear-oblanceolate, variably sublobed, green, bearing
conic trichomes above and below, sometimes paler below; stout petioles, ribbed, shorter than lobes, muricate and hispid. Flowers: Calyx
cylindric to narrowly campanulate, 4-6 cm long, sparsely hispid, tube 2.5-3 cm long, lobes subulate, 3-5 mm long, corolla sparsely hispid, bright
yellow. Fruits: Globose, vivid dark green with 10 narrow stripes and variably speckled. Ecology: Found in sandy alluvial soil of washes and
valleys or on dry plains and mesas; 5,000 ft (1524 m); flowers June-October. Distribution: s CA, s AZ, sw NM, sw TX; south to n MEX. Notes:
Highly distinct plant--hard to mistake simply due to a combination of the leaves and the crawling vine habit. Also, when flowering, smell it. You-
ll know if it is not C. foetitissima. Ethnobotany: The Gila Pima roasted the seeds and ate them. Etymology: Cucurbita is the Latin name for
gourd, digitata means lobed like fingers. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

Gila Manroot
Marah gilensis Greene
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Vine General: Perennial from large tuberous root, stems essentially glabrous, slender, striate;
tendrils small, slender, simple or bifid, glabrous. Leaves: Thin, glabrous or nearly so below, somewhat scabrous above with scattered orbicular
trichomes, blades 3-8 cm long, 3-7 lobes, lobes triangular-ovate to lanceolate, acute, broadly emarginate, on petioles 1-4 cm long, striate,
glabrous. Flowers: Staminate flowers in simple or compound racemes; corolla white, spreading, 6-10 mm broad, sparsely pubescent outside,
minutely stipitate-glandular within; stamens 3, deeply flexed; ovary glandular-pubescent, densely echinate, broader than long, solitary, beak
short. Fruits: Pepo 2-3 cm long and broad, 2-4 celled, 2-4 seeded, somewhat succulent when green, becoming dry, dehiscing irregularly, densely
echinate, globose. Ecology: Found in canyons and in hillside thickets, especially along streams below 5,000 ft (1524 m); flowers February-April.
Notes: The shoots of this plant are known to grow very early in the season. Easy to distinguish from other plants when its is in fruit, the heavily
spined pepo is very obvious. Ethnobotany: Unknown, other species in the genera have a variety of uses. Etymology: Marah is thought to be a
reference to the bitter roots, in reference to its being named in the Bible, while gilensis means of or from Gila, a reference to the Gila River in
Arizona. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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CUPERESSACEAE (Cypress Family)
Huata
Juniperus coahuilensis (Martinez) Gaussen ex R.P. Adams
Shrubs or trees dioecious, to 8 m, single-stemmed to 1 m or branched at base; crown flattened-globose to irregular to round. Bark gray to
brown, exfoliating in long ragged strips, that of small branchlets (5--10 mm diam.) smooth, that of larger branchlets exfoliating in strips, or
occasionally in flakes. Branches spreading to ascending; branchlets erect, 3--4-sided in cross section, ca. 2/3 as wide as length of scalelike
leaves. Leaves green to light green, abaxial glands elliptic to ovate, at least 1/4 of glands (on whip leaves) with an evident white crystalline
exudate, margins denticulate (at 20´); whip leaves 4--6 mm, glaucous adaxially; scalelike leaves 1--3 mm, not overlapping or if so, by less than
1/4 their length, keeled, apex acute, spreading. Seed cones maturing in 1 year, of 1 size, with straight peduncles, globose to ovoid, 6--7 mm,
rose to pinkish but yellow-orange, orange, or dark red beneath glaucous coating, fleshy and somewhat sweet, with 1(--2) seeds. Seeds 4--5 mm.
Bouteloua grasslands and adjacent rocky slopes; 980--1600(--2200) m; Ariz., N.Mex., Tex.; Mexico. Roseberry juniper is unusual in that it
sprouts from the stump after burning or cutting. Hybridization with Juniperus pinchotii occurs in Big Bend National Park, Texas (R. P. Adams and
J. R. Kistler 1991), and possibly near Saltillo, Mexico. Reports of hybridization with J . ashei have been refuted (R. P. Adams 1975).

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CUSCUTACEAE (Dodder Family)
Bigseed Alfalfa Dodder
Cuscuta indecora Choisy
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Vine General: Annual, parasitic vine, twining, thread-like stem, yellow-green, glabrous.. Leaves:
None to scale like, generally triangular to lanceolate Flowers: 3-5 mm, calyx 1-2 mm, lobes 5, not overlapped; corolla generally persistent, 3-4.5
mm, shallowly bell-shaped, tube generally shorter than wide, 5 lobes, triangular, erect, tips incurved, superior ovary. Fruits: Capsule, ovoid-
spheric 3-4 mm, sometimes glandular. Ecology: Found on herbaceous plants in moist fields and on roadsides below 5,000 ft (1524 m). Notes:
Recently treated as part of Convolvulaceae (1998). This species is hosted by Acacia, Prosopis, Condalia, Datura, Solidago, Hymenoclea, and
Baccharis among others. Ethnobotany: Unknown for this species, but other species in this genera have many uses. Etymology: Cuscuta is the
name of an Arabic derivation meaning dodder, while indecora means unattractive. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley, 2010

Cúscuta
Cuscuta umbellata Kunth
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Vine General: Parasitic perennial forb with slender but profuse stems, twining or trailing, yellow-
orange Leaves: Reduced to scales or not present. Flowers: Glabrous or slightly puberulent, 4-6 mm long, pentamerous, on pedicels 2-8 mm
long, forming dense compound cymes; calyx turbinate, lobes as long as or longer than campanulate corolla, acute to acuminate; corolla lobes
equal corolla tube, oblong to lancolate, acute to acuminate, usually reflexed; campanulate corolla almost colorless, whitish.
Fruits: Depressed-globose capsule, with ring of low, road, rounded tubercules about intrastylar aperture, circumscissile, whithering corolla in
fruit. Ecology: Found on various hosts, mostly herbaceous.Distribution: AZ, CO, NM, TX, KS, LO; south to S. Amer. Notes: Parasitic on
Polygonum, Atriplex, Suaeda, Alternanthera, Amaranthus, Boerhaavia, Trianthema, Kallstroemia, Tribulus, and Euphorbia. Ethnobotany:
Unknown for this species, but other species in this genera have many uses. Etymology: Cuscuta is the name of an Arabic derivation meaning
dodder, umbellata refers to the form of the flowers. Synonyms: Cuscuta umbellata var. reflexa, Grammica umbellata Editor: SBuckley 2010,
FSCoburn 2015

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EPHEDRACEAE (Joint-fir Family)

Rough Jointfir
Ephedra aspera Engelm. ex S. Wats.
Common Name: rough jointfir Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Shrub General: Erect shrub to 150 cm tall with spreading branches
and erect shoots 20-30 cm; branches stiff, terete, 1.5-3 mm in diameter; opposite or in whorls at nodes; pale green to dark green; not
glaucous. Needles: Scales, opposite 1-2.5 mm long, connate from one-half to most of their length, obtuse, sheath splitting. Cones: Staminate
cones paired, obovate, 4-7 mm long, sessile, bracts in 6-10 pairs, 2 mm wide, yellowish to reddish brown; ovulate cones ovate, 6-10 mm long,
sessile or short-pedunculate, bracts in 5-7 pairs, orbicular, thickened centrally, scarious toward margins, reddish brown. Seeds: Solitary seeds,
light brown, terete or obscurely trigonous in cross section, 2.5-4 mm wide, 5-8 mm long, smooth. Ecology: Found on desert slopes and flats,
often on rocky or gravelly substrates from 1,000-4,000 ft (305-1219 m); flowers January-April. Distribution: AZ, CA, NM, TX; south to n
MEX Notes: Told apart from E. trifurca by the presence of parts in twos. Pale to dark green in youth, turning yellow with age. When leaves drop
they leave brown or black leaf bases behind. This is one of the more widespread species in the Sonoran desert. Quite similar to E. fascicularis
and E. nevadensis. According to the FNA key, E. aspera has twigs usually scabrous; bracts of pollen cones yellow to red-brown; seeds smooth to
slightly scabrous. E. fasciculata has twigs smooth or very slightly scabrous; bracts of pollen cones light yellow; seeds furrowed. Both E. aspera
and E. fasciculata have persistent and shredding leaf bases which are brown and turning gray with age, while E. nevadensis has brown,
completely deciduous leaf bases. Ethnobotany: Used to treat syphilis, pneumonia, kidney disease and other ailments. Etymology: Ephedra is
from Greek ephedra, used by Pliny for common mare's tail, while aspera means rough. Synonyms: Ephedra nevadensis var. aspera, E.
reedii Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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EUPHORBIACEAE (Poinsettia Family)

Abrams’ Sandmat
Chamaesyce abramsiana (L.C. Wheeler) Koutnik
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Prostrate annual forming open to moderately dense mat 5-45 cm in diameter
herbage and stems finely pubescent to glabrate red-brown; or, tips of stems spreading-ascending and green among dense vegetation and in
shade. Leaves: Ovate-elliptic to oblong, 2.5-12 mm, entire to minutely toothed mostly toward leaf apex, with reddish blotch near the
center. Flowers: Cyathia on congested lateral branches but also solitary at nodes, inconspicuous, .4-.5 mm wide, involucral glands dotlike,
rounded or nearly so, .1 mm wide, appendages absent to .2 mm wide, white to pink. Fruits: Glabrous capsules, bright green with red margins
and furrows, margins rather sharp, 1.3-1.7 mm long. Ecology: Found on desert slopes, washes, playas, and flats from 200-3,500 ft (61-1067 m);
flowers July-October. Distribution: AZ and CA; south to MEX Notes: Plant told apart by the combination of glabrous capsule and entire
leaves. Ethnobotany: Unknown for this species, other species in genera have medicinal use. Etymology: Euphorbia is named for Euphorbus,
Greek physician of Juba II, King of Mauretania, abramsiana is named for LeRoy Adams (1874-1956) a professor of botany at
Stanford. Synonyms: Euphorbia abramsiana Editor: SBuckley, 2010

Arizona Sandmat
Chamaesyce arizonica (Engelm.) Arthur
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Prostrate to erect perennial from a slender woody taproot, 5-30 cm long,
pilose with slender, often clavate hairs. Leaves: Blades ovate, ovate-oblong, or deltoid-ovate, acute to rounded at apex, somewhat oblique at
base, 1-10 mm, margins entire and often faintly revolute, minute stipules. Flowers: On peduncles 1-4 mm long, cyathia solitary or nearly so,
involucres long-turbinate to urceolate, 0.6-0.8 mm in diameter, 1.2-1.5 mm long, sparsely pilosulous without, glabrous within, subulate lobes
equaling lands, ciliate-margined; red glands, transversely oblong, oval appendages, 0.5-1 mm long, white with a roseate tinge, sometimes
cordate; 5-12 staminate flowers per cyathia. Fruits: Subspherical capsule, about 1.5 mm in diameter, lobed and faintly hairy. Ecology: Found on
gravelly slopes and rocky hillsides from 1,000-4,000 (305-1219 m); flowers March-November. Distribution: CA to TX; south to MEX Notes: As
with all species in the genus, difficult to tell apart. Pay attention first to its being perennial and as a consequence having many more flowers,
second look at the entire to crenulate petaloid appendages, and finally to the mostly club-shaped hairs. Ethnobotany: Unknown, but other
species in the genera have many uses. Etymology: Euphorbia is named for Euphorbus, Greek physician of Juba II, King of Mauretania, while
arizonica means of or from Arizona. Synonyms: Chamaesyce versicolor, Euphorbia arizonica, Euphorbia versicolor Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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Golondrina
Chamaesyce capitellata (Engelm.) Millsp.
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Perennial with ascending to erect, slender stems 3-40 cm long, 0.5-1.5 mm
diameter; from slender woody taproot; herbage puberulent to glabrous. Leaves: Ovate to linear-lanceolate, 4-25 mm long, puberulent to
glabrous, gray-green, markedly asymmetrical basally, acute to obtuse at apex, serrate along lower margin, entire on upper, less commonly alike
on both margins. Flowers: Cyathia rarely solitary, usually in cymose glomerules, peduncles 0.5-3 mm long, involucres campanulate to obconic,
1.3-1.7 mm in diameter, hairy on inside of narrowly triangular lobes, these exceeding glands; glands orbicular to transversely oval, .2-.5 mm
wide, stipitate; appendages entire, white or pinkish. Fruits: Capsule 1.3-1.9 mm long, seeds quadrangular in cross section, ovate vertically; back
wrinkled with small irregular, transverse depressions. Ecology: Found on hillsides, in washes and on dry sites; 1,500-5,000 ft (457-1524 m);
flowers March-October. Distribution: AZ, NM, sw TEX; south to s MEX. Notes: Distinguished by being ascending to erect perennials with mostly
short hairs, ovate leaves with only half-serrate margins; dense inflorescences, sometimes forming roundish clusters (capitate); cyathia with
large, white appendages (resembling petals) and more or less short-haired to long soft-haired capsules <2mm. Ethnobotany: Unknown, but
other species in the genera have multiple uses. Etymology: Euphorbia is named for Euphorbus, Greek physician of Juba II, King of Mauretania,
while capitellata means having a small head. Synonyms: Chamaesyce pycnanthema, Euphorbia capitellata, Euphorbia pycnanthema Editor:
SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

Chiricahua Mountain Sandmat

Chamaesyce florida (Engelm.) Millsp.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Erect annual 10-65 cm tall, glabrous, stem branched from near base, slender
branches green or faintly tinged red, internodes 1.5-5 cm or occasionally to 7 cm. Leaves: Linear, 0.5-3 mm wide, 0.5-6 cm long, remotely
serrulate, revolute in age, on petioles 1.5-2.5 mm long. Flowers: Cyathia 1 to several at nodes, on peduncles 1-3 mm long, campanulate
involucre 1.5-2 mm diameter, 2 mm high at anthesis, glabrous without, densely pubescent with straight white hairs around inner rim; lobes of
cyathia triangular-acuminate, entire or toothed, about 0.3 mm high; discoid glands, 4 of them 0.5 mm, fifth filiform, nearly equaling lobes;
appendages white or pink, obovate to elliptic 1-2.8 mm long.Fruits: Capsule rounded-triangular in cross-section, oblate-globose 2.5 mm
diameter, glabrous.Ecology: On arid flats, washes, and hillsides from 2,000-5,000 ft (610-1524 m); flowers August-November. Distribution: AZ;
south to n MEX. Notes: Distinguished by being erect, glabrous, erect annual 0.25 to 0.75m; the opposite, linear, serrate leaves; the showy,
white to reddish petaloid appendages, much larger than other regional Euphorbia; and roundly to bluntly 3-lobed, glabrous
fruits. Ethnobotany: Unknown for this species, other species in genera have medicinal use. Etymology: Euphorbia is named for Euphorbus,
Greek physician of Juba II, King of Mauretania, florida means free-flowering or bright. Synonyms: Euphorbia florida Editor: SBuckley 2010,
FSCoburn 2015

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Red-gland Spurge
Chamaesyce melanadenia (Torr.) Millsp
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Decumbent to ascending perennial with closely and minutely tomentose
stems to 20 cm long, lower parts soon glabrate. Leaves: Ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 2-9 mm long, oblique basally, entire, closely and finely
tomentose on both surfaces; on petioles 1-2 mm long, with stipules 1 mm long, ventral ones usually connate, dorsal ones distinct. Flowers:
Solitary cyathia on very short peduncles, campanulate involucres, 1.2-1.5 mm in diameter, appressed-stiff hairs without and just below glands
within, lobes narrowly deltoid, equaling glands, hairy; glands reddish, oblong; appendages usually twice as wide as glands, white, entire to
crenate-margined, or appendages sometimes lacking; u-shaped sinus, densely hairy; 3-4 staminate flowers in each fascicle, 15-20 in a
cyathium. Fruits: Short tomentose, ovoid and lobed capsule, 1.5-1.7 mm long. Ecology: Found on dry, rocky slopes or flats, and along washes
from 500-5,000 ft (152-1524 m); flowers throughout the year. Notes: These plants are generally erect or ascending, but on open flats,
particularly in disturbed soil they are nearly prostrate. Ethnobotany: Used for bee stings, sores, and earaches. Etymology: Euphorbia is named
for Euphorbus, Greek physician of Juba II, King of Mauretania, while melanadenia is of uncertain origin. Synonyms: Euphorbia
melanadenia Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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Sonoran Sandmat
Chamaesyce micromera (Boiss. ex Engelm.) Woot. & Standl.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Mat-forming annual herbs, from slender taproots; stems prostrate, 5-25 cm
long; herbage glabrous to shortly pilose. Leaves: Opposite along the stems, on short petioles 1 mm long; blade ovate to oblong, 6-15 mm long,
with an asymmetric base and entire margins; stipules tiny (less than 0.5 mm long), distinct, and subulate (narrowing toward the top). Flowers:
Has the highly modified flower structure characteristic of Euphorbias. Structures called cyathia appear to be individual flowers, but are
composed of fused-together bracts forming a cup (involucre), with peripheral nectary glands which are often subtended by petal-like bracts
called petaloid appendages. Within the cup there is a ring of inconspicuous male flowers, each reduced to a single stamen. Out of the middle
protrudes a single, stalked female flower which lacks petals. In E. micromera, the cyathia (flower structures) are solitary in leaf axils near branch
tips; Involucres are bell-shaped, 0.5 mm high, and glabrous or pilose (covered with long soft hairs) with 4 round red glands around the edge and
no petaloid appendages; 2-5 staminate flowers. Fruits: Capsules oblong, 3-celled, 1.5 mm high and usually glabrous; containing 3 light gray,
narrowly ovoid seeds, 1 mm high, 4-angled in cross section, smooth to slightly wrinkled (rugose) or with 1–4 faint transverse ridges that do not
pass through abaxial kee Ecology: Found on flats, washes, bajadas, and hillsides from 500-5,000 ft (152-1524 m); flowers throughout the
year.Distribution: c and s CA, NV, s UT, AZ, NM, s TX; south to c MEX. Notes: This species belongs to the Chamaesyce subgenus of Euphorbia.
Some treatments, even recent ones, continue to treat Chamaesyce as a separate genus even though molecular evidence places it within
Euphorbia. Chamaesyce spp are distinct based on their leaves which are always opposite and and often have asymmetric bases; cyathia (flower
structures) in leaf axils, not at branch tips, and usually with petaloid appendages; and stipules present and not gland-like. E. micromera is one of
the more delicate Chamaesyces in the region; distinguished by being an annual completely prostrate and hugging the ground; foliage mostly
glabrous or sometimes with a few short straight hairs; the opposite, oval, entire leaves less than 15 mm long, with asymmetric bases; solitary,
un-clustered inflorescences; no petaloid appendages on cyathia (flower-like structures); hairy ovaries and smooth seeds. It is wise to make a
collection whenever ID to species is needed, as Chamaesyces are difficult to identify in the field, and multiple species of the genus will
commonly grow side-by-side. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Euphorbia is named for Euphorbus, Greek physician of Juba II, King of
Mauretania; micromera is from the Greek mikros, small, and meros, parts. Synonyms: Chamaesyce micromera Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn
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Carrizo Mountain Sandmat

Chamaesyce pediculifera (Engelm.) Rose & Standl.
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Prostrate to slightly procumbent annual with spreading dichotomous
branches 3-30 cm long, herbage puberulent with sparse, simple, spreading hairs. Herbage often red-brown to gray-brown. Leaves: At least
twice as long as wide, petioled, blades 5.5-15.5 mm, ovate to obovate or oblong, margins entire or sometimes with a few small, irregular
teeth. Flowers: Cyathia 1.2-1.5 mm wide, glands maroon, oval, .6-.9 m wide, appendages rather showy, white, fading pink, usually considerably
wider and longer than the glands; staminate flowers 20-25 in a cyathium. Fruits: Capsules sharply 3-angled, 1.2-1.4 mm long and wide,
hirsutulous, exserted and reflexed at maturity. Ecology: Found on sandy flats and on gentle slopes from 500-4,000 ft (152-1219 m); flowers
throughout the year. Ethnobotany: Unknown for this species, other species in genera have medicinal use. Etymology: Euphorbia is named for
Euphorbus, Greek physician of Juba II, King of Mauretania, pediculifera means bearing lice. Synonyms: Euphorbia pediculifera
Editor: SBuckley, 2010

Golondrina
Chamaesyce polycarpa (Benth.) Millsp. ex Parish
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Prostrate or erect perennial herb from slender woody taproot, herbage and
capsules glabrous or hairy; much branched to 25 cm tall. Leaves: Orbicular to lance-oblong, oblique at base, 1-10 mm long petioles 1-2 mm
long; stipules deltoid, .3-.5 mm long, ventral ones united, usually ciliate-margined. Flowers: Involucres campanulate, 1-1.5 mm wide, lobes
narrowly to attenuately deltoid, about equaling the narrow, transversely oblong glands, dark maroon, latter .5-.7 mm long, conspicuous
appendages present, white to reddish, equaling or slightly exceeding glands, entire to crentate; bracteoles opposite each gland; staminate
flowers 15-32 in each cyathium. Fruits: Seeds .8-1 mm, fairly smooth but dull. Ecology: Found on desert slopes and washes from 500-3,000 ft
(152-914 m); flowers year round. Distribution: AZ, CA, NV; south to MEX. Notes: Stems markedly zig-zag. Ethnobotany: Poultice of the plant is
applied to scorpion and snake bites, roots chewed to promote vomit and loosen bowels for stomach trouble. Etymology: Euphorbia is named
for Euphorbus, Greek physician of Juba II, King of Mauretania, polycarpa means having many seeds or fruit. Synonyms: Chamaesyce polycarpa
var. hirtella, Euphorbia polycarpa, Euphorbia polycarpa var. hirtella Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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Threadstem Sandmat
Chamaesyce revoluta (Engelm.) Small
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual herb, 5-25 cm tall, from a slender taproot; stems erect, spreading, with
very slender branches that fork repeatedly; herbage glabrous. Leaves: Opposite and short-petiolate, located almost entirely at nodes where the
stem forks into 2 branches; blades narrowly linear, 1-2 cm long, the margins entire and tightly revolute (curled under), and the midvein
impressed on the upper surface of the leaf; stipules narrow and tapering toward the tip, 0.5 mm long. Flowers: Has the highly modified flower
structure characteristic of Euphorbias. Structures called cyathia appear to be individual flowers, but are composed of fused-together bracts
forming a cup (involucre), with peripheral nectary glands which are often subtended by petal-like bracts called petaloid appendages. Within the
cup there is a ring of inconspicuous male flowers, each reduced to a single stamen. Out of the middle protrudes a single, stalked female flower
which lacks petals. In E. revoluta, the cyathia (flower structures) are mostly solitary in the nodes near branch tips. Involucres are cone-shaped, 1
mm high, and glabrous, with 4 round glands around the edge, each with a white petaloid appendage which is a bit wider than the gland (or
petaloid appendages absent); 5-10 staminate flowers. Fruits: Capsules globose and 3-lobed, to 1.5 mm high, and glabrous; containing 3 ovoid,
white to gray seeds, to 1.5 mm long, 3-angled and transversely 2-3-ridged. Ecology: Found on arid hillsides and slopes, from 3,000-6,000 ft
(914-1829 m); flowers August-October. Distribution: s CA, s UT, AZ, s CO, NM, TX; south to n MEX. Notes: This species belongs to the
Chamaesyce subgenus of Euphorbia. Some treatments, even recent ones, continue to treat Chamaesyce as a separate genus even though
molecular evidence places it within Euphorbia. Chamaesyce spp are distinct based on their leaves which are always opposite and and often
have asymmetric bases; cyathia (flower structures) in leaf axils, not at branch tips, and usually with petaloid appendages; and stipules present
and not gland-like. E revoluta is distinguished by being a delicate, erect, hairless annual with slender, linear leaves. The entire plant often has a
reddish/maroon tint, and the stems fork evenly into two branches multiple times, with a pair of leaves and often a single cyathium (flower-like
structure) at each fork point. It is wise to make a collection whenever ID to species is needed, as Chamaesyces are difficult to identify in the
field, and multiple species of the genus will commonly grow side-by-side. Ethnobotany: Used as a lotion for chafing and sores. Etymology:
Euphorbia is named for Euphorbus, Greek physician of Juba II, King of Mauretania; revoluta means rolled backwards, referring to the revolute
margins of the meaves. Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017

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Golondrina
Chamaesyce setiloba (Engelm. ex Torr.) Millsp. ex Parish
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual herb from a slender taproot; stems mostly prostrate and spreading, to
15 cm long; herbage covered with glistening gland-tipped hairs. Leaves: Opposite along the stems, on petioles 1 mm long; blade oblong to
ovate, 2-7 mm long, with an asymmetric base and entire margins; stipules distinct, filiform. Flowers: Has the highly modified flower structure
characteristic of Euphorbias. Structures called cyathia appear to be individual flowers, but are composed of fused-together bracts forming a cup
(involucre), with peripheral nectary glands which are often subtended by petal-like bracts called petaloid appendages. Within the cup there is a
ring of inconspicuous male flowers, each reduced to a single stamen. Out of the middle protrudes a single, stalked female flower which lacks
petals. In E. setiloba, the cyathia (flower structures) are solitary in the leaf axils near branch tips. Involucres are bell-shaped or urn-shaped, 1
mm high, and villous (hairy), with 4 red to pink glands around the edge, each with a white to pink petaloid appendage that is divided into 3-6
point-tipped triangular segments; 3-7 staminate flowers. Fruits: Capsules globose and sharply angled, 1 mm diameter, pubescent; containing 3
tan to cream colored quadrangular seeds, to 1 mm long, dimpled or with faint ridges. Ecology: Found in canyons and on plains from 200-5,000
ft (61-1524 m); flowers March-October. Distribution: c and s CA, s NV, s UT, AZ, s NM, s TX; south to n MEX. Notes: This species belongs to the
Chamaesyce subgenus of Euphorbia. Some treatments, even recent ones, continue to treat Chamaesyce as a separate genus even though
molecular evidence places it within Euphorbia. Chamaesyce spp are distinct based on their leaves which are always opposite and and often
have asymmetric bases; cyathia (flower structures) in leaf axils, not at branch tips, and usually with petaloid appendages; and stipules present
and not gland-like. E. setiloba is a prostrate (ground-hugging) annual, distinguished by its leaves and stems with long, soft hairs which are
usually gland-tipped and somewhat sticky (use your hand lens); small leaves less than 1.5 cm long with smooth edges; cyathia (flower
structures) with red glands and white petaloid appendages which are divided into sharp-pointed triangular segments, making them resemble
stars; and hairy seed pods. It is wise to make a collection whenever ID to species is needed, as Chamaesyces are difficult to identify in the field,
and multiple species of the genus will commonly grow side-by-side. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Euphorbia is named for Euphorbus,
Greek physician of Juba II, King of Mauretania; setiloba means bristle-lobed; alluding to the sharp-pointed petaloid appendages. Synonyms:
Chamaesyce stiloba, Euphorbia floccosiuscula Editor: LCrumbacher 2011, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017

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Narrowleaf Silverbush
Ditaxis lanceolata (Benth.) Pax & K. Hoffmann
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Herbaceous or subshrubby annuals, stems freely branching, silvery-strigose
on younger stems, plants with clear sap. Leaves: Alternate, linear to lanceolate or ovate, 1-3 cm long and 8-10 mm wide, margins entire and
without gland-tipped teeth, borne on petioles 1-3 cm long. Flowers: Inconspicuous and greenish-white, usually almost enclosed by leafy
subtending bracts, flowers staminate and pistillate; staminate flowers with petals hairy and to 4 mm long or more, the claws united to the
stamen column, calyx lobes to 4 mm long, pistillate flowers with hairy petals to 4 mm long or less and calyx lobes 4-5 mm long, infloresences
subtended by bracts to 1 mm long with entire margins, styles hirsute and bifid, infloresences borne in leaf axils and at stem tips, flowers borne
in racemes 6-8 mm long with 1 female flower and several male flowers. Fruits: Capsules to 5 mm long. Seeds to 2 mm long. Ecology: Found on
dry soils on rocky slopes, from 350-3,000 ft (106-914 m); flowering February-September. Distribution: Arizona, California; Mexico. Notes: Look
for this species in southwestern AZ below the Mogollon Rim, and westward into the deserts of southern CA. It is a subshrubby plant with brittle
stems that have woody older growth. Note the leaves which are long and narrow, less than 1 cm wide (the smaller leaves perhaps 3-5 mm
wide) and more than twice as long as they are wide; and the fruit which is covered with appressed hairs. Ethnobotany: Unknown. Synonyms:
Argythamnia lanceolata, Argythamnia sericophylla var. verrucosemina Editor: LCrumbacher2012 Etymology: Ditaxis comes from the Greek dis,
"two," and taxis, "rank," referring to the stamens which are in two whorls, and lanceolata means lance-like, referring to the shape of the leaves.

New Mexico Silver

Ditaxis neomexicana (Muell.-Arg.) Heller
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual or short-lived perennial, much branched and densely pubescent with
stiff, coarse hairs; to 35 cm tall. Leaves: Broadly elliptic to oblanceolate, 13-34 mm, apex acute to obtuse, margins entire or with a few small
teeth; leaves longer broader, greener, not as thick and less hairy during warm, wet conditions. Flowers: Racemes glomerate-congested in axils,
staminate flowers 2-2.5 mm long with lanceolate-acuminate, pilose sepals and glabrous petals parley exceeded by sepals; sepals green 3.2-4
mm, petals obovate white with red-purple veins 1.5-3 mm; gland ovate-lanceolate .5 mm transparent-membranous, becoming yellow-brown
and thickened with age; flowers throughout the year. Fruits: Depressed-globose capsule 3-4 mm wide, densely long-pilose. Ecology: Sandy and
rocky slopes and along washes; 1,000-4,000 ft (305-1219 m). Distribution: s CA, s NV, AZ, s NM, TX; south to c MEX Notes: Distinguished by
being an annual or perennial herb, with appressed, long, silver hairs all over; its leaves lanceolate, acute, with serrulate or entire margins.
Appears similar to D. claryana but lacks the gland-tipped teeth on the leaf margins of that species. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology:
Argythamnia is from Greek argyro, silvery and the word for shrub, while neomexicana refers to New Mexico. Synonyms: Argythamnia
neomexicana Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2014

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Beetle Spurge
Euphorbia eriantha Benth.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Herbaceous annuals, to 1.5 m tall, stems erect, herbage glabrous or hairy and
becoming glabrous with age. Leaves: Alternate, linear, 2-7 cm long, tip acute to obtuse and abruptly pointed, margins entire, surfaces hairy,
becoming glabrous, blades short-petiolate with minute, obscure stipules. Flowers: Staminate and pistillate; involucres obconic 1.5-2 mm long
with pubescent surfaces, hairs white, staminate flowers 23-36, generally in 5 clusters around the solitary, central pistillate flower, pistillate
flowers stalked with 3 ovary chambers with 1 ovule 1 per chamber, styles red, 3 and undivided, infloresences with 5 fused bracts and 4-5 glands
alternating with bracts, the glands concealed by 5-7 strigose inflexed segments, flowers borne solitary or with a few flowers clustered at branch
tips, with 1-3 round, cupped glands to 1.5 mm long, with 5-7 lobes curving over the glands. Fruits: Oblong, 3-lobed (the lobes obscure) capsules
4-5 mm long, plainly longer than wide, with hairy surfaces. Seeds white to gray, 3.5-4 mm long, flattened top to bottom, 4-angled with
tubercled surfaces and an obvious caruncle with a stipitate surface. Ecology: Found on dry soils on hot, rocky slopes and in canyons, from 300-
3,500 ft (91-1067 m); flowering February-October. Distribution: Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas. Notes: The thin, linear leaves stand out
at right angles to the stems, sometimes becoming reddish or purplish with age and the stalked fruits are relatively large when compared to the
rest of the plant. Kearney and Peebles give the keys to this species as the scacely lobed capsules plainly longer than wide, the seeds markedly
wider than thick with an obvious, stipitate (spotted) caruncle, and the floral glands concealed by 5-7 inflexed, strigose segments. Look for this
species in Arizona in Graham, Maricopa, Pinal, Pima, and Yuma counties. Etymology: Euphorbia is named for Euphorbus, Greek physician of
Juba II, King of Mauretania, and eriantha means woolly-flowered. Synonyms: None Editor: LCrumbacher2012

Prickly
Tragia nepetifolia Cav.
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Perennial forb, stems slender, often twining, herbage with stinging hairs,
erect or reclining. Leaves: Alternate, serrate, lanceolate to trianguar-ovate less than 10-40 mm long. Flowers: Monoecious flowers borne in
terminal or lateral bracteate racemes staminate flowers above, 2 to many, pistillate flowers below, 1 to 2, sepals 6; styles papillose. Fruits:
Capsule 3-seeded, 5-6 mm in diameter. Ecology: Found in canyons, hillsides, and valley floors; 2,500-7,000 ft (762-2134 m); flowers March-
November.Distribution: AZ, NM; south to s MEX. Notes: One recognized variety in Arizona, var. dissecta. Difficult to distinguish from T. ramosa,
which has fewer flowers per raceme (2-4), smooth style, and 4 or 5 stamens. Ethnobotany: Plant used as a lotion to keep snakes away by the
Navajo, while the Ramah Navajo used the plant as a life medicine. The Kayenta Navajo sprinkle the plant on the Hogan during rain storms for
protection from lightning. Etymology: Tragia is the Latin name of Hieronymus Bock (1498-1554) a German herbalist, while nepetifolia means
leaves like catnip. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

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Branched Noseburn
Tragia ramosa Torr.
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Perennial herbs, 10-30 cm tall, from stout, semi-woody taproots; stems
many, ascending to erect, slender, sparsely branching; stems and leaves covered with stinging hairs; sap not milky. Leaves: Alternate along the
stems, on short petioles 1-5 mm long; blades narrowly triangular or linear-lanceolate to ovate, 1-5 cm long and 4-20 mm wide, with serrate
margins; stipules lanceolate to ovate, 1-4 mm long, in pairs at the base of petioles. Flowers: Separate male and female flowers on the same
plant (monoecious); racemes located at branch tips and emerging from the stems opposite the leaves, with female flowers at the lower 1-2
nodes of each raceme and male flowers at upper nodes; male flowers with 3-4 sepals, 1-2 mm long, no petals, and 3-4 stamens; female flowers
with 6 sepals, 2 mm long, no petals, and an ovary covered with stinging hairs and topped with 3 slender, recurved styles. Fruits: Capsules
distinctly 3-lobed, 2-4 mm tall and 6-8 mm wide, explosively dehiscent (splitting open) at maturity; releasing 3 brown globose seeds, 3 mm
long. Ecology: Found on rocky slopes from 5,000-7,000 ft (1524-2134 m); flowers April-June. Distribution: MO to TX, west to se CA, s NV, and s
UT; also in n MEX. Notes: This perennial herb is small and delicate-looking, but be careful because the whole plant is covered with stinging
hairs. Look for the slender stems which turn brown with age; the leaves longer than they are wide, with toothed edges; and if you catch it at the
right time, one or two seed pods attached to each stem, usually an inch or two below the stem tip. The seed pods have 3 lobes and explosively
split open to release the seeds. Difficult to distinguish from T. nepetefolia, which has more flowers per raceme (6-many), a shorter papillose
style, and 3 stamens. T. nepetefolia is also found at lower altitudes, down to 2,500 ft (762 m). Ethnobotany: Infusion used to treat ant bites;
plant used to increase the pain threshold of male infants. Etymology: Tragia is the Latinized name of Hieronymus Bock (1498-1554) a German
herbalist; ramosa means branched. Synonyms: Tragia angustifolia, Tragia nepetifolia var. ramosa, Tragia stylaris Editor: SBuckley 2010,
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FABACEAE (Bean Family)

Huizache
Acacia constricta Benth.
Common Name: whitethorn acacia Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Tree General: Spreading shrubs to 3 m, symmetrical with
generally straight branches. Bark smooth, light gray to mahogany-colored, lower branches spreading near ground level. Stipular spines in pairs
at the nodes of the stems, usually white, 1-3 cm. Leaves: Winter deciduous and tardily drought deciduous, even-pinnate, 3.5-4 cm long, the
pinnae 3-9 pairs, leaflets many 1.5-3 mm. Petioles with a prominent nectary gland. Flowers: Fragrant, bright yellow in rounded heads about 1
cm in diameter. Fruits: Pods 4.5-13.5 cm long by 4-6 mm width, constricted between each seed, moderately compressed, reddish with viscid
glands, gradually dehiscent. Ecology: Found along washes, on slopes and mesas from 2,000-6,500 ft (610-1981 m); flowers April-
June. Distribution: AZ, s NM, TX, VA; south to n MEX. Notes: Formerly in the genus Acacia, distinguished by its straight white spines; relatively
small leaflets, 3 mm or less long; and narrow seed pods with constrictions between the seeds. Similar to Acacia neovernicosa but often larger,
to 3 m tall and becoming tree-like; has 3- pairs of pinnae (1-2 pairs, occasionally 3 in A. neovernicosa) and is less sticky-viscous than A.
neovernicosa. It differs from A. greggii and Mimosa biuncifera by having straight spines (curved in the others) and Calliandra eriophylla is
unarmed. Acacia farnesiana has larger leaflets 2-6 mm long and wider woody seed pods without constrictions between the seeds. Note the
nomenclature change for the entire genus. Ethnobotany: Seri made a tea from the mashed seeds and leaves to relieve diarrhea or upset
stomachs. Powdered, dried pods and leaves have been used to treat skin rashes, medicinal tea can be made from the roots. Etymology: Acacia
is from Greek akakie taken from ake or akis, -a sharp point, while constricta refers to constricted or contracted. Synonyms: Acacia
constricta Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

Catclaw Acacia
Acacia greggii A. Gray
Common Name: catclaw acacia Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Tree Wetland Status: FACU General: Native shrub or tree
reaching to 6 m or more; bearing hard, heavy, sapwood cream to yellow; heartwood, reddish-brown. Leaves: Alternate, deciduous, bipinnately
compound; 2.5-7.6 cm long, with 2 or 3 pairs of pinnae, each with 4-6 pairs leaflets; pinnae 1-1.5 mm long. Flowers: Cream colored, fragrant,
spikes 5.1 cm long, 13 mm diameter; summer. Fruits: Legume 5.1-12.7 cm long, 13 mm wide, flat, often twisted and narrowed between seeds;
persists into winter. Ecology: Found on flats, washes, and slopes below 5,000 ft (1524 m). Notes: Distinguished by the small double-compound
leaves less than 7.6 cm long; very stout recurved solitary spines; flat twisted pod constricted between seeds. Note the nomenclature change for
the entire genus. Ethnobotany: Disagreeable because of stout spines, tool handles, fuel, good honey plant, quail, ground up into a meal. Used
as an astringent, emollient, disinfectant, antiinflammatory. Havasupai used in basket making. Etymology: Acacia is from Greek akakie taken
from ake or akis, -a sharp point, greggii is reference to Josiah Gregg (1806-1850), a frontier trader and author who worked with Dr. George
Engelmann. Synonyms: Acacia greggii Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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Smallflowered Milkvetch
Astragalus nuttallianus DC.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Low, spreading annual or winter-annual herb, from a slender taproot; stems
slender, prostrate or weakly ascending, 3-25 cm long; herbage covered with straight, white, appressed hairs. Leaves: Alternate and pinnately
compound, 2-7 cm long, with 7-19 leaflets per leaf; leaflets linear-elliptic to obcordate, 2-14 mm long, with entire margins, the lower surface
often hairier than the upper surface; stipules 1-6 mm long, distinct. Flowers: Purple and white, in few-flowered congested racemes up to 2 cm
long, with the flowers pointing upward (ascending) or downward (declined) at maturity; flowers 4-10 mm long, with pea-flower morphology
(papilionaceous), with a wide upper petal called the banner, two smaller lateral petals called the wings, and a boat-shaped lower petal called
the keel which contains the style and stamens. Petals whitish, lilac, or pink-purple, with the banner petal recurved 40- 45 degrees; sepals 5,
loosely strigose, united into a tube 2-3 mm long, topped with 5 narrow teeth, 2 mm long. Fruits: Pods ascending, spreading, or declined, linear
and curved into a crescent shape, 1.5-2 cm long, 2-3 mm wide, bilocular, strigose to glabrous. Ecology: Found on arid plains and on hillsides,
mesas, and slopes, below 6,500 ft (1981 m); flowers February-May. Distribution: CA, NV east to KA, AR and LA; south to c MEX. Notes: This
species is variable in size. Stems may be only a few cm long and ascending, or longer and laxly spreading on the ground. It is one of the smaller,
more delicate annual Astragalus species; distinguished by the appressed, white or silvery hairs all over; pinnately compound, gray-green leaves;
small purple pea flowers less than 1 cm long; and seed pods that are long and narrow, flattened, and curved into an crescent-shape. Other
important key characters are the bilocular pod (cut it in half cross-wise and there are 2 chambers) without a stipe or gypopore (this would be a
stalk at the base of the pod but above the calyx attachment point); stipules distinct, not fused to each other and wrapping around the stem;
and simple, non-branching hairs. This species has ten known varieties (Barneby 1964) in the region. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology:
Astragalus comes from the Greek astragalos, ankle bone, an early name applied to some plants in this family because of the shape of the seeds;
nuttallianus is named for Thomas Nuttall (1786-1859) an English botanist. Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017

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Fairyduster
Calliandra eriophylla Benth.
Common Name: fairyduster Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Spreading shrub growing to 1 m high, with
unarmed light gray to whitish stems. Young stems and twigs densely to moderately pubescent with short white hairs. Leaves: Widely spaced
leaves twice-pinnate with 2-4 pairs of pinnae, each with 7-9 (occasionally 10) pairs of leaflets 2-3 mm long, generally cold deciduous. Flowers:
Showy, dense spherical heads 4-5 cm in diameter. Corollas 5-6 mm long and inconspicuous; stamens showy, pink, rose, or reddish purple up to
1.5 cm long. Fruits: Linear velvety pods 5-7 mm wide and 3-7 cm long with thickened margins. Ecology: Grows along washes, on slopes and
mesas, from 2,000-5,000 ft (762-1676 m); flowers February-April, occasionally September-October. Distribution: s CA, AZ, sw NM, s TX; south to
s MEX. Notes: A low-growing shrub distinguished by its low, spreading or creeping habit; twice pinnate leaves; lack of spines; long, bright white-
pink-red stamens; and flattened pods with thickened margins. Ethnobotany: Decoction taken as a gynecological aid after childbirth by
Yavapai. Etymology: Calliandra is from Greek kallos -beautiful- and andra -stamen-, while eriophylla is from Greek erion -wool- and phyllon -
leaf- referring to matted white hairs that cover the plant when young. Synonyms: Calliandra eriophylla var. chamaedrys, Calliandra eriophylla
var. eriophylla Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

Foothill Deervetch
Lotus humistratus Greene
Plant: Annual forb to 20 cm; stems sometimes prostrate Leaves: leaves alternate, compound, pubescent; leaflets lance-ovate, <1 cm
long INFLORESCENCE: umbel, axillary, 1-flowered, ± sessile Flowers: flowers orange, axillary, calyx 3-6 mm, lobes 1-2 X tube; corolla 5-9 mm,
wings ± = keel; stamens 10, 9 filaments fused, 1 free Fruit: legume, dehiscent, ascending, 6-12 mm, generally 3-4 mm wide, oblong; Seeds few,
often ± reniform, generally hard, smooth Misc: Grassland, oak and pine woodland, desert flats and mtns, roadsides; < 1700 m.; Mar-
Jun References: Jepson Manual 1993

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Shrubby Deervetch
Lotus rigidus (Benth.) Greene
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Perennial with several to many stems that branch from base, ascending to
erect, 30-70 cm, commonly woody at base, pale green, glabrous or soon glabrate with internodes much longer than the leaves. Leaves: On
petioles 1-5 mm long, pinnate with 3-5 leaflets, oblong-linear to oblong-oblanceolate to obovate, 1.2-5 mm wide, 5-15 mm long, finely strigose
or eventually glabrate, green. Flowers: On peduncles 3-12 cm long, 1-3 flowered, stipules reduced to glands, bearing a small leafy bract 3-6 mm
long, just below the flowers, or bractless; pedicels appressed-pubescent, 1-3 mm long; calyx strigose, 7-9 mm long, cylindro-campanulate;
corolla 15-25 mm long, yellow or cream, suffused with red, teeth 2-4 mm long, shorter than calyx tube. Fruits: Pods narrowly oblong, 32-45 mm
long, 3.7-4.2 mm wide, straight, glabrous. Ecology: Found on sandy, gravelly, or clayey soils often along washes and on rocky hillsides below
5,500 ft (1676 m); flowers February-May. Distribution: s UT, NV, AZ, se CA; south to Baja Calif., MEX Notes: This is the most xerophytic of the
Lotus in Arizona, forming rounded clumps with brittle stems; like other species in this genera it is known to hybridize. Ethnobotany: Unknown,
but other species in the genera have uses. Etymology: Acmispon comes from the Greek acme for point or hook, while rigidus means
rigid. Synonyms: Lotus rigidus, Hosackia rigida Editor: SBuckley, 2010

Coastal Bird’s-foot Trefoil

Lotus salsuginosus var. Brevivexillus
Plant: Annual, often fleshy, very small to robust, glabrous or strigose; stems clustered, prostrate or ascending Leaves: irregularly pinnate;
stipules generally not apparent; leaflets 3-7, ± alternate, 0.5-1.5 cm, obovate or ± round, terminal largest; axis flat, ± blade-
like INFLORESCENCE: umbel, 2-4-flowered (fruit often only 1); peduncle bract leaf- or leaflet-like or perhaps 0 Flowers: calyx 2-4 mm, lobes <
tube; corolla 3.5-10 mm, wings ± = or < keel; stamens 10, 9 filaments fused, 1 free Fruit: legumes, dehiscent, generally 1.5-3 cm, narrowly
oblong, often curved; beak short, hooked; Seeds few-many, often ± reniform, generally hard, smooth Misc: Coastal scrub, foothill woodlands,
washes, talus, deserts including mtns; < 1850 m References: Jepson Manual 1993

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Strigose Bird’s-foot Trefoil

Lotus strigosus Greene va r. tomentellus (Greene) Isely
Plant: Annual, often fleshy, hairy or not; stem prostrate, generally branched from base Leaves: stipules gland-like; leaflets 4-9, generally
alternate, 3-10 mm, oblanceolate to obovate; axis ± flat, ± blade-like INFLORESCENCE: 1-2-flowered; peduncle generally bracted Flowers: calyx
3-5.5 mm, lobes < tube; corolla opening or not, 5-10 mm, yellow, turning orange or reddish, wings generally > keel; stamens 10, 9 filaments
fused, 1 free; stigma puberulent Fruit: legume, dehiscent, 1-3.5 cm, generally ± curved only at or near tip; Seeds several, often ± reniform,
generally hard, smooth Misc: Coastal scrub, chaparral, foothills, deserts, roadsides, other disturbed areas; < 2300 m.; Mar-Jun References:
Jepson Manual 1993

Bajada Lupine
Lupinus concinnus J.G. Agardh
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Erect annual 5-30 cm tall with few to many branches from base and at higher
levels; herbage is densely villous with spreading hairs. Leaves: Petioles exceed leaflets, slender, lower ones 4-8 cm long, stipules lance-linear, 5-
9 mm long; leaflets 5-8 oblanceolate, obtuse to rounded at apex, 3-6 mm wide, 1-2 cm long, deep green through pubescence. Flowers:
Racemes erect, 3-10 cm long or sometimes of only 2-3 flowers and surpassed by leaves. Papilionoid flower with a densely villous calyx, shallow
cup 1-2 mm deep, upper calyx lip cleft nearly or fully halfway to base, 4-5 mm long, lower one tridentate, petals 7-9 mm long, lilac or bluish,
edged with deep purple, banner obovate, rounded or emarginated at apex, keel nonciliate, nearly straight. Fruits: Pods 10-18 mm long,
straight, densely villous, 2-4 seeded. Ecology: Found on dry sandy soils below 5,000 ft (1524 m); flowers March-May. Notes: Several varieties in
and around the Sonoran Desert, worth collecting if uncertain. Ethnobotany: No known uses. Etymology: Lupinus comes from Latin for wolf,
while concinnus means neat or elegant. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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Chicharito
Lupinus sparsiflorus Benth.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual 20-40 cm, short-appressed and long spreading hairy stems. Leaves:
Petiole 3-4 cm, leaflets 7-11, 15-30 mm, 2-4 mm wide, linear to oblanceoate, upper surface hairy at least near margins. Flowers: Spiraled
raceme, 15-20 cm tall, sometimes appearing more or less wide, linear to oblanceoate, upper surface hairy at least near margins; flowers 10-12
mm, calyx 3-6 mm, lips equal, upper lip deeply lobed; petals generally blue, drying darker, banner spot whitish becoming magenta, lower
margins of keel ciliate near claw. Fruits: Pods 1-2 cm, 5 mm wide, coarsely hairy. Ecology: Found in washes and in sandy areas below 4,500 ft
(1372 m); flowers March-May. Notes: Common in spring with favorable rains, when vigorous they are semisucculent. There are several
subspecies which make a collection worthwhile to determine the precise identity. Ethnobotany: No known uses. Etymology: Lupinus comes
from Latin for wolf, while sparsiflorus means sparsely flowered. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley, 2010

Parry’s False Prairie-clover

Marina parryi (Torr. & A. Gray) Barneby
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Ephemeral to short lived perennial 20-80 cm tall with ashy-strigose, glandular
glandular branches, the stipules 1-2 mm long. Leaves: Pinnate 3.5-6 cm long with 15-35 leaflets, these suborbicular to obovate, emarginate and
strigose and glandular on both sides, 2-6 mm long. Flowers: On racemes 2-10 cm long with many flowers, the calyx strigose with a top-shaped
tube, 1.5-2 mm long, the calyx lobes deltoid with upper four lobes half as long as the tube, the corolla violet to purple, the banner reniform, 1.5
mm long, 2-2.5 mm wide, with a 1 mm long claw, the blades of wing petals 3 mm long, paler to nearly white along the lower margin. Fruits:
Pods puberulent between rows of glands, 2-2.5 mm long. Ecology: Found on rocky slopes and in washes below 4,000 ft (1219 m), flowers
March-June. Distribution: Across the Sonoran and Mojave deserts south into southern Sonoran and Baja California. Notes: Distinguished by the
racemose flowers, with stout stems, but an ephemeral species at that. Flowers are white and purple, stems are somewhat suffretescent, and
the herbage and calyces are strigose-canescent. Look also at the seed pods which are furry, with rows of long hairs alternating with rows of
glands. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Marina refers to marine, or of the sea, while parryi is named for Dr. Charles Christopher Parry
(1823-1890), an English-born American botanist and collector. Synonyms: Dalea angulata, Dalea divaricata var. cinerea, Dalea parryi, Parosela
divaricata var. cinerea, Dalea parryi Editor: SBuckley 2011

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Catclaw Mimosa
Mimosa aculeaticarpa Ortega var. biuncifera (Benth.) Barneby
Common Name: catclaw mimosa Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Tree General: Shrub or small tree 0.6-2 m with paired recurved
thorns at the nodes. Leaves: Twice pinnate leaves with 4-7 pairs of pinnae, each with 6-13 pairs of leaflets 2 mm long. Flowers: Capitate cluster
about 15 mm broad, pink or white. Fruits: Pod 4 mm wide, curved, valves not jointed, with marginal prickles. Ecology: Grows in thickets on hills
and canyon slopes and along washes from 3,000-6,000 ft (1067-1981 m). Distribution: AZ, NM, TX; south to s MEX. Ethnobotany: Pods of this
plant were ground into a meal. Etymology: Mimosa comes from Latin mimus, meaning mime, while aculeaticarpa refers to the spines and
biuncifera refers to their being paired. Synonyms: Mimosa biuncifera, Mimosa acanthocarpa, Acacia acanthocarpa Editor: SBuckley 2010,
FSCoburn 2015

Desert Ironwood
Olneya tesota A. Gray
Common Name: desert ironwood Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Tree General: Slow growing tree 7-10 m tall, with densely
canescent, striate, and spiny branches, the spines 5-10 mm long, slightly hooked, black on the tips, with shredding gray bark. Leaves: Pinnate 3-
10 cm long with 4-12 pairs of leaflets, these oblong 5-20 mm long. Flowers: On axillary racemes 2-6 cm long, with 0.5 mm long deciduous
bracts, papilionoid flowers, the calyx narrowly turbinate, densely canescent, the tube 3-4 mm long, with triangular ovate lobes 203 mm long,
nearly as wide, the corolla purple, 9-10 mm long, tinged with yellow.Fruits: Pods 8-9 mm thick, 3-6 cm long, canescent and glandular
pubescent, with a broad beak and stipe. Ecology: Found in desert washes and on low hills often in gravelly to silty soil below 3,000 ft (914 m),
flowers April-May. Distribution: Ranges from Arizona south into southern Sonora and into Baja California. Notes: Distinctive in spring for its
purple flowers, but distinguished from the similar Acaciella greggii by virtue of its much more full crown that is dense gray-green. Well known
for its nurse plant qualities and because it is endemic to the Sonoran Desert region. Ethnobotany: The wood was widely used for fuel, the well
known carvings of people like the Seri, and the seeds were roasted, parched and ground for flour and widely used as food. The wood is known
for its hardness and was used for all kinds of tools and implements, instruments, carvings, digging sticks, weaving, and even shovels. Etymology:
Olneya is named for Stephan Olney (1812-1878) an American botanist, while tesota is a corruption of the Spanis tieso meaning stiff or firm,
referring to the wood of the tree. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2011

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Blue Paloverde
Parkinsonia florida (Benth. ex A. Gray) S. Wats.
Common Name: blue paloverde Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Tree General: Large shrubs to small trees reaching 7-10 m tall
with a well-developed trunk. Small straight spines borne singly at nodes. Bark of twigs and branches bluish green, while older trunks are often
gray. Leaves: Leaves are pinnate with single pair of pinnae, with 2-4 pairs of obovate leaflets 4-8 mm long, darkening when dried. Flowers:
Found in terminal racemes, 22-28 mm wide, calyx green to yellow-green, lobes reflexed; Petals bright yellow, banner with small orange-red
spots basally. Fruits: Straw colored oblong pods 4-10 cm long moderately flattened, mostly indehiscent, seeds 1-6. Ecology: Generally found
along washes, plains, and canyons, sometimes on slopes from sea level to 4,000 ft (1219 m); flowers March-April. Distribution: s and w AZ, se
CA, Sonora and Baja Calif., MEX. Notes: Leafy branches not or not strongly spine-tipped, the rudimentary branches transformed into spines.
Mostly grows along dry washes, less common on upland slopes. Has bluish-green bark, leaflets 4-8 mm long, flowers 12-17 mm long with all
petals the same bright yellow color and flat seed pods with short triangular beaks or without beaks. Compare to P. microphylla which has
yellowish green bark, smaller leaflets < 3 mm long, smaller flowers < 10 mm long which often have one white petal among the yellow petals,
and turgid (inflated) seed pods ending in a flat triangular or sword-shaped beak. Ethnobotany: The seeds were dried and roasted before being
ground into meal for mush or cakes. Green pods can be eaten raw, similar to edamame (soybean) in texture. The wood was used for carving
ladles. Etymology: Parkinsonia is named after John Parkinson (1567-1650), florida refers to either free-flowering, abundant flowers or bright.
Synonyms: Cercidium floridum, Cercidium floridum subsp. floridum Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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Palo Verde
Parkinsonia microphylla Torr.
Common Name: yellow paloverde Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Tree General: Small tree or large shrub to 6 m tall with
smooth green bark on all twigs and branches except near the base, which is gray.Leaves: Borne on thorn tipped stems, lacking a petiole with 1
pair of pinnae, each 1-5 cm and with 4-8 pairs of leaflets, leaflets 1-3.5 mm broadly elliptic to broadly oblong or orbicular. Flowers: Bicolored
with four yellow petals and one white banner, 12-18 mm wide. Fruits: Pods, sparsely pubescent, tan to straw-colored 4-8 cm long,
indehiscent. Ecology: Abundant on bajadas, plains and hillslopes through low desert from 500-3,500 ft (152-1067 m); flowers April-
May. Distribution: s and w AZ, se CA, Sonora and Baja Calif., MEX. Notes: A dominant on the dry rocky hillsides of the Sonoran Desert. Has
yellowish green bark, leaflets < 3 mm long, flowers < 10 mm long which often have one white petal among the yellow petals, and turgid
(inflated) seed pods ending in a flat triangular or sword-shaped beak. Compare to P. florida which tends to grow along dry washes more often
than hillsides, has bluish-green bark, larger leaflets 4-8 mm long, larger flowers 12-17 mm long with all petals the same bright yellow color, and
flat seed pods with short triangular beaks or without beaks. Ethnobotany: The seeds were dried and roasted before being ground into meal for
mush or cakes. Green pods can be eaten raw, similar to edamame (soybean) in texture. The wood was used for carving ladles. Etymology:
Parkinsonia is named after John Parkinson (1567-1650), microphyllum refers to its being small-leaved. Synonyms: Cercidium
microphyllum Editor: SBuckley, 2010

Mesquite
Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC. var. velutina (Woot.) Sarg.

Silver Senna
Senna artemisioides (Gaud. ex DC.) Randell

Prickly
Senna covesii (A. Gray) Irwin & Barneby

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Louisiana Vetch
Vicia ludoviciana Nutt. ssp. Ludoviciana
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Vine General: Annual or winter-annual herbaceous vine; stems 30-100 cm long, decumbent or
climbing, glabrous or puberulent. Leaves: Alternate and pinnately compound, 2-6 cm long, with 6-12 leaflets per leaf; leaflets linear to oblong
or oblanceolate, 6-25 mm long, glabrous or with short soft hairs; the rachis (center stalk of the leaf) extends beyond the leaflets and turns into a
branched tendril. Flowers: Lavender, in 2-12 flowered loose racemes; flowers 6-8 mm long, with pea-flower morphology (papilionaceous); calyx
bell-shaped, 2-3 mm long, topped with unequal-length lobes; corolla 5-8 mm long, blue-lavender, the banner (wide upper petal) folded. Fruits:
Pods flat and oblong, 2-3 cm long and 5 mm wide, glabrous, on a 1 mm long stipe (stalk at the base of the pod but above the calyx attachment
ploint); containing 4-8 seeds. Ecology: Found on flats in sandy or rocky soils, in open to shrubby and even disturbed sites, from 3,500-6,000 ft
(1067-1829 m); flowers April-July. Distribution: CA east to GA and FL; south to s MEX. Notes: Distinguished by being a small, delicate vine, often
sparsely hairy all over; pinnately compound leaves with narrow leaflets and curling tendrils at the tip of the leaf rachis (the rachis is the center
stalk all the leaflets attach to); white to light purple pea flowers; followed by flattened fruits. Material from the southwest is considered to be
var. ludoviciana. The name V. exigua is commonly used for this taxon in Arizona, but that name is not accepted. Distinguish from the common
and variable V. americana based on flower size; V. ludoviciana has smaller flowers, less than 1 cm long and V. americana has flowers longer
than 1 cm. Also V. americana is perennial and has vibrantly blue-purple flowers. Ethnobotany: Unknown, but other species in the genus have
uses. Etymology: Vicia is the classical Latin name for the genus, possibly derived from vincire, to bind, alluding to the tendrils; ludoviciana
means of or from Louisiana. Synonyms: Vicia exigua Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017

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FAGACEAE (Oak Family)

Encinillo
Quercus turbinella Greene
Common Name: Sonoran scrub oak Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Shrub General: Shrub or small contorted tree, 1-3 m tall,
tending to form thickets; bark light gray, rough, fissured; young twigs densely woolly, smooth, reddish-brown beneath the hairs; older twigs
mostly hairless, gray, still more or less smooth. Leaves: Evergreen, persisting 1-2 years; alternate and short-petiolate; blades oblong-elliptic to
suborbicular, 1-5 cm long and 1-3 cm wide, 1.3-2 times as long as wide; margin with 1-8 pointed teeth; slightly gray-green on upper surface and
dull green below; surfaces glabrous, or covered with stellate and glandular hairs when young and becoming glabrascent with age. Flowers:
Monoeceous (male and female flowers on the same plant), minute, and lacking petals; male flowers in catkins 1-3 cm long, with 5-lobed calyx
and 5-10 stamens; female flowers solitary, with a 6 lobed calyx and 3 styles. Fruits: Acorns solitary or several, 1-2.5 cm long, elliptic, yellowish
brown; with a scaly, shallow cup enclosing one-quarter to one-third of the nut. Ecology: Found on arid slopes, often among chaparral
communities, from 2,000-8,000 ft (610-2438 m); flowers March-June. Notes: This is the common scrub oak of the middle elevations in the
Southwest. Hybridizes with Q. grisea and Q. gambelii. Distinguish from Q. grisea based on its shorter, shrublike stature and sharp marginal teeth
on the leaves (Q. grisea is more tree-like and has leaves with mostly smooth margins), as well as the stellate hairs on the leaf underside. In Q.
turbinella, the hairs are more starfish like with radiating arms, and in Q. grisea the hairs have ascending arms. Ethnobotany: Used to make
flour, bread, stew, mush, snack food, and the wood was used. Etymology: Quercus is the classical Latin word for oak, thought to be derived
from Celtic quer, fine, and cuez, tree; turbinella is thought to mean shaped like a spinning top, perhaps in diminutive form. Synonyms: Quercus
dumosa var. turbinella Editor: SBuckley 2010, AHazelton 2017

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FOUQUIERIACEAE (Ocotillo Family)

Ocotillo
Fouquieria splendens Engelm
Common Name: ocotillo Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Shrub General: Tall, many-stemmed shrublike plant, 2-7 m tall; stems
unbranched and cane-like, erect to ascending, covered with thorns; bark gray with darker furrows. Leaves: Appearing within days after ground-
soaking rains and turning yellow and dropping in response to drought; blades fleshy, ovate, 1-3 cm long. Flowers: Orange, in dense panicles, 10-
25 cm long, at branch tips, with conspicuous leafy bracts that fall off when flowers are mature; corolla tubular, about 2 cm long, bright red-
orange, with 5 reflexed lobes at the top. Fruits: Capsule 10-15 mm long, 3-valved; containing 6-15 flat, papery-winged seeds. Ecology: Found on
dry, rocky or gravelly slopes and sandy plains from sea level to 5,000 ft (0-1524 m); flowers February-March. Distribution: s CA, AZ, s NM, s TX;
south to c MEX. Notes: Very distinct plant in our region, particularly good for hummingbirds. Watch for the plants greening up quickly after
rains. Ethnobotany: Blossoms soaked for a summer drink, a blood purifier and tonic. Seeds were parched and ground into flour for mush or
cakes. Papago pressed the nectar out of blossoms, hardened it like rock candy and chewed. Flowers sucked for nectar. Stems used for fences
and houses. Apache made a powdered root paste to ease swelling. Gum from the bark was used to wax leather. Etymology: Fouquieria is
named for Pierre Eloi Fouquier (1776-1850) a French physician and naturalist; splendens means splendid. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley
2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017

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GERANIACEAE (Geranium Family)

Alfilerillo
Erodium cicutarium (L.) L’Hér. ex Ait.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Non-Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Winter annual herb, up to 40 cm tall but usually less than 10 cm in our
region, from a slender taproot; stems few to several, initially erect or decumbent and becoming prostrate, often reddish with swollen nodes;
herbage glandular-villous. Leaves: Overwintering as a basal rosette, but leaves also opposite along the stems during the growing season. Leaves
short-petiolate; blades 3-14 cm long, bipinnatifid (twice pinnately cleft) with fine feathery divisions. Flowers: Pink-purple, in long-stalked,
umbel-like clusters of 2-8 flowers; petals 5, rose-lavender, pink, or lilac, often spotted; sepals 5. Fruits: Five, hairy, 2 - 4 cm long, single-seeded,
nutlike segments per flower, each sharply pointed at base and ending in a long, spirally coiled (at least lower half), and hairy beak, 3 cm long.
Ecology: Found in disturbed, often dry places, below 8,000 ft (2438 m); flowers February-July. Distribution: Thought to be native to Eurasia and
north Africa; naturalized on every continent in the world; throughout N. Amer. and in every state in the US. Notes: Glandular-pubescent
annuals ubiquitous in urban areas, roadsides, and disturbed areas. Immediately obvious are the basal rosettes of deeply-divided leaves which
often hug the ground and radiate from the center but can be ascending and less symmetric. The common name "storksbill" describes the
shapes of the fruits with long beaks which spiral and screw the seed into the ground after being wetted. Told apart from E. texanum which has
simple 3-lobed leaves, often larger flowers and is without glands. Somewhat similar to species of Geranium, but members of that genus always
have opposite, palmately-lobed stem leaves. Seasonal forage for rodents, desert tortoise, big game animals, and livestock. Seeds eaten by
upland gamebirds, songbirds, and rodents. Ethnobotany: Costanoan make cold leaf tea to treat typhoid fever. Navajo use plant to disinfect and
treat bobcat and mountain lion bites. Zuni make chewed leaf poultice for sores and rashes. Navajo also use it to treat excessive menstruation.
Etymology: Erodium is Greek for heron, which comes from the bill-like fruit. Cicutaria is the water-hemlock genus, possibly referenced due to
its similarly dissected leaves. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2015, AHazelton 2017

Alfilerilla
Erodium texanum A. Gray
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Winter spring ephemeral, stems reaching 25 cm, but usually shorter and
stemless. Herbage with small, coarse white hairs, not glandular. Leaves: Blades 9-21 mm, ovate to heart-shaped or rounded in outline, usually
3-lobed or parted, margins toothed, petioles 10-42 mm. Flowers: Umbels 2-3 flowered, petals pink to purple, readily falling, longer than the
sepals; fruiting sepals 5.5-9 mm. Fruits: Beak of fruit 3.2-5 cm long. Ecology: Widespread, mostly at lower elevations on sandy or fine-textured
soils, sometimes among rocks from 1,000-5,000 ft (305-1524 m); flowers February-April. Distribution: TX to s UT and se CA Notes: Common as
E. cicutarium, but easily distinguishable by the flowers. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Erodium is Greek for heron, which comes from the
bill-like fruit, texanum refers to Texas. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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HYDROPHYLLACEAE (Waterleaf Family)
Campanita de Suspiro
Emmenanthe penduliflora Benth.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Simple to much branched plants 10-50 cm tall, heavy-scented, stipitate-
glandular puberulence throughout. Leaves: Oblong, 5-20 mm broad, 3-8 cm long, pinnatifid with narrowly deltoid to oblong, entire or dentate
lobes, decurrent at base to short winged, clasping petiole. Flowers: Cymes several to many, pedicels filiform, 6-15 mm long or longer in fruit,
recurved, villous and stipitate-glandular; sepals ovate-lanceolate, 6-10 mm long, 2-3 mm wide, corolla 8-12 mm long, 5-10 mm wide, orbicular
lobes 1-2 mm long, sparsely puberulent along and below midvein of each lobe; yellow. Fruits: Capsule 8-10 mm long, thin-walled, sparsely
villous and glandular. Ecology: Found on gravelly or rocky soil on slopes, along streams, usually under bushes below 4,000 ft (1219 m); flowers
March-May. Notes: Often found in burned areas; makes whispering sound with persistent dry corollas. Ethnobotany: No known uses.
Etymology: Emmenanthe is from the Greek emmeno, to bide and anthose flower, refers to the blossom not falling as it fades, while
penduliflora means pendant flower. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley, 2010

Spotted Hideseed
Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia (Benth.) Greene
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Erect to openly spreading weak stemmed annual, to 90 cm tall. Leaves: Oblong
to widely ovate, pinnate to deeply pinnately lobed, lobes 7-13, deeply 1-2 pinnately lobed, teeth obtuse, lower leaves 2-10 cm, 1-5 cm wide;
upper leaves smaller, less lobed, bases clasping. Flowers: Cymes with 4-15 flowers per branch, pedicels generally recurved in fruit; calyx 2-4
mm, corolla 2-6 mm, white or bluish, equaling or slightly exceeding calyx, lobes hairy on back, style less than 3 mm. Fruits: Capsule 2-4 mm in
diameter, seeds 6-8, dark brown, some elliptic or round, disk-like, and smooth, while others oblong-ovoid and wrinkled. Ecology: Found often
beneath trees, in canyons, on slopes and disturbed areas below 3,000 ft (914 m); flowers February-April. Distribution: CA, NV, UT, AZ, NM, s TX;
south into Baja MEX. Notes: Told apart from E. micrantha by the bipinnatifid leaves that are all more or less petiolate, the inflorescence not
being stipitate-glandular, and the dimorphic seeds. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Eucrypta is from Greek eu, well or true and crypta,
secret, alluding to hidden inner seeds, while chrysanthemifolia means with leaves that look like chrysanthemum foliage. Synonyms: None
Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

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Limestone Phacelia
Phacelia affinis A. Gray
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual forb mostly several-branched from near base, 4-20 cm; herbage,
inflorescences and calyx with dense stiff white hairs and sessile glands. Leaves: Mostly basal and on lower stem 3-6 cm, pinnately lobed to
pinnatifid, mostly narrowly oblong; upper leaves reduced. Flowers: Cymes moderately helicoids, especially on larger plants, flowers few to
numerous; calyx lobes oblanceolate to spoon-shaped, glandular; corollas white (rarely pale purple) with a pale yellow-green throat; filaments
whitish, the anthers included and cream colored. Fruits: Many seeds nearly 1 mm, brown, reticulate transversely corrugated. Ecology: Found
along streams, washes, arroyos, often on limestone from 2,000-4,000 ft (610-1219 m); flowers March-May. Notes: These plants are known to
cause light dermatitis. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Phacelia is based on Greek phakelos, meaning cluster alluding to crowded spikes,
while affinis means bordering on or related or similar to. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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Cleftleaf Wildheliotrope
Phacelia crenulata Torr. ex S. Wats. va r. ambigua (M.E. Jones) J.F. Macbr.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Pungently scented annual herbs, 10-40 cm tall (occasionally up to 80 cm);
stems erect, openly branched; herbage covered with copious stalked glands as well as non-glandular hispid hairs; glands are yellow to orange
and smelly. Leaves: Alternate along the stems, the lower leaves on petioles and the upper leaves sessile or nearly so; blades oblong to nearly
round (suborbicular) in outline, 2-12 cm long, pinnately lobed, the lower lobes deeply cleft, nearly to the leaf midstem, and the upper lobes
shallow; margins lined with rounded teeth; leaf surfaces bearing numerous stalked glands as well as hispid hairs. Flowers: Showy, blue to
purple, arranged in dense terminal and lateral scorpioid cymes; corolla campanulate (bell-shaped) and 5-lobed, 4-7 mm long, deep blue to
purple to lavender to occasionally white basally; stamens conspicuously exserted 3-11 mm beyond the corolla, with yellow anthers. Fruits:
Globose capsules, 3-4 mm long; containing 4 seeds, elliptic to oblong, 3-4 mm long, brown and pitted. Ecology: Found on dry, gravelly hillsides
and flats, in sandy and clay soils, from 3,500-7,000 ft (1065-2135 m); flowers April-September. Distribution: c and s CA, NV, UT, w CO, AZ, NM, s
TX; south into n MEX. Notes: Positive field identification of Phacelia is quite difficult as species delimitations usually rely on seed morphology.
This species distinguished by the deeply pinnatifid leaves, with lower lobes cleft to the midrib and upper lobes more shallowly cleft; upper stem
leaves sessile or nearly so; scorpoid (curled) inflorescences; flowers with purple bell-shaped corollas and yellow stamens exserted at least 3 mm
beyond the corolla; calyx lobes broad and pointed and little or not surpassing the fruit; and seeds more than 3 mm long, which are corrugate
with ridges on the margins of the excavated side. Note that this plant can cause an allergenic response to its hairs. There are several subspecies:
var. ambigua is common in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona and southern California, with herbage that is hispid-hirsute with long, very slender
hairs, in addition to the gland-tipped hairs. Var. corrugata is common on the Colorado Platau, from the Grand Canyon and Flagstaff area, east to
the White Mountains and central New Mexico, and north to Utah and western Colorado; it has leaves that are quite glandular, long and narrow,
and evenly lobed no more than halfway to the midrib. Var. crenulata is most common in the Mojave and Great Basin deserts, from the Yuma
area to northern Nevada and central Utah; it has a mixture of long and short non-glandular hairs on the stems, in addition to the gland-tipped
hairs. Var. angustifolia is restricted to northern Arizona near the Grand Canyon and neighboring southern Utah; it has long, narrow leaves,
similar to var. corrugata, but the lobes on the leaves can be cleft more than halfway to the midrib. The genus Phacelia has at different times
been placed in Hyrophyllaceae (the water-leaf family) and Boraginaceae (the borage family), so you may need to check both families before
finding it in reference books and herbarium cabinets. Ethnobotany: Keres make root tea for sore throat and into rub for swellings. Etymology:
Phacelia is based on the Greek phakelos, meaning "cluster," alluding to the densely crowded flower spikes of most species of the genus;
crenulata refers to the rounded teeth on the edges of the leaves. Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017

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Hiddenflower Phacelia
Phacelia cryptantha Greene
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual 10-50 cm tall from slender taproot, short-glandular-pubescent and
hispid throughout, inflorescence most heavily glandular; stems branched from base, branches ascending to erect, forming a rounded clump.
Leaves: Oblong to ovate 3-9 cm long, 1.5-5 cm wide, pinnate or pinnatifid, divisions ovate to oblong, remote, toothed; petioles slender, usually
distinctly shorter than blade. Flowers: Scorpioid cyme, simple or few branched, lax, many flowered, branches 2-10 cm long, those erect in fruit;
calyx lobes linear-oblanceolate with very narrow claw and dilate at apex, 4-7 mm long, 0.5-1 mm wide, enlarging to about 1 cm in fruit, densely
hispid; corolla campanulate-funnelform, 4-7 mm long, 3-4 mm wide across limb, lobes lavender, 2-3 mm long, stamens 3-4 mm long, glabrous,
corolla scales inserted in upper part of tube, adnate full length or with an acute free tip; style 3-4 mm long, hispid toward base, cleft to middle
or slightly below. Fruits: Globose capsule, about 2 mm long, hispid. Ecology: Found on moist hillsides and canyons, along with arid slopes from
2,500-4,500 ft (762-1372 m); flowers April-June. Distribution: NV, AZ, se CA Notes: Often found under Quercus turbinella and other shrubs.
Similar to P. distans but look at the hispid calyx with lobes contracted into long slender claws; lavender-purple corolla (vs. blue in P. distans);
and corolla less than 7 mm wide at the top. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Phacelia from Greek phacelo- for bundl, while cryptantha is
from the Greek krypsis, meaning hiding, suppression, concealment, thus a hidden flower. Synonyms: Phacelia cryptantha var. derivata Editor:
SBuckley, 2010

Distant Phacelia
Phacelia distans Benth.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual forb 15-45 cm, erect and simple to much branched and spreading to
procumbent; herbage moderately sticky and scabrous with conspicuous white hairs, sometimes with swollen white bases and sessile glands,
golden when fresh; stems leafy, semi-succulent and relatively stout. Leaves: Usually relatively thin and fern-like, 6-17 cm, 1 or 2 times
pinnatifid, segments pinnately lobed or toothed to pinnatifid. Flowers: Cymes helicoids, calyx lobes enlarging moderately in fruit, reaching 6
mm; corollas 8-9.5 mm, pale violet to blue, the lobes spreading; stamens usually no or scarcely exserted. Fruits: Seeds 4 or fewer around 2 mm,
red-brown, narrowly ovoid, pitted, the back convex, the ventral side angled and convex. Ecology: Found under bushes along washes and along
sandy-gravelly washes and bajadas and less often rocky slopes from 1,000-4,000 ft (305-1219 m); flowers from February-May. Distribution: NV,
AZ, CA Notes: Delicate foliage and bright-blue flowers are indicative of this species, plants often disappearing quickly along with soil moisture.
Similar to P. cryptantha but look to the hirsute to villous calyx (not hispid or with the lobed contracted into claws); blue corollas (vs. lavender-
purple in P. cryptantha); and corolla 6-9 mm long (4-7 mm long in P. cryptantha). Ethnobotany: Leaves were steamed and eaten as greens by
Kawaiisu. Etymology: Phacelia from Greek phacelo- for bundle, distans means separated, apart, widely-spaced in reference to the long,
exserted stamens. Synonyms: Phacelia cinerea, Phacelia distans var. australis Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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Branching Phacelia
Phacelia ramosissima Dougl. ex Lehm.
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Several stemmed, erect or ascending perennial, 50-120 cm tall, finely
cinereous-pubescent and hirsute or hispid throughout, glandular-viscid in inflorescence. Leaves: Broadly ovate to oblong, 5-10 cm long, 2-6 cm
wide, pinnate, narrowly ovate to oblong lobes toothed, incised or sometimes twice pinnatifid, the appearance is of distinct leaflets, on slender
petioles 1-3 cm long, upper leaves similar and lobed but smaller and sessile. Flowers: Dense but scattered cymes 2-8 cm long, erect in fruit;
pedicels rarely longer than 1 mm; calyx lobes spatulate, 5-8 mm long, 1-2.5 mm wide at widest part, densely glandular-hispid, slightly enlarged
in fruit; campanulate corolla, pale dingy blue or dingy white, 5-8 mm long, 6-10 mm broad, ovate lobes 2-3 mm long, spreading; stamens 7-10
mm long, somewhat exserted, glabrous; corolla scales ovate, attenuate toward apex, adnate at base of filaments only; style 7-10 mm long,
glabrous. Fruits: Capsule ovoid, 3-4 mm long, sharply bristly, acute. Ecology: Found on rocky or brushy slopes and along watercourses from
2,000-7,000 ft (610-2134 m); flowers March-May. Notes: The many stemmed habit helps to distinguish this from other Phacelia. In our region
there is a single variety, var. latifolia, which can be distinguished by the glandular stem below the inflorescence, with mostly long, coarse hairs,
with some soft and spreading. Ethnobotany: Used as an emetic, to clear a stomachache, for gonorrhea, and the leaves were eaten as greens.
Etymology: Phacelia from Greek phacelo- for bundle, while ramosissima means very branched. Synonyms: None, but many varieties. Editor:
SBuckley, 2010

Blue Fiestaflower
Pholistoma auritum (Lindl.) Lilja var. arizonicum (M.E. Jones) Constance
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Vine General: Annual with slender, weak and scrambling stems, sometimes 1 m long, uncinate-
bristly on angles, herbage bright green, sparsely hispid throughout. Leaves: Oblong to ovate-lanceolate in outline, 1.5-8 cm long, 0.5-3.5 cm
broad with 2-5 lobes on each side, these oblong, ovate, or nearly deltoid, usually retrorse, obtuse at tips, petioles moderately winged,
auriculate-clasping. Flowers: Solitary or in 1-4 flowered cymes on pedicels 1-2.5 cm long, sparsely uncinate-hispid; calyx lobes lanceolate to
ovate-lanceolate, 1.5-2 mm wide, 5-7 mm long, sparsely hispid; auricles barely 1 mm long; corolla 8-12 mm broad, blue or violet; corolla scales
triangular, purple, margins fimbriate; styles 2.5-3 mm long. Fruits: Capsule 4-5 mm in diameter, hispid with subulate white hairs. Ecology:
Found in canyons and under bushes and trees, rocky hillsides and plains below 3,000 ft (914 m); flowers February-May. Distribution: AZ, s CA
Notes: The weak and crawling stems often help to diagnose this species, as does the obtuse leaf lobes and dark spots at the base of the petals.
Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Pholistoma is from the Greek pholis, scale and stoma, mouth, referring to the scales in the throat of the
flower, while auritum means eared, or having and ear, referring to the clasping base of the leaves. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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JUNCACEAE (Rush Family)

Toad Rush
Juncus bufonius L
Common Name: toad rush Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Graminoid General: Caespitose annual, 5-40 cm tall, no rhizomes.
Vegetative: Culms erect, procumbent or ascending, terete, smooth, 0.5-1.5 mm in diameter, with foliar shoots in leaf axils, cataphylls absent to
rarely one, membranous 7-12 mm long; foliar leaves 1-5 basal and 1-3 cauline to each stem, 4-15 cm long, scariose margins Inflorescence:
Usually more than half the total plant height, compound, several unilateral cymes with flowers inserted individual and removed from one
another, rarely 2-4 flowers clustered together; lower inflorescence bract resembling cauline leaf, 4-15 cm long, distal bracts progressively
shorter, ultimate ones 5 mm long and scarious; 2 bracteoles, greenish tepals, lanceolate 3.5-7 mm, inner series slightly shorter, apex sometimes
obtuse; capsule ellipsoid, three sided, truncate and mucronate, 3-4 mm by 1.5-2 mm with persistent style 0.1-0.3 mm long. Ecology: Found in
moist soils along meadows, stream banks, roadsides, usually in open sites. Widespread, weedy species; flowers early spring to fall. Notes: Very
cosmopolitan species that is also highly polymorphic. Ethnobotany: Taken as an emetic, and used as a body wash. Etymology: Juncus comes
from the Latin jungere, to join or bind, while bufonius pertains to toads, or refers to the habit of growing in moist places. Synonyms: None
Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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KRAMERIACEAE (Ratany Family)

White Ratany
Krameria bicolor S. Watson
Common Name: white ratany Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Stiff, intricately branched and mounded shrubs
20-80 cm tall, young branches densely canescent; old stems terete, blue-green, with rigid spinose tips. Leaves: Sparse, alternate and simple,
linear to oblong, sessile, acute to obtuse, often apiculate, 1-3 mm wide, 5-10 mm; occasionally completely lacking. Flowers: Peduncles 15-25
mm long, sericeous, bracts foliaceous, borne at middle of peduncle; sepals 5, lanceolate, acute, purple to deep red-purple, 9-12 mm long,
canescent on exposed parts; lower petals 2.5-3 mm long, suborbicular, often with many small tubercules on dorsal surfaces; upper petals 3,
spatulate, 4-5 mm long, slender claws, distinct and pink to purple at tip, green basally; stamens 4 curved upward and inserted at base of petals.
Fruits: Broadly ovoid to globose, densely woolly body, spines acicular, 5.5-10 mm long, hairy below, glabrous toward apex, bearing 2-5 stout
recurved barbs to 1 mm in terminal whorl. Ecology: Found on dry slopes along washes and on hillsides below 3,500 ft (1067 m); flowers March-
September. Notes: Told apart from K. erecta by the blue-green cast of the old stems, the overall canescence of the shrub, the whorled spines at
the apex of the fruit, and by the petals not being connate. Ethnobotany: Used as a wash for sores as a disinfectant, as an eye medicine, taken
for pain, coughs, fevers, sore throats, for swelling, and the roots were boiled and ground as a dye in basket making. Etymology: Krameria
named after Johann Georg Heinrich Kramer (1684-1744) an Austrian physician and botanist, while grayi is named for the American botanist Asa
Gray. Synonyms: Krameria bicolor Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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Littleleaf Ratany
Krameria erecta Willd. ex J.A. Schultes
Common Name: littleleaf ratany Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Low shrub often 0.3-0.5 m, usually less than
1 m across, with many short, crowded, spreading branches. Stems tough and woody with gray bark, upper branches knotty due to many short
spur branches. Densely pubescent herbage and grayish with short white hairs, stems root at nodes. Leaves: Alternate, linear 3-9 long by 0.8-1.3
mm wide, drought deciduous, sessile. Flowers: Showy, about 1.5 cm in diameter, solitary or in short racemes with leafy bracts. Sepals bright
magenta-purple inside, white hairy outside. Filaments whitish, anthers dull cream colored, styles magenta-purple. Fruits: Globose and
moderately compressed, about 6 mm wide, with spines about 3.5 mm with small barbs more or less evenly distributed along upper part of
shaft. Ecology: Found on sandy, gravelly plains adjacent to mountains and rocky hills from 500-5,000 ft (152-1524 m); flowers at various times
during the year. Distribution: s CA, s NV, s UT, AZ, s NM, s TX; south to c MEX. Notes: Plant is in part a root parasite on other species.
Distinguished by being a low-growing, spreading shrub with gray-green, densely-hairy, linear leaves; especially distinctive are the flowers which
can cover the plant during wetter times, and the inflated fruits with spines with small hooks at the ends. Palatable to both livestock and wildlife.
Ethnobotany: Used predominantly as a red dye and as a poultice of root for sores. Etymology: Krameria named after Johann Georg Heinrich
Kramer (1684-1744) an Austrian physician and botanist, while erecta means upright. Synonyms: Krameria glandulosa, K. imparata, K. parvifolia,
K. parvifolia var. glandulosa, K. parvifolia var. imparata Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

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LAMIACEAE (Mint Family)

Dwarf False Pennyroyal

Hedeoma nana Greene ssp. Nana (Torr.) Briq
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Perennial herb (occasionally annual), 10-25 cm tall, from a woody taproot;
stems many, ascending to slightly decumbent, sometimes slightly woody near the base; herbage sometimes red- or purple-tinged, and usually
covered with white, downwardly curving hairs. Leaves: Opposite, on slender petioles, 1-3 mm long; blades ovate to elliptic or sometimes
rhomboidal-ovate, 5-10 mm long and 2-6 mm wide, with entire or minutely denticulate margins; upper surface dark green and lower surface
paler, somewhat veiny, finely punctate-glandular. Flowers: Blue-purple or pinkish, in few-flowered verticels at leaf axils, each flower on a
pedicel 1-5 mm long; calyx tube mostly 2-3 mm long, finely ribbed and hispidulous, distinctly swollen near the base at maturity; calyx teeth
reddish, the upper three ovate-subulate, 1 mm long, slightly curved outward, and the lower pair narrowly subulate, 2 mm long, curved inward;
corolla bilabiate, rose-purple, often with darker spots and streaks in lower lip, the corolla tube about equaling the calyx length, hispidulous on
the outside. Fruits: Nutlets 4, oblong, 1 mm long, brown. Ecology: Found in rock crevices, rocky slopes, exposed ridges, and at the base of rocks,
including limestone, from 500-7,500 ft (152-2286 m); flowers March-October. Distribution: s CA, s UT, AZ, NM, s TX; south to c MEX. Notes: H.
nana is a highly variable species and often is hard to tell apart from other Hedeoma spp. Distinguished by being an erect perennial, often with
many stems from the base forming loose to dense bunches; the foliage has little to no smell of mint; the leaves are untoothed and broadly
elliptical to ovate; and the calyx teeth are spreading at maturity with the upper teeth reflexed, making the calyx bilabiate wih hairs not
protruding between calyx teeth. Similar to H. drummondii but that speces has a peppermint smell and the calyx narrows considerably toward
the apex, with the teeth converging when in fruit. There are three subspecies with overlapping distribution. The base description generally fits
for subsp. nana which is the most widespread and common. Subsp. californica is often found on limestone outcrops and can be distinguished by
its closely tufted (bunched) stems which are sparingly hairy near the tips and nearly hairless near the base; small leaves about 5 mm long; and
deciduous basal leaves . Ssp. macrocalyx is told apart from subsp. nana by having persistent basal leaves that are 10-15 mm long and purplish
beneath; a larger calyx tube 3.5-4.5 mm long, and a corolla tube 5-6 mm long, with the limb (wider 2-lipped part of the corolla) distinctly
exceeding the calyx. Ethnobotany: Used ceremonially; taken as a cathartic; taken for indigestion; made into tea; the leaves were used as
flavoring; and used as a hair and body wash. Etymology: Hedeoma is from the Greek hedus, sweet, and osme, odor, an ancient name for a
strongly aromatic mint; nana comes from the Greek nannos, dwarf. Synonyms: Hedeoma nanum Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015,
AHazelton 2017

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Desert Lavender
Hyptis emoryi Torr.
Common Name: desert lavender Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Shrub General: Aromatic shrub to 3 m tall, canescent. Leaves:
Leaves 0.7-2.4 cm long by 0.5-1.5 cm wide, on petioles 0.2-0.8 cm long, crenate margins, abaxial surface rugose, the lateral veins arching
towards the leaf apex, the tertiary veins reticulate between the lateral veins. Flowers: Sometimes congested in spikes, peduncles absent or to 1
cm long, generally cymes 1-2 cm wide; flowers on pedicels 1-3 mm long, calyx 1.5-5 mm long, canescent, persistent, corolla 4-6 mm long,
whitish toward center, filaments white, pilose; anthers purple; style purple, exserted after being released from saccate corolla lobe. Fruits:
Oblong nutlets, 1.5-2 mm long, about 1 mm wide, brown at maturity. Ecology: Found in desert washes and on hillsides from 500-4,000 ft (152-
1219 m); flowers year-round. Notes: The telling characters of this species are the shrubby habit, the dendritic hairs, the gray-green cast of the
leaves, and the lavender-like aroma. Ethnobotany: An infusion of the blossoms and leaves taken for hemorrhages, while there is some
suggestion that this species inhibits tumors. Etymology: Hyptis is from the Greek huptios for turned back, which refers to the lower lip position
of the flowers, while emoryi is named for Maj. William Hemsley Emory (1811-1887) a member of the Mexican Boundary Survey. Synonyms:
None Editor: SBuckley, 2010

Mexican Bladdersage
Salazaria mexicana Torr
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Shrub General: Herbaceous or shrubby perennials, to 1.5 m tall, stems with spreading lateral
branches, these rigid, with tips becoming spine-like in age, twigs more or less canescent. Leaves: Opposite, sessile or short-petiolate and ovate
to elliptic, 3-20 mm long and 2-8 mm wide, with rounded bases and entire margins, surfaces glabrous to puberulent. Flowers: Bilabiate with a
hooded, white upper lip and a violet or purple, split lower lip, the corolla 15-25 mm long , upper lip entire, white to light violet, lower lip 3
lobed, calyx lobes equal, entire, purple, 1-2 cm in age, becoming bladder-like in fruit, stamens 4, generally enclosed by upper lip, lower stamen
pair smaller than the upper pair, anthers ciliate, infloresences axillary at distal 3-10 nodes, flowers in pairs of 2, axis finely glandular-puberulent.
Fruits: Widely ovoid nutlets with rough surfaces, brown or black, short-stalked, tubercled. Ecology: Found on sandy to gravelly soils on slopes,
in washes, scrub, foothills, and woodlands, among creosote-bush and juniper associations, to 6,000 ft (1829 m); flowering March-June and
October. Distribution: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Texas. Notes: Good indicators for this species are the paired, inflated, globose to
ovoid fruits 1-2 cm in diameter, bilabiate flowers with a white, hooded upper lip and split, lower purple lip, and the gray or dusty green,
slender, woody, and nearly naked stems. This species is listed in the new Jepson manual as Scutellaria mexicana as of May 2012. Kearney and
Peebles note this species occurs mostly below 3,000 feet in Arizona among creosote and juniper communities. Ethnobotany: Unknown.
Etymology: Salazaria is named after Don Jose Salazar (1823-1892), Mexican commissioner on the Boundary Survey, and mexicana means of or
from Mexico. Synonyms: None Editor: LCrumbacher2012

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LAMIACEAE (Mint Family) Cont.

Chia
Salvia columbariae Benth
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual with one to several erect, naked, peduncle-like stems 10-60 cm tall.
Leaves: Basal leaves, blades 5-15 cm long, 1-2 pinnatifid into toothed or irregularly incised divisions, cinereous-tomentose, petioles equal blade;
1-4 nodes above base also bearing somewhat reduced leaves, plant cinereous with short recurved hairs, purplish. Flowers: In capitate verticils
2-4 cm in diameter, subtended by suborbicular, green to purplish, awn tipped bracts 6-14 mm long, sparsely ciliate along margins; calyx 8-10
mm long, upper lip of oblique orifice about three times as long as lower; corolla blue, 10-13 mm long, upper lip erose-denticulate and shallowly
cleft, erect. Fruits: Nutlets 2-2.22 mm long. Ecology: Found on sandy, gravelly, or rarely clay soil on slopes, common in sandy washes below
3,500 ft (1067 m); flowers March-July. Distribution: AZ, CA, s NV Notes: Distinctive capitate verticils and blue flowers help to identify this
annual plant. Ethnobotany: Poultice of seed used for infections, to cleanser eyes, for fevers, for irritation and inflammation; the seeds are
edible, and can be used to make a beverage, to render water palatable by removing alkalines; also used for pinole and mush to eat. Etymology:
Salvia comes from Latin salveo, or I am well, while columbariae is a reference to Columbian, or of western North America. Synonyms: None
Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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LILIACEAE (Lily Family)
Cobena Armarilla
Calochortus kennedyi Porter
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Simple stems, stoutish, 10-25 cm tall, glaucous. Leaves: Basal leaves linear,
deeply channeled, 2-5 mm wide, about equaling stems, glaucous; upper leaves 1-2 or wanting, 3-6 mm wide at base, 3-5 cm long, recurved and
thick, attenuate, scarious along margins. Flowers: Umbels 2-4 flowered, sepals broadly ovate to lance-ovate, 2-3 cm long, 6-10 mm wide, acute,
orange-red within, usually brownish spot near base; petals broadly cuneate-obovate, 2.5-3.5 cm long, orange-red with brownish purple claws;
large hairy gland at base. Fruits: Capsule broadly linear-lanceolate, 4-5 cm long, obtusely triquetrous, slightly attenuate above. Ecology: Found
on gravelly hills, mesas and outwash slopes below 5,000 ft (1524 m); flowers April-June. Notes: Several species of this genus are in the region,
petal color usually is the diagnostic. Ethnobotany: Large bulbs were eaten. Etymology: Calochortus is Greek, meaning beautiful herb, while
kennedyi is named after William Kennedy (c1827-). Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley, 2010

Bluedicks
Dichelostemma capitatum (Benth.) Wood
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Perennial scapose herb from a large underground deep-seated corm (bulb);
scape to 65 cm tall. Leaves: Basal, slender, 2-3 per plant, mostly shorter than scape, 10-70 cm long, 2-15 mm wide, the blade barely keeled, the
margins scaberulous. Flowers: Purple or white, in open umbels of 2-15 flowers; bracts 8-15 mm long, broadly ovate, abruptly acuminate;
pedicels slender, 2-10 mm long; tepals 6, connate into a tube at the base, separated into lobes and spreading above, deep violet-purple, rarely
reddish purple or white, 12-18 mm long, the tube thin, 4-8 mm long, constricted at throat. Fruits: 3-angled capsule, 6-10 mm long with
persistent style; splitting open to release seeds when mature. Ecology: Found on dry open ridges and grassy plains, especially on heavier
textured soils such as clays and heavy loams, below 5,000 ft (1524 m); flowers February-May. Distribution: OR, south through NV and CA, east
through UT, AZ, CO and NM; south to n MEX. Notes: A distinct spring perennial recognized by its fiber-covered bulbs; slender, linear, slightly-
folded leaves; long stem (scape) which terminates in an inflorescence of many branches from a central point (umbel) with showy, purple
flowers with 6 petals (tepals). Two subspecies recognized: subsp. pauciflorum has whitish bracts which are streaked purple, 2-5 flowers per
inflorescence, and pedicels shorter than bracts; subsp. capitatum has dark purple bracts, 6-15 flowers per inflorescence, and pedicels are longer
than bracts. Ethnobotany: Corms were eaten raw or cooked and eaten. Etymology: Dichelostemma comes from Greek dicha, bifid, and
stemma, a garland or crown, referring to appendages on the stamens, while capitatum refers to the way the flowers form a head-like cluster.
Synonyms: Brodiaea capitata, Dichelostemma pulchellum var. capitatum, Dipterostemon capitatus, Milla capitata Editor: SBuckley 2010,
FSCoburn 2014, AHazelton

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LILIACEAE (Lily Family) Cont.

Palmilla
Nolina microcarpa S. Wats.
Common Name: sacahuista Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Acaulescent rosette with the appearance of a
large, coarse grass; from a large woody subterranean caudex. Leaves: Clustered in a basal rosette, blades 60-120 cm long, 6-12 mm wide,
margins unevenly serrulate-scabrous, tips split into tufts 5-12 cm long; narrow channels run the length of the leaf. Flowers: Scapes erect, to 1.5
m tall; panicles narrow, the primary branches 15-50 cm long, ascending; secondary branches one-half as long; bracts subtending lower
branches lance-linear, 5-12 mm wide, 8-15 cm long, attenuate; flowers campanulate, whitish, 2-4 mm long, tepals oblong to ovate. Fruits:
Capsules subglobose, papery and inflated, deeply notched at apex, rounded to shallowly notched at base, 4-5 mm high, 6-8 mm wide, 3-locular
with 3 seeds; seeds compressed, 2-3 mm. Ecology: Found on rocky slopes and hills from 3,000-6,000 ft (914-1829 m); flowers May-July.
Distribution: s UT, AZ, NM; south to n MEX. Notes: This is a widespread species in the southwest, distinguished by its rosette of drooping leaves
with small prickles on margins, and the inflorescence stalk to 1.5 m tall with a branched panicle of small white flowers at the end. The drooping
leaves distinguish it from Yucca, Agave, and Dasylirion, which all have stiff, erect leaves. There are a few other species of Nolina in the
Southwest; N. microcarpa is the most common, and is distinguished by the woody trunk being underground; leaves < 12 mm wide; and
serrulate leaf margins. Ethnobotany: Taken for rheumatism, for pneumonia and lung hemorrhages; the stalks were eaten; the seeds were made
a flour or meal for bread or mush; the fruit was eaten raw or preserved; plant was used as a dye, for basketry, rugs, mats and other forms of
weaving, for brushes, rope, and cord; the roots were used for soap; and the dried leaves were used as cooking tools. Etymology: Nolina is
named for Abbe Pierre Charles Nolin (b. 1717) a French arboriculturalist, while microcarpa means having small fruits or seed pods. Synonyms:
None Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2015

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LOASACEAE (Stickleaf Family)

Rama Pegajosa
Mentzelia affinis Greene
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual with slender white stems, to 40 cm tall, stems shining, glabrous to
pubescent, hairs of the vegetation cause the plant to stick to clothing, although the hairs are not stinging. Leaves: Blades sessile, scabrous,
thick, the lower leaves narrowly oblanceolate, the margins dentate to entire, the upper leaves linear to lanceolate, 2-3 cm long, pinnatifid.
Flowers: Yellow, axillary, sessile, solitary, or in small clusters, sepals to 2 mm long, petals to 4 mm long, stamens shorter than the petals. Fruits:
Linear-cylindric capsules to 16 mm long, seeds square and irregularly angled, seeds grooved on the angles. Ecology: Found in sandy soils, in
washes and on plains, from 1,500-2,000 ft (457-610 m); flowering March-June. Distribution: s AZ, CA Notes: This species looks very similar to M.
albicaulis, look to the irregularly cubic seeds of M. affinis to differentiate. Mentzelias are tricky; please note that mature fruits and seeds are
nearly always necessary for ID. Ethnobotany: Seeds parched, ground, and eaten, or stored for future use. Etymology: Mentzelia is named for
Christian Mentzel or Christianus Mentzelius (1622-1701), a 17th century German botanist, while affinis means bordering on or related or similar
to. Synonyms: None Editor: LCrumbacher, 2011

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Rama Pegajosa
Mentzelia albicaulis (Dougl. ex Hook.) Dougl. ex Torr. & A. Gray
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual herbs, to 30 cm tall (rarely to 45 cm), from a taproot; stems white when
mature, usually branching throughout. Leaves: Basal leaves petiolate and stem leaves alternate and sessile; blades narrowly elliptic to
lanceolate, up to 15 cm long, with deeply lobed margins, which often have teeth in the spaces between the lobes; leaf surfaces sticky due to
being covered with barbed hairs. Flowers: Yellow, in few-flowered clusters at branch tips; each flower subtended by one or more ovate, leaflike
bracts, these completely green or sometimes with a very small white patch at the base; sepals and petals attached to the top of the ovary
(epigynous); sepals 5 per flower, 2-3 mm long, persistent in fruit; petals 5, yellow, spreading, broadly obovate or obcordate, 2-6 mm long and 2-
4 mm wide. Fruits: Capsules club-shaped (widens toward tip with a long-tapering base), 8-28 mm long and 3-4 mm wide at the top, with the
persistent, tooth-like sepals attached to the top; early fruits of the season are sometimes bent slightly, or occasionally bent up to 90 degrees;
seeds irregularly blocky, 1-2 mm long, wingless, pendulous inside the capsule. Ecology: Found in dry places from 1,000-7,500 ft (305-2286 m);
flowers February-June. Distribution: Most of western N. Amer. from Saskatchewan and B.C., south to CA and west to TX, NE, SD; south to n
MEX. Notes: Distinguished by being an annual with whitish stems with short hairs on the leaves and capsules; deeply pinnately lobed leaves
near the base of the plant, and shallowly lobed leaves above; flowers with yellow petals 1-6 mm long; oval-shaped, entire or shallowly toothed
green bracts below ovaries; and fruits more than 5 times as long as wide, arched and tapering at least at the base; the fruits are relatively small,
no more than 4 mm wide at the tip (not including the sepals that remain attached to the top). Mentzelia is a notoriously difficult genus with an
overwhelming number of species and the keys are not easy to use. It is important to make collections with mature seed pods, because many
key characters deal with the seeds and capsules, and some can't be seen with a hand lens in the field. Ethnobotany: Gosiute rub seeds on
burned skin. Hopi use plant for toothaches. Navajo use leaf concoction for snakebites. Numerous tribes use seed flour as staple for gravy, bread
porridge, etc. Etymology: Mentzelia named for Christian Mentzel (1622-1701), a German botanist, botanical author and physician; albicaulis
translates to white stem. Synonyms: Acrolasia albicaulis, Mentzelia montana, Mentzelia gracilis, Mentzelia mojavensis Editor: SBuckley 2010,
FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017

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Adonis Blazingstar
Mentzelia multiflora (Nutt.) A. Gray
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Perennial herb to 80 cm tall, from a woody taproot or caudex; stems whitish
when mature, usually producing branches along the entire length. Leaves: Basal leaves petiolate and stem leaves alternate and sessile; blades
narrowly elliptic to lanceolate, occasionally oblanceolate, to 15 cm long, to 3 cm wide; margins toothed to lobed or pinnatifid, sometimes
approaching entire in very narrow leaves; upper leaves commonly with broad, clasping bases and sometimes with clasping basal lobes. Flowers:
Yellow to cream, in few-flowered cymes at branch tips; most flowers subtended by 1-2 bracts, which are variable in appearance; some bracts
resemble the leaves but are smaller, some are linear-lanceolate and unlobed, and some are fused to the ovary; sepals and petals attached to
the top of the ovary (epigynous); sepals 5 per flower, 6-12 mm long, persistent in fruit; petals 5, yellow or rarely cream to white, widely
spreading, 9-23 mm long and 3-10 mm wide; several outer rows of stamens have enlarged filaments, making them resemble petals. Fruits:
Capsules straight and cylindric, sometimes broadly so, 4-6 mm wide and 10-20 mm long, sometimes shorter when depauperate; seeds oval, 3-4
mm long, with a 0.5 mm wing. Ecology: Widespread, without specific soil preferences, commonly found on sand or gravel bars, from 100-7,500
ft (30-2286 m); flowers March-October. Distribution: s CA, UT, AZ, s WY, CO, NM, NE, TX ; south of n MEX. Notes: Very distinct and easy to
recoginize; distinguished by being perennial and taller than many others in the genus; white stems often with short stiff hairs; long narrow
leaves with rounded teeth or shallow pinnate lobes, the upper ones clasping the stem; and the showy, large yellow flowers with petals more
than 6 mm long. It is morphologically variable species and hybridizes with other species in the genus. Mentzelia is a notoriously difficult genus
with an overwhelming number of species and the keys are not easy to use. It is important to make collections with mature seed pods, because
many key characters deal with the seeds and capsules, and some can't be seen with a hand lens in the field. The name Mentzelia pumila has
been frequently misapplied to this species, including by Kearney and Peebles. Ethnobotany: Used as a diuretic, a dermatological aid, a
gastrointestinal aid, an eyewashash, a tuberculosis remedy, and an emetic; the seeds were eaten; also used ceremonially. Etymology:
Mentzelia is named for Christian Mentzel (1622-1701), a German botanist, botanical author and physician; multiflora means many-flowered.
Synonyms: Mentzelia pumila var. multiflora Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017

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MALPHIGIACEAE (Barbados Cherry Family)
Fermina
Janusia gracilis A. Gray
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Vine General: Slender, twining vine to 3 m long with strigose-cinereous branches. Leaves:
Opposite, linear-lanceolate, 3-7 mm wide, 1.5-4 cm long, upper ones smaller, plane or margins faintly revolute, acute to acuminate, sparsely
appressed-pubescent above, somewhat more densely so and slightly paler beneath, 1-10 small marginal glands near base, below calyx.
Flowers: Slender pedicels 2-5 mm long in flowers, 1-1.5 cm long in fruit; sepals ovate-oblong, about 2.5 mm long, glands 0.8-1 mm long; petals
yellow, occasionally suffused with red or turning red in age, larger ones 4-5 mm long, blades rhombic or broadly ovate. Fruits: Coarsely veined
samara, wings 9-12 mm long or rarely to 16 mm. Ecology: Found on rocky hillsides, gravelly slopes, and along arroyos from 1,000-5,000 ft (305-
1524 m); flowers April-October. Distribution: AZ, s NM, s TX; south through c MEX. Notes: Often climbing over other plants, the opposite linear
leaves help to give this plant away, as does the samaras when they are in full expression, often in twos or threes, back to back with the wings
pointing outward. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Janusia is of uncertain origin, gracilis means slender or delicate. Synonyms: None Editor:
SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

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MALVACEAE (Mallow Family)

Pelotazo
Abutilon incanum (Link) Sweet
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Subshrub with slender stems 0.5-2 m tall, minutely stellate-tomentose,
velvety pubescent herbage. Leaves: Ovate to lance-ovate, 0.5-3 cm wide, 1.5-6 cm long, irregularly serrulate, minutely grayish-tomentose on
both surfaces, slightly paler beneath, acute to short-acuminate or sometimes obtuse at apex. Flowers: Axillary or subpaniculate near tips of
branches, peduncles and pedicels together 1-2.5 cm long, slender; calyx lobes ovate, abruptly mucronate, 3-5 mm long, reflexed in fruit; petals
yellow or pink with dark red center, petals reflexed, 4-6 mm long; staminal column 2-3 mm long, purplish, minutely pubescent, 5 styles. Fruits:
Exceeding the calyx, about 6 mm in diameter, tomentulose, with 5 mericarps, acute or apiculate at apex, 3-seeded. Ecology: Found on open,
arid well-drained slopes from 1,000-4,000 ft (305-1219 m); flowers April-October. Notes: One of the more common Abutilon in the Sonoran
desert, often seen in its dormant phase with the whitish stems, remnant fruits, and a few scraggly greenish leaves near the base. In spring this
species greens up and can grow quite large. Distinguished by being a gray-green perennial densely hairy with stellate hairs on leaves and stems,
its heart-shaped leaves with toothed margins which hang down; yellow or pink petals with red veins and fruits with 5 sections, or mericarps
(abutiloides has 8-10). Ethnobotany: Flowers, roots and bark used for stomachaches. Etymology: Abutilon is from the Arabic word for a
mallow-like plant, while incanum means grayish or hoary. Synonyms: Abutilon incanum subsp. incanum, Abutilon incanum subsp. pringlei,
Abutilon pringlei Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

Palmer's Indian Mallow

Abutilon palmeri A. Gray
Common Name: Palmer's Indian mallow Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Shrub Synonyms: Abutilon macdougalii, Abutilon
aurantiacum

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Dwarf Indian Mallow

Abutilon parvulum A. Gray
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Perennial herbs or subshrubs with trailing branches, stems minutely stellate-
pubescent, sometimes also with simple hairs 1 mm long. Leaves: Broadly ovate, up to 5 cm long, often smaller, coarsely dentate, sparsely
stellate-pubescent, concolorous. Flowers: Solitary in leaf axils, calyx 3-5 mm long, lobes reflexed in fruit, petals orange or pink, 4-7 mm
diameter, minutely stellate-pubescent. Fruits: Mericarps 5, apically acute or apiculate. Ecology: Found on dry plains and arid slopes; 2,500-
5,500 ft (762-1676 m); flowers throughout the year. Distribution: s CA, s UT, AZ, s CO, NM, TX. Notes: This perennial is often spreading, trailing,
generally becoming tangled with itself and has leaves that glisten. The green of the leaf tissue showing through the sparser, longer-rayed
pubescence on the lower sides of the leaf blade readily sets it apart in the field. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Abutilon is from the Arabic
word for a mallow-like plant, while parvulum means somewhat small. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

Trans-Pecos Ayenia
Ayenia filiformis S. Wats.
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Perennial subshrub to 40 cm tall with slender, stellate-puberulent branches
and densely stellate-puberulent foliage. Leaves: Alternate, lanceolate to suborbicular, 1-5 cm long, obtuse to cordate at base, acute, obtuse, or
rounded at apex, finely dentate or serrate, thickish and firm, often tinged faintly with purple. Flowers: Few flowered on axillary peduncles 1-5
mm long, with 1-5 flowers; pedicels subfiliform, 2-5 mm long; 5 sepals,brownish, erect or ascending, lance-ovate, about 1 mm wide, 2.4-3 mm
long, sparsely and minutely stellate-puberulent; claws of 5 petals filiform, 5-7 mm, blades rhombic-obovate 0.8-1 mm wide, 1.6-1.8 mm long,
cuneate at base, slightly nothed at apex, dorsal appendage attached about 0.4 mm distal to apical notch, narrowly clavate, erect or recurved,
about 0.6 mm long; stipe 1.4-1.8 mm long at anthesis; staminal column funnelform, 0.8-1 mm long. Fruits: Subglobose capsule 5-6 mm in
diameter, finely stellate-puberulent and muricate with greenish or purplish processes to 1.4 mm long. Ecology: Found on dry rocky to sandy
slopes; 2,000-4,000 ft (610-1219 m); flowers March-October. Distribution: AZ, s NM, s TX; south to n MEX. Notes: Very distinctive flowers, with
the delicate purple claws on the petals connecting to the staminal column. This species distinguished from the other regional Ayenia, A.
microphylla by being herbaceous, the former a shrub with mostly woody branches, and having mostly thinner, lanceolate leaves where
microphylla has consistent roundish, more oval leaves. When vegetative, look for the serrate, lanceolate leaves, stellate hairs and fruits.
Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Ayenia is named for Louis de Noailles (1713-1793) the Duke of d-Ayen, while filiformis means thread-like.
Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

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Bladdermallow
Herissantia crispa (L.) Briz.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Herbaceous or subshrubby annuals to perennials, stems to 1 m long, decumbent
or trailing and flexuous, herbage stellate-pubescent and usually also with long simple hairs. Leaves: Alternate, ovate, 1-7 cm long, bases
cordate, margins crenate, often with rounded teeth, lower blades petioled, upper blades becoming progressively reduced and short-petiolate
or sessile distally, stipules inconspicuous and dehiscent. Flowers: Creamy white to light peach with yellow throats, petals 5, 6-11 mm long, calyx
4-7 mm long with lanceolate lobes, these becoming reflexed in fruit, staminal column glabrous, 2-2.5 mm long, anthers golden-yellow, styles
10-12, ovaries superior, flowers borne solitary in leaf axils on slender, recurved pedicels. Fruits: Oblate to hemispheric, nodding, inflated
schizocarps, 1.5-2 cm diameter, with 10-12 segments (mericarps) generally longer than wide and with rounded tops, dorsally dehiscent and
papery, silvery-shiny inside, outer surfaces short-bristly. Seeds 3 per meric Ecology: Found on dry slopes, canyons, roadsides, and in desert-
scrub communities, to 3,500 ft (1067 m); flowering year-round or August-September. Distribution: Arizona, California, Florida, New Mexico,
Texas. Notes: This species has cream-colored flowers with yellow throats, anthers and stamens, 5 petals with rounded tips and visible venation
on their surfaces, and heart-shaped leaves with round-toothed margins, the leaf surfaces dark green above and lighter in color below. The fruits
resemble pincushions, with many segments and small, reflexed, star-shaped, subtending bracts with pointed tips. Look for this species in
Arizona in Pinal, Maricopa, Yuma, and Pima counties. Ethnobotany: Unknown. Synonyms: Abutilon crispum, Bogenhardia crispa, Gayoides
crispum Editor: LCrumbacher2012 Etymology: Herissantia is named after Louis Antoine Prosper H_rissant (1745-1769), French physician,
naturalist and poet, and crispa comes from Latin meaning "curled or wavy" in reference to the leaves.

Desert Rosemallow
Hibiscus coulteri Harvey ex A. Gray
Common Name: desert rosemallow Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Straggly shrub usually less than 1 m tall,
stems with appressed 4-armed hairs, the arms aligned longitudinally. Leaves: Trifoliolate (except juvenile leaves simple), the leaflets 3-5 times
as long as wide, hispid, 1.5-3 cm long. Flowers: Short or long pedicellate, bracts of involucel linear, ciliate; calyx 17-20 mm long; petals 2-3 cm
long, yellow with or without purplish basal spot. Fruits: Ovoid capsule, hispid, 9-10 mm long. Ecology: Found on dry, open hillsides and in
canyons from 1,000-4,000 ft (305-1219 m); flowers throughout the year. Distribution: AZ, s NM, s TX; south to c MEX. Notes: Told apart from
other Hibiscus by its straggly habit; the uniformly pubescent stems with appressed hairs wich are distinctly woody at the base; three-lobed,
dark-green leaves with narrow lobes on the upper leaves; the yellow flowers with dark red stigmas and hairy seeds. Ethnobotany: Unknown
Etymology: Hibiscus is from the ancient Greek and Latin name for a mallow-like plant that is derived from Ibis, an Egyptian diety, while coulteri
is named for Dr. Thomas Coulter (1793-1843) and Irish botanist who was the first to collect in Arizona. Synonyms: Hibiscus coulteri var.
brevipedunculatus Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

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Cheeseweed Mallow
Malva parviflora L.
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Non-Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Introduced annual trailing or ascending herb, slightly pubescent to
glabrate. Leaves: Orbicular or reniform, 2-7 cm long, crenate, undulate, or 5-7 lobed. Flowers: 1-4 in leaf axils, short-pedicellate, calyx 3-4 mm
long, accrescent to 7-8 mm in fruit, petals lavender or white, 4-5 mm long. Fruits: Nearly glabrous, mericarps around 10, rugose or wrinkled
dorsally and winged at the angle between the dorsal and lateral walls. Ecology: Found on roadsides and in fields, disturbed ground and urban
habitats from 1,000-7,000 ft (305-2134 m); flowers most of the year. Notes: Similar to the other weed species Malva neglecta, which is
generally found at higher elevations, but can also be told apart by the pedicels being shorter than the calyx in M. parviflora, along with shorter
petals, and fewer mericarps. Ethnobotany: Decoction of leaves used as a rinse for dandruff and to soften hair, used for enema and bath for
babies with fevers, and for swelling, sores, or boils. Etymology: Malva is the Latin name for mallow taken from Greek malache, referring to the
leaves; parviflora is from Greek parvus, small and flora, flower, hence small-flowered. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley, 2010

Spreading Fanpetals
Sida abutifolia P. Mill.
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Non-Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Introduced procumbent perennial herbs, stellate-pubescent and usually
with simple hairs 1-2 mm long. Leaves: Ovate to oblong, crenate, up to 1.5 cm long or occasionally larger. Flowers: Solitary in the leaf axils on
slender pedicels, calyx 4-5 mm long, petals white, 5-6 mm long, 5 styles. Fruits: Oblate-conical, pubescent, 5 mm diameter, mericarps 5, with
apical spines 0-.5 mm long. Ecology: Found on arid, sandy plains and on roadsides, from 2,500-6,000 ft (762-1981 m); flowers throughout year.
Distribution: Introduced to CA, AZ NM, TX, OK, FL; south to s MEX, and in S. Amer. Notes: Diagnostic for this plant is the combination of a
ascending or often prostrate, spreading habit; the stiff, erect bristle-like hairs all over; dark green, serrate, lanceolate to oval leaves; the peach
to orange flowers which arise singly from leaf axils; and the 5 sections of fruits (mericarps). Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Sida is the
name Theophrastus gave to the lily, abutifolia comes from abutilon and folia for leaves, meaning mallow-like leaves. Synonyms: Sida filicaulis,
Sida filiformis, Sida procumbens, Sida supina Editor: SBuckle 2010, FSCoburn 2015

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Desert Globemallow
Sphaeralcea ambigua A. Gray ssp. Ambigua
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Perennial subshrub, erect 50-100 cm tall, grayish pubescent. Leaves: Blades
15-50 mm, triangular, weakly 3-lobed, green or yellowish green, 3-veined, base wedge-shaped, truncate, cordate, crenate and wavy margin.
Flowers: Open long-branched panicle, petals orange, 2-3 cm, white anthers. Fruits: Mericarps 9-13, less than 6 mm, 3.5 mm wide, truncate-
cylindric, dehiscent. Ecology: Found on dry, rocky slopes, and along sandy washes below 3,500 ft (1067 m); flowers throughout the year.
Distribution: sw UT,, e CA, s and w AZ, Sonora and n Baja Calif., MEX. Notes: Most xerophytic of the Sphaeralcea, stems woody below and very
numerous, one of the largest-flowered species, with petals reaching 3 cm, and leaves extending along the stalk. Ethnobotany: Used medicinally
for upset stomach, as an antirheumatic, as a cathartic, for colds, as birth control, for venereal diseases, as a poultice for swellings and sores, and
as an eyewash. Etymology: Sphaeralcea is from Greek sphaira, a globe, and alcea, a related genus, while ambigua means doubtful, or of
uncertain identity. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley, 2010

Rusby's Globemallow
Sphaeralcea rusbyi A. Gray
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Stems few to many from caudex, or rarely subrhizomatous, mostly 20-65 cm
tall, yellowish green to grayish canescent. Leaves: Blades 1.3-4.5 cm long, 1.2-4 cm wide, ovate to orbicular in outline, base truncate-obtuse to
prominently cordate, parted to divided or merely cleft, lobes again toothed (spreading at right angles). Flowers: Inflorescence cylindrical or
ovate panicle with more than 1 flower per node, pedicels shorter than calyx, bractlets often dark red; calyx uniformly stellate, more densely
than herbage, rays of hairs not radiating in a single plain, lobes ovate to lance-ovate; petals 9-18 mm long, orange. Fruits: Carpels 10-12, 4-6
mm high, indehiscent part forming one quarter to three fifths of carpel, finely reticulate on sides, seeds copiously puberulent. Ecology: Found
on hillsides and along watercourses from 2,500-6,000 ft (762-1829 m); flowers April=September. Notes: Closely related to S. laxa, from which it
is distinguished by its sparse pubescence of long-rayed hairs and usually narrow inflorescence. There are two subspecies in Arizona with them
appearing to overlap considerably. Resolution to the subspecies level will require collection. Var. gilensis is thought to be more common at the
lower elevations in the desert and can be told apart by its less deeply palmately divided, with larger flowers, and more copious but shorter
pubescence. Ethnobotany: Unknown, but other species in the genera have uses. Etymology: Sphaeralcea is from Greek sphaira, a globe, and
alcea, a related genus, while rusbyi is named for Henry Hurd Rusby (1855-1940) an American botanist, who is often credited with the origins of
economic botany in the US. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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MARTYNIACEAE (Devil's Claw Family)
Campanita
Proboscidea althaeifolia (Benth.) Dcne.
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Perennial from deeply set tuberous root, shoots emerging with summer
rains, stems and petioles semi-succulent and viscid-sticky. Leaves: Often with petioles 4-11 cm long, blades 2-6 cm, broadly ovate to orbicular
or kidney-shaped and shallowly lobed. Flowers: Flowers 4 cm, showy, corollas bright yellow inside tube and on lobes with brown-purple
speckles and dark yellow-orange nectar guides, tube often bronze colored outside. Fruits: Capsule body 4-6.6 cm, claws 9-14 cm. Seeds 6-9
mm, obovoid, blackish and warty. Ecology: Found on sandy-gravelly soils of arroyos, washes, below 4,500 ft (1372 m); flowers May-August.
Distribution: s CA, AZ, NM, s TX; south to n MEX. Notes: Notably, black seeds are only found in the native, undomesticated species. This species
is distinctive with its yellow flowers. Ethnobotany: Widely eaten, both seeds and fruit. When young, fruit is similar to okra. Seri peeled the
fleshy root and ate the cortex. Used for basketry. Etymology: Proboscidea is from Greek proboskis, elephant-s trunk, and althaeifolia means
with leaves like the genus Althaea. Synonyms: Martynia althaeifolia, Martynia arenaria, Proboscidea arenaria Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn
2015

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Cuernitos
Proboscidea parviflora (Woot.) Woot. & Standl
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual herbs, to 1 m high and 2.5 m wide, from small, poorly developed roots;
stems erect to spreading, thick and semisucculent, densely viscid-pubescent. Leaves: Opposite along the stems, on long petioles to 25 cm long
or more; blades 12-25 cm long, broadly ovate, the margins with 3-7 shallow lobes and the base shallowly cordate (heart-shaped) and
sometimes asymmetrical. Flowers: Lavender and asymmetrical, in a few-flowered raceme at the top of the stem, the raceme up to 35 cm long
but often shorter with the flowers somewhat hidden among the large leaves; sepals 10-15 mm long, fused into a spathe-like tube, with 5
irregular lobes at the top and a single slit all the way down the lower (abaxial) side; corolla 3 cm long, bell-shaped (tubular-campanulate) and 2-
lipped, glandular-pubescent, and reddish-purple, pink, or white, with a bright yellow nectar guide extending along the lower portion of the tube
and out along the lower lobe; upper corolla lobes often with a single large purple or reddish-purple blotch. Fruits: Hook-shaped capsule, green,
succulent, and glandular-pubescent when fresh; woody and splitting open longitudinally when dried; the body (seed-containing portion) of the
capsule 5-7 cm long and 2 cm diameter; the claw at the end of the capsule strongly curled, 10-15 cm long; seeds obovoid, blackish, warty.
Ecology: Found on sandy and gravelly soils, fields, roadsides, and disturbed areas, from 1,000-5,000 ft (305-1524 m); flowers from March-
October. Distribution: c CA, s NV, UT, AZ, NM, s TX; south to n MEX. Notes: A distinct herb, densely glandular-hairy all over; with large ovate
leaves; especially distinct are the snapdragon-esque pink flowers which resemble an open mouth with a yellow nectar guide inside; also
unmistakable are the devils-claw fruits, which, when young, are wet-glandular, have a rank smell, and vaguely resemble green chiles, and when
mature are hard, woody and split into two claws. Distinguished from other species in the genus by being annual (P. althaeifolia is perennial) and
not having spots or blotches on the inside of the corolla tube, or if there are any blotches of color inside the corolla tube, they are on the lower
surface. There are two varieties in the US. Var. parviflora is the wild type, with black seeds. Var. hohokamiana is the descendent of a strain that
was cultivated by the Hohokam for basketry fiber, and has white seeds and larger fruit. Once classified in the sesame family, Pedaliaceae, it is
classidied as Martyniaceae under APG IV. Ethnobotany: Widely eaten, both seeds and fruit. When young, fruit is similar to okra. Mature fruit
used for basketry fiber. Etymology: Proboscidea is from Greek proboskis, elephant's trunk; parviflora mean small-flowered. Synonyms:
Martynia parviflora, Proboscidea crassibracteata Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017

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NYCTAGINACEAE (Four O'clock Family)
Annual Windmills
Allionia choisyi Standl.
Herbs, annual [probably also perennial], glabrate to viscid pubescent. Stems often reddish, 0.1-0.7[-2] m. Leaves progressively reduced distally;
distal leaves proportionately narrower than proximal; larger leaves: petiole 2-18[-30] mm, equaling or shorter than blade; blade usually
undulate, sometimes flat, 10-30 × 6-22 mm, base often oblique, obtuse, or round, margins sinuate, sometimes entire, apex narrowing to
rounded tip, obtuse, or acute. Inflorescences: peduncle 1-9(-12) mm; involucres broadly ovoid to spheric when mature, 4-7.5 mm. Perianth
pale pink to magenta [nearly white], 2-7 mm. Fruits shallowly convex, 3.2-4.3 × 1.8-3.7 mm; lateral ribs with 4-8 teeth, teeth slender and
attenuate, sometimes gland tipped [rarely mostly entire with short-toothed margin], concave side of fruit with 5-7 glands per row; stalk
equaling or longer than diameter of glandular head. Flowering late spring-early fall [year-round]. Open arid areas, often on sandy or gravelly
soils, sometimes on clay or gypsum; [0-]800-1600[-2500] m; Ariz., N.Mex., Tex., Utah; Mexico; West Indies; Central America; South America. In
the flora area Allionia choisyi is usually an annual. In Mexico, plants often appear to be perennial.

Guapile
Allionia incarnata L. var. villosa (Standl.) B.L. Turner
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Sprawling, short-lived perennial (occasionally annual) herb from a taproot,
dying back to the root during drought; stems 40-120 cm long, prostrate and trailing along the ground; herbage glandular-hairy and sticky-viscid,
often with sand sticking to it. Leaves: Opposite, on petioles 2-35 mm long; blades 2-6 cm long, oval to broadly rounded-triangular, with an
asymmetric base; leaf margins slightly undulate (wavy) and often tinted whitish or reddish. Flowers: Pink-purple, located in leaf axils on
peduncles 4-26 mm long; each set of 3 flowers is so tightly clustered that it appears to be a single radially symmetrical flower; each flower in
the set of 3 is strongly bilaterally symmetrical, with 3 large lower petals that point to the outside of the cluster, with each of the petals shallowly
2-lobed; petals pink to magenta. Fruits: Achenes 3-5 mm long, the inner side 3-nerved and the margins often with 3-5 broad, incurved teeth.
Ecology: Found in sandy or rocky soil; below 6,000 ft (1829 m); flowers April-October. Distribution: s CA, s NV, s UT, AZ, s CO, NM, s OK, TX;
south to s MEX, and in S. Amer. Notes: This common trailing perennial is densely hairy; the showy, magenta "flowers" are actually three
separate flowers snugged together, arising from fused bracts (involucre); the fruits are hard and have claws or teeth that bend over a cavity.
Var. villosa, found at lower elevations in desert habitats, has a larger flower cluster, 20-25 mm in diameter; var. incarnata, which is more
widespread, has a smaller flower cluster, 5-10 mm in diameter. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Allionia honors Carlo Allioni (1725-1804),
an Italian botanist; incarnata means flesh-colored, alluding to the pink flowers. Synonyms: Allionia craterimorpha Editor: SBuckley 2010,
FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017

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Juaninipili
Boerhavia coccinea P. Mill.
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Decumbent or prostrate perennial, branching from base with many stout
stems 30-140 cm long, viscid-pubescent and sometimes glandular-hirsute below, more or less glandular above, occasionally glabrate. Leaves:
Opposite, 2-6 cm long, ovate-orbicular to oblong, rounded to acute at apex, green above, pale below, with a brown-punctate margin, glabrous
to hirsute, often viscid. Flowers: Cymose, much branched, branches slender, glandular-pubescent, flowers in heads on slender peduncles,
bracts minute, lanceolate; perianth purplish red, 2 mm long; stamens 1-3, barely exserted. Fruits: Obovoid, 2.5-3.5 mm long, densely glandular-
puberulent with dark, blunt, usually gland-tipped hairs. Ecology: Found in sandy soil along drainages, washes, roadsides, disturbed areas; 7,000
ft (2134 m); flowers April-November. Distribution: Most of the southern US, from CA to VA; south to s MEX, and in S. Amer.; also in Africa; Asia
and Australia. Notes: Distinguished as a robust perennial, often spreading and decumbent; the leaves are opposite with leaf pairs of unequal
sizes, dark green with obvious sunk-in veins and wavy margins; the delicate branches and inflorescences are sticky-glandular and seeds and
branches stick to your legs; the small flowers are dark red-magenta-purple, hence the specific epithet. This plant can take over areas, so it is
identifiable often by the large patches. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Boerhavia is for Hermann Boerhaave (1663-1738) a Dutch botanist,
while coccinea means scarlet or bright, deep pink. Synonyms: Boerhavia caribaea Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

Coulter's Spiderling
Boerhavia coulteri (Hook. f.) S. Wats.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Unknown General: Slender annual, usually with many branches spreading from base, more or less
pubescent and sometimes a little ciliate below, not conspicuously glandular, sometimes with viscid bands. Leaves: Opposite, ovate to ovate-
deltoid, 1.5-5 cm long, obtuse, often rounded at apex, mostly truncate at base, margin entire or sinuate, upper leaves smaller , lanceolate to
ovate-lanceolate. Flowers: Cymose-paniculate, much branched, flowers in loose, slender, interrupted spikes; minute bracts, lanceolate-ovate,
usually brown-punctate; perianth 1-1.5 mm long, white or pale pink, stamens 1-3, included or short-exserted. Fruits: Anthocarp narrowly
obovoid, 2.5-3 mm long, 5 angled, ridges broad, smooth, obtuse, groove closed or nearly closed, rugulose. Ecology: Found on sandy soil from
500-5,000 ft (152-1524 m); flowers August-October. Distribution: s CA, AZ, s NM; south to s MEX. Notes: One of the most common Boerhavia
species in Arizona. Distinguished by being an annual with pink flowers in elongate racemes (as opposed to cymes in intermedia and erecta) and
not crowded but widely spaced ( broad-ridged, 5-angled fruits (4 angled in wrightii) with nearly closed furrows, these scarsely to not transverse-
rugose (the opposite in torreyana). Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Boerhavia is for Hermann Boerhaave (1663-1738) a Dutch botanist,
coulteri is named for Dr. Thomas Coulter (1793-1843) an Irish botanist. Synonyms: Senkenbergia coulteri Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

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Fivewing Spinderling
Boerhavia intermedia M.E. Jones
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual herb, 20-60 cm tall, from a taproot; stems erect or ascending to
occasionally decumbent, moderately or profusely branched primarily near top; herbage covered with bent, minute hairs, especially near base of
plant. Leaves: Opposite, on petioles shorter than the blades, with the leaves concentrated toward the lower half of the plant; blades thick and
fleshy, 4-5 cm long and 1-5 cm wide, broadly oblong to ovate-lanceolate, with smooth or slightly sinuate margins; leaf surfaces glaucous,
especially the undersides; both surfaces often brown-punctate. Flowers: Pink, in umbellate clusters of a few flowers, the clusters arranged in
diffuse panicles with ascending branches that fork 3-6 times, with sticky bands on the branches and pedicels; sepals appearing petal-like, about
1 mm long, whitish to pale pink or purplish, and fused into a bell-shape; petals absent. Fruits: Achenes straw-colored or gray-brown, 2-3 mm
long and 1 mm wide, obconic and flattened at the tip, glabrous. Ecology: Found in sandy soils, from 1,000-4,500 ft (305-1372 m); flowers July-
September. Distribution: s CA, s NV, AZ, NM, s TX; south to n MEX. Notes: A wide-ranging and variable species. Usually the inflorescence is
composed of small umbels of at least a few flowers, with equal-lengthed pedicels emerging from a single point on on the branchlet; however, in
the lower deserts of the Southwest, flowers at the branch tips are often solitary rather than clustered. B. erects is quite similar, but that species
often tends to be taller, over 0.5 m tall, and if you look closely you'll see that the clusters of flowers are not truly umbellate, with pedicels not
all the same length and one or twow in each cluster emerging slightly below the others. The species intergrades with both B. erects and B.
triquetra in different parts of its range. Ethnobotany: The species serves as host for a moth that was eaten in the larval stage by the O'odham
tribes. Etymology: Boerhavia is named to honor Dutch botanist Hermann Boerhaave (1663-1738); intermedia means in between. Synonyms:
Boerhavia erecta var. intermedia, Boerhavia triquetra var. intermedia Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017

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Creeping Spinderling
Boerhavia spicata Choisy
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual herb, to 65 cm tall, from a taproot; stems erect or trailing along the
ground, often red-tinged, the stems below the inflorescence densely covered with gland-tipped hairs. Leaves: Opposite along the stems, the
lower leaves on petioles about half as long as the leaf blade, and upper leaves subsessile; blades ovate to lanceolate, 1-5 cm long, with a
pointed tip and a smooth or slightly wavy margin; leaf surfaces puberulent or short-villous, and often glandular. Flowers: Small and pale pink, in
short, dense slender spikes at the tips of slender panicle branches; panicle branches of unequal lengths and with sticky bands between the
nodes; each flower subtended by a pair of early-deciduous bracts; sepals appearing petal-like, 1 mm long or a little longer, fused into a bell-
shape, white to pale pink; petals absent. Fruits: Achenes straw-colored to grayish or reddish-tan, 2 mm long, obovoid, with 5 smooth, broad
longitudinal ridges. Ecology: Found on sandy soil, plains, washes, arroyos, and disturbed habitats, from 1,500-4,500 ft (457-1372 m); flowers
September-October. Distribution: AZ, NM, and TX; south to MEX Notes: Widespread and distinguished by its narrowly obovoid fruit, along with
its 1-2 mm-long flowers. Distinguished from several other Boerhavia spp by its flowers being arranged in spikes or racemes at branch tips,
whereas other species have more or less umbel-like clusters of flowers at branch tips. B. torreyana and B. coulteri also have flowers arranged in
spikes, but those species have stems that can be somewhat hairy near the base of plant, and do not have glandular hairs as in B. spicata. Some
authors have lumped this taxon with B. torreyana and B. coulteri, but FNA (2004) and Allred (2012) recognize both of those as separate species.
Ethnobotany: The Mayo of northern Mexico used the leaves to make a tea to treat measles. Etymology: Boerhavia named for Dutch botanist
Hermann Boerhaave (1663-1738); spicata refers to the spicate flowers. Synonyms: Boerhavia watsonii Editor: SBuckley 2010, AHazelton 2017

Largebract Spiderling
Boerhavia wrightii A. Gray
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Herbaceous annual, to 60 cm tall, stems branching from the base, having a
viscid band around each internode, herbage viscid-villous. Leaves: Linear-lanceolate to orbicular, 1-4 cm long, short-petioled, usually in unequal
pairs, green above, paler and glandular-punctate below. Flowers: Small, borne in terminal racemes or cymes, bracts pink, 2-3 mm long, ovate to
orbicular, villous, persistent. Fruits: Pyramid-shaped or club-shaped, the ribs sometimes winged, with wrinkled furrows between the ribs, fruits
4-5 angled. Ecology: Found on gravelly flats and slopes from 4,000 ft or below (1219 m); flowering July-September. Distribution: s CA, s NV, AZ,
NM, s TX; south to c MEX. Notes: This species has light purple to pink flowers in a glandular, spicate to elongate racemose inflorescence with
very small flowers, the fruits are 4-angled. Differs from B. coulteri by the bracts which are persistent and half as long as the fruits. Ethnobotany:
Unknown Etymology: Boerhavia sometimes spelled Boerhaavia, is named after Hermann Boerhaave (1668-1738), a Dutch botanist (ref. genus
Boerh, while wrightii is named after Charles Wright (1811-1885), an American botanical collector. Synonyms: None Editor: LCrumbacher 2011,
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Climbing Wartclub
Commicarpus scandens (L.) Standl.
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Vine General: Suffrutescent or shrubby, much branched perennial with long, weak, slender, pale
reclining branches. Leaves: Opposite, scattered, glabrous 1.5-6 cm long, ovate to ovate-deltoid, typically cordate to truncate at base, attenuate
at apex or sometimes acute, often apiculate. Flowers: Terminal inflorescence or axillary, flowers arranged in umbels on leafy or bracteate
cymose branches; umbels 5-10 rayed, forked, rays lanceolate-attenuate, sparsely hairy, caducous; greenish perianth, rotate-spreading, 3-4 mm
broad, stamens 2, much exserted. Fruits: Greenish anthocarp, narrowly clavate, finely ribbed, glabrous or occasionally finely hirsutulose, 10-12
mm long. Ecology: Found in canyons and thickets; 2,000-4,500 ft (610-1372 m); flowers September-April. Distribution: s AZ, NM, s TX; south to
s MEX, and in S. Amer. Notes: A sometimes robust perennial with a shrubby habit, reaching from 1 to even 2 m tall; the leaves are opposite and
trangular to heart shaped; inflorescences are of many delicate and greenish white flowers arising on stalks from the same point (umbel).
Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Boerhavia is for Hermann Boerhaave (1663-1738) a Dutch botanist, scandens means climbing. Synonyms:
Commicarpus scandens Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

Scarlet Four O'clock

Mirabilis coccinea (Torr.) Benth. & Hook. F.
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Perennial with ascending to erect stems, 15-90 cm long, glabrous basally,
rarely very sparsely puberulent distally. Leaves: Opposite, usually ascending or spreading at 45-90 degrees, dark grayish green, moderately
thick and fleshy, petiole 0-0.3 cm, blade linear to linear-lanceolate, 4.5-10 cm by 0.1-0.5 cm, attenuate base, acute apex, surfaces glabrous or
rarely with few small hairs below, glabrous above. Flowers: Inflorescence on peduncle 4-8 mm, spreading stiff short hairy or glandular-
pubescent; dark green involucres, opaque, veiny, 4-7 mm in flower, 4-8 mm in fruit, softly hirtellous or glandular-hirtellous, bracts 30-40
percent connate, lobes narrowly ovate or triangular; perianth bright red-purple, 1.3-2 cm. Fruits: Anthocarp pale olive brown, 4.5-6 mm, round
ribs, finely puberulent. Ecology: Found on desert slopes from 4,000-6,500 ft (1219-1981 m); flowers May-August. Notes: Easily confused with
M. linearis when flowers are closed; generally M. coccinea flowers are orientated at an angle of 45 degrees or greater to the stem, the latter is
45 degrees or less, in M. linearis the inflorescence is densely pubescent. Ethnobotany: Used as a wash for wounds and the root taken for
gonorrhea. Etymology: Mirabilis is Latin for miraculous or wonderful, while coccinea means scarlet. Synonyms: Oxybaphus coccineus Editor:
SBuckley, 2010

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Desert Wishbone-bush
Mirabilis laevis (Benth.) Curran.
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Decumbent to erect perennial, few and clambering through other vegetation
to many, usually forming densely leafy and compact clumps, 1.5-15 dm long, herbaceous to suffrutescent, glabrous, scabrous, puberulent or
villous, often glandular. Leaves: Opposite, petiole 0.1-2.2 cm, blade ovate, deltate-ovate, ovate-rhombic, subreniform 1-4 cm long by 0.5-3.5 cm
wide, fleshy or slightly succulent, cordate base, truncate, or broadly obtuse, apex acute, obtuse or rounded. Flowers: Cymose, clustered at end
of branches or arranged on short, leafy terminal branchlets, sessile or in axils on peduncles 3-12 mm, involucres 3-7 mm, lobes narrowly to
broadly triangular; flowers 1-2 per involucre, perianth white, pink, or shades of purple, 1-1.6 cm. Fruits: Anthocarp gray, dark brown, or nearly
black, with or without 10 pale, diffuse lines, ovoid, obovoid to nearly spheric, 3-5.5 mm. Ecology: Found on arroyo banks, rocky slopes, and
brushlands from 500-7,000 ft (152-2134 m); flowers November-March. Notes: There are two varieties thought to be in Arizona: var. villosa and
var. retrorsa. Both can be distinguished by usually having a white perianth, triangular involucre lobes and a broad cyme. Var. villosa is viscid-
puberulent to viscid-villous, while var. retrorsa is retrorse-puberulent. Ethnobotany: Used as a purgative and for eruptive fevers, hard to say if
there is more given the systematic changes. Etymology: Mirabilis is Latin for miraculous or wonderful, while laevis means smooth, free from
hairs or roughness. Synonyms: Many, including some varieties of M. bigelovii and M. california See Tropocos. Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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Colorado Four O'clock

Mirabilis multiflora (Torr.) A. Gray var. Multiflora
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Perennial herb to subshrub, forming hemispheric clumps 60-100 cm in
diameter; stems 40-70 cm long, diffusely branched; herbage glabrous or densely pubescent. Leaves: Opposite, on petioles 2-4 cm long; blades
ovate to round, 5-10 cm long by 4-8 cm wide, with a rounded to heart-shaped, often asymmetric base. Flowers: Large, showy, and purplish,
arranged in clusters at branch tips; each cluster of 6 flowers surrounded by a cup-shaped, 5-lobed involucre, 3-4 cm high; petals fused into a
funnel-shape, 2-6 cm long, magenta. Fruits: Achenes ovoid to globose, 6-11 mm long, brown to black with 10 slender, tan ribs alternating with
10 dark brown ribs; containing a single seed. Ecology: Found in gravelly and sandy soils, from the creosote flats of the low desert to the
chaparral, and into the ponderosa forests from 500-8,500 ft (152-2591 m); flowers in spring and summer. Distribution: CO and UT; south to n
MEX Notes: This incredibly distinctive perennial herb has large showy bell-shaped magenta flowers and and large fleshy oval to heart-shaped
leaves. Flora of North America recognizes 3 varieties, all found in the Southwest. Var. glandulosa has warty (tuberculate) fruits that are
mucilaginous when wetted, and the lobes of the involucre have obtuse tips (the involucre is the cup shaped structure that surrounds the
clusters of flowers). Var. multiflora involucral lobes with acute tips, and the fruits are dark brown to black with inconspicuous ribs. Var.
pubescens also has acute tips on the lobes of the involucres, but the fruits are lighter in color, with 10 slender, tan, longitudinal ribs that
alternate with 10 brown, often interrupted ribs. Ethnobotany: Used medicinally as a gynecological aid, to treat rheumatism, swellings, various
mouth disorders, and as an antiseptic to wash out wounds; the root was chewed by a medicine man to induce visions; also used as a tea, as
tobacco, and as a bird trap string. Etymology: Mirabilis is Latin for miraculous or wonderful, alluding to the beauty of the plants; multiflora
means many-flowered. Synonyms: Oxybaphus multiflorus Editor: SBuckley 2010, AHazelton 2017

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NYCTAGINACEAE (Four O'clock Family) Cont.

Rough Menodra
Menodora scabra A. Gray
Common Name: rough menodora Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Perennial, usually suffrutescent herb, 10-40
cm tall, from a woody base; stems erect, several to many per plant; stems, leaves and sepals minutely but distinctly rough-hairy (scabrous-
puberulent), at least along margins of leaves and sepals; stems sometimes almost hairless. Leaves: Opposite on the lower parts of the stems,
becoming alternate above, and sessile or nearly so; blades 1-3 cm long and 1-6 mm wide, linear-oblong to elliptic-oblong, with a tapering base;
leaf margins flat or slightly rolled under. Flowers: Showy and bright yellow, arranged in few-flowered, more or less flat-topped racemes at tips
of stems; sepals fused at the base into a cup-shape, and topped with 7-13 narrow linear lobes, 3-5 mm long; petals yellow, fused at the base
into a tube about equalling the calyx, topped with 5 or 6 spreading lobes, these broadly obovate, 6-8 mm long and 4-6 mm wide. Fruits:
Capsules didymous (shaped like 2 spheres stuck together side-by-side), 5-7 mm high and 10-14 mm wide, thin walled, membraneous, and
shining; splitting open so the top comes off like a lid (circumsessile) to release 4 seeds from each of the two chambers. Ecology: Found on arid
slopes, from 1,500-7,500 ft (457-2286 m); flowers March-September. Distribution: s CA, s UT, AZ, s CO; NM, s TX; south to n MEX. Notes:
Distinguished by the many green stems from a woody base; the small, linear-oblong leaves that are sessile, fairly dense along the stems, and
mostly alternate, especially on the upper stems; the few-flowered inflorescences with bright yellow 5-petaled flowers that have only 2 stamens
(a key character of the Oleaceae); and the fruits resembling two shiny globes in which the top pops off to release the seeds (circumsessile),
leaving behind two thin-walled cups. Ethnobotany: Root used for back pain; cold infusion used for heartburn and to facilitate labor; also used
ceermonially as a life medicine. Etymology: Menodora comes from Greek menos, force or courage, and doron, gift, alluding to medicinal or
nutritional qualities; scabra means rough or scurfy. Synonyms: Menodora scabra var. glabrescens, M. scabra var. laevis, M. scabra var.
longituba, M. scabra var. ramosissima Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017

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ONAGRACEAE (Evening Primrose Family)
California Suncup
Camissonia californica (Nutt. ex Torr. & A. Gray) Raven
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual or perennial, slender and often much taller than wide, 15-70 cm, with
erect main axis; solitary or sparsely branched with ascending straight branches; young plant with sparsely pubescent hairs as well as small
glandular hairs, becoming glabrous with age. Leaves: First in basal rosette, or no basal rosette at all; lower leaves 3-24 cm long by 0.4-0.7 cm
wide, petioled, blades linear to narrowly elliptic, margins pinnately and coarsely lobed and toothed, stem leaves reduced above. Plants leafy
when you, leafless or nearly so at flowering time. Flowers: Vespertine (closed until 10 pm, open at 5 am) often 15-18 mm wide, petals 5-7 mm,
bright yellow, flecked with red, fading orange, drying pink. Style, stigma, anthers, and filaments bright yellow. Fruits: Capsules 4-8 cm long by 1-
1.5 mm wide, slender, straight to slightly curved, turning downward. Ecology: Found on rocky, gravelly, sandy and cinder soils of bajadas, plains,
washes below 4,500 ft (1372 m); flowers February-June. Notes: This plant is identifiable by how strikingly it looks like a mustard. Ethnobotany:
Unknown, but other species in the genera have medicinal and culinary uses. Etymology: Camissonia is named for Ludolf Karl Adelbert von
Chamisso (1781-1838) a German botanist, which californica is named for California. Synonyms: Eulobus californicus, Oenothera californica,
Oenothera leptocarpa Editor: SBuckley, 2010

San Bernardino Suncup

Camissonia confusa Raven

Miniature Suncup
Camissonia micrantha (Hornem. ex Spreng.) Raven
Notes: Leaves cinereous-puberulent. Fruit is attenuately beaked References: Kearney & Peebles; Arizona Flora. McDougall; Seed plants of
Northern Arizona. Hickman, ed.; The Jepson Manual. ASU specimans

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ONAGRACEAE (Evening Primrose Family) Cont.

Paleyellow Suncup
Camissonia pallida (Abrams) Raven

Canyon Clarkia
Clarkia epilobioides (Nutt. ex Torr. & A. Gray) A. Nels. & J.F. Macbr.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Erect annual usually branched sparingly from middle but sometimes profusely
branched whole length, 10-70 cm long. Leaves: On slender petioles, 1-6 mm long, or leaves sessile, blades linear, lanceolate or spatulate, 2-6
mm wide, 1-4 cm long, acute to rounded at apex, gradually or abruptly narrowed to base, glabrous or minutely puberulent on margins. Flowers:
Axillary, buds nodding, hypanthium 1-1.5 mm long, inner ring of hairs near summit; sepals united and turned to one side in anthesis, 3-5 mm
long; petals obovate, 4-8 mm wide, 6-12 mm long, usually white faintly tinged with pink, sometimes pale lavender, basal spot present or
absent, short-clawed; filaments 2-6 mm long, shorter ones about two-thirds as long as longer ones; anthers 1-1.5 mm long. Fruits: Linear
capsule, 1-1.5 mm in diameter, 1.5-3 cm long, sparsely strigollose to glabrate at maturity. Ecology: Found on shaded hillsides and in damp or
disturbed places from 1,500-3,000 ft (457-914 m); flowers March-May. Notes: The striking white flowers on the end of hypanthium help to
distinguish this species. Told apart from C. purpurea by the united sepals, the nodding buds and the white flowers, with a capsule that is
glabrous or very sparsely puberulent. Ethnobotany: Unknown, but other species in the genera have uses. Etymology: Clarkia is named for
William Clark (1770-1838) of Lewis and Clark fame, while epilobioides means like the genus Epilobium. Synonyms: Godetia epilobioides Editor:
SBuckley, 2010

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ONAGRACEAE (Evening Primrose Family) Cont.

Hooker's Evening Primrose

Oenothera elata Kunth ssp. hirsutissima (A. Gray ex S. Wats.) W. Dietr.
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Erect biennial to short-lived perennial with taproot, forming rosette; stems
4-25 dm tall, green, flushed with red below or entirely red, branched or unbranched; pubescence variable, from densely stiff hairs, to some
longer appressed hairs, to sparse glandular-puberulent. Leaves: Dull green to gray green with white veins, sparsely to densely stiff hairs, rosette
10-43 cm long, 1.2-4 cm wide, narrowly oblanceolate to oblanceolate, base narrowed to petiole; cauline leaves 4-25 cm long, 1-2.5 cm wide,
narrowly oblanceolate to elliptic, sessile or short petiolate, margin bluntly dentate to subentire. Flowers: Unbranched inflorescence, flowers at
acute to obtuse angle to stem; hypanthium 3-5 cm long, 1.2-1.8 mm in diameter, yellow or flushed with red with variable pubescence; sepals
2.7-5 cm long, 4-8 mm wide, yellowish green, red-striped or flushed with red; petals 3-5.5 cm long, 3-5.3 cm wide, yellow to pale yellow,
broadly ovate. Fruits: Capsules 2-6.5 cm long, tapering upward, narrowly lanceolate, seeds reddish-brown in 2 rows in each cell. Ecology: Found
in along streams, in meadows, rocky slopes or scree, or in other distrubed habitats from 2,000-9,000 ft (610-2743 m); flowers June-October.
Notes: Polymorphic species throughout the west. In our region there are two subspecies: subsp. hirsutissima and subsp. hookeri. The former is
sparsely villous, with the stem exclusively strigillose, mature buds are narrowly lanceolate, with conspicuous free tips of the capsule valves; this
plant can also grow quite large. The latter will always be flushed with red, usually with long-villous red-pustulate hairs, usually smaller than the
former. Ethnobotany: Used as a ceremonial emetic, as a cold remedy, for sores, swellings, mumps, as a life medicine, as a yellow dye, as a good
luck charm, and a means to repel snakes. Etymology: Oenothera is from Greek oinos, wine and thera, to imbibe, while elata means tall.
Synonyms: None, but the subspecies have many, see Tropicos Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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ONAGRACEAE (Evening Primrose Family) Cont.

Flor de San Juan

Oenothera primiveris A. Gray ssp. Primiveris
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual in basal rosette, nearly stemless or often developing stout leafy stems
10-20 cm; thick taproot; dense pubescence of spreading papillate-based white hairs. Leaves: Blades 5-27 cm, larger ones 3.5-7 cm wide, mostly
pinnatifid into toothed or rounded lobes, narrowed to long, winged petiole expanded at very base. Flowers: Yellow, petals 3.5-5.5 cm, notched
at apex; opening at dusk closing the following morning. Fruits: Ovary and capsule densely hairy with spreading white hairs; capsules 2.8-4.5 cm
long by 6.5-7.5 mm wide at base, thick and woody, upright, straight, 4-angled, tapering to conspicuously narrowed tip. Ecology: Found on sand
flats, playas, gravelly-sandy washes, common but not very abundant below 4,500 ft (1372 m); flowers March-May. Distribution: s CA, NV, s UT,
AZ, NM, s TX; south to c MEX. Notes: Plants are easy to know by being annual, their caespitose, acaulescent habit, pinnatifid leaves. sepals 15-
28 mm, yellow flowers and terete fruits without strong angles or wings., Ethnobotany: Dried flowers used for ceremonies and poultice applied
to swellings. Etymology: Oenothera is from Greek oinos, wine and thera, to imbibe, while primiveris refers to spring. Synonyms: None Editor:
SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

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OROBANCHACEAE (Broomrape Family)

Desert Broomrape
Orobanche cooperi (A. Gray) Heller
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Stout and fleshy, 10-45 cm tall, simple or branching sparingly at base, viscid-
puberulent throughout; stems brownish to purplish. Leaves: Cauline bracts 5-10 mm long, obtuse to rounded. Flowers: Inflorescence 5-20 cm
long, spicate and densely flowered, branching into 2-3 axillary spikes; lowest flowers on slender pedicels longer than scales, calyx densely
puberulent 5-10 mm long, lobes lance-attenuate, three to five times as long as cup; corolla 1.5-3 cm long, purplish within, palatal folds yellow,
puberulent and gray-purple without, lips 4-8 mm long, upper lip erect, cleft at apex, lobes broadly to narrowly acute. Fruits: Capsule Ecology:
Found on sandy desert flats; below 3,500 ft (1067 m); flowers February-May. Distribution: s and c CA, s NV, s UT, AZ, NM, TX; south to n MEX.
Notes: Known to be parasitic on Hymenoclea and other composite shrubs. Distinct by the lack of, or very small pedicels to flowers; flowers
subtended by bractlets; and the purple corolla lobes which narrow to a sharp tip. Ethnobotany: The stalk, below the ground, was eaten cooked
or raw by the Gila Pima; as were the roots. Etymology: Orobanche is from Greek orobos, a kind of vetch, and anchone, choke or strangle
because of the parasitic nature of the genus, cooperi is named for Dr. James Graham Cooper (1830-1902) a geologist. Synonyms: None Editor:
SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

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PAPAVERACEAE (Poppy Family)
Cardo
Argemone pleiacantha Greene
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Stems purplish, rather closely to sparingly prickly throughout, 50-120 cm tall.
Leaves: Prickly mainly on vein, less so above, essentially smooth between the veins; lower and middle cauline leaves lobed one-half to five-
sixths to the midrib, the lobes one to two times as wide, the margin angular at the apex, the sinuses and lobes subequal in width, uppermost
leaves either not clasping or subclasping. Flowers: Buds subspherical to obovate; calyx with few to many perpendicular prickles per sepal, the
sepal horn 6-10 mm long, flattened or angular in cross-section when fresh, the apical prickle usually flattened and indurated at its base; petals
white, stamens 150 or more. Fruits: Ovate to elliptic capsule, sparsely to closely prickly. Ecology: Found on dry gravelly soil, foothills and
mountain valleys from 2,500-7,500 ft (762-2286 m); flowers April. Distribution: AZ, NM; south to n MEX. Notes: The primary Argemone in the
area and very distinct with its prickles all over, showy white petals and many bright yellow stamens followed by globose fruits which emit a
black tar when punctured.Two subspecies found in the region subsp. pleiacantha and subsp. ambigua, subsp. pleiacantha is much more prickly
than subsp. ambigua. Ethnobotany: Unknown for this species, but many other uses for species in this genus. Etymology: Argemone from Greek
argemos, a white spot (cataract) on the eye, what it was supposed to cure, pleiacantha is from Greek pleios, many, more than one and akantha,
thorn. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

Amapola Amarilla
Eschscholzia californica Cham. ssp. mexicana (Greene) C. Clark
Plant: Annual or perennial herb; 0.5-6 dm tall Leaves: basal and sometimes also cauline, erect or spreading, glabrous, sometimes glaucous;
terminal leaf divisions obtuse or acute, often widened at the tips, 0.5-11 mm long INFLORESCENCE: scapes or few- to many-flowered cymes
Flowers: bud erect, lance-ovoid, acute to long-pointed; outer rim spreading to recurved, 0.5-6 mm wide; inner rim erect, hyaline, less than 1
mm tall; sepals glabrous, sometimes glaucous, 8-40 mm long; petals orange to yellow, sometimes with a darker orange basal spot, (0.9-) 1.5-7.0
cm long Fruit: capsules. cylindric, dehiscent from base, 3-11 cm long. SEEDS 1.5-1.8 mm wide, spheric to ellipsoid, net-ridged, brown to black
Notes: there are two subspecies: californica (perennial, usually cultivated) and mexicana (annual, native); sepals deciduous References: G. B.
Ownbey - Papaveraceae - JANAS 30:120-132

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PLANTAGINACEAE (Plantain Family)
Desert Indianwheat
Plantago ovata Forsk.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Highly variable annual to 40 cm tall, with well developed, slender taproot;
herbage, stems, densely pubescent with loose woolly and silky silvery-white hairs. Leaves: Usually no distinct petiole, blades linear to linear-
lanceolate, 1.5-15 cm long, .2-.9 cm wide, attenuate at base, acute at apex, sparsely to densely villous, obscurely three-veined, margins entire.
Flowers: Peduncle 1.5-29 cm long, villous, with hairs spreading at right angles from stem; spike .5-5.5 cm long; bracts broadly ovate, 1.6-3 mm
long, broadly scarious-margined; midvein densely villous; corolla lobes spreading or reflexed, broadly ovate, 1.8-2.4 mm long, membranous-
papery and brown. Fruits: Capsule breaking at or slightly below middle. Ecology: Found in wide ranging habitats in desert, ubiquitous from 200-
6,500 ft (61-1981 m); flowers from March-May. Notes: Can be confused with P. patagonica by virtue of their both being common desert
annuals with similar looking leaves, but they can be separated by size and shape of floral bracts. 1.6-3 mm long and broadly ovate in P. ovata vs.
2-16 mm long and linear triangular to subulate.

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Pastora
Plantago patagonica Jacq.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual herb, 5-20 cm tall, from a slender taproot; stems erect and leafless,
terminating in a dense spike of flowers; herbage woolly throughout. Leaves: In a grass-like basal tuft; blades linear to narrowly oblanceolate, 1-
15 cm long and 1-7 mm wide, narrowing gradually toward the base of the leaf; leaf margins entire; leaf surfaces covered with shaggy hairs.
Flowers: Green and white, in dense cylindrical spikes 1-13 cm long, at the tops of the leafless stems; each flower subtended by a green linear-
triangular bract a little shorter than the flower but longer than the sepals, with narrow scarious margins near the base; petals 5 per flower, 2
mm long, transluscent-white, suborbicular to ovate, radiating outward from the top of the ovary. Fruits: Capsule ellipsoid, 3.5 mm long;
splitting in half like the lid off a pot (circumscissile) to release 2 brown to red-brown seeds, these 2 mm long. Ecology: Found in dry open places,
below 7,000 ft (2134 m); flowers February-July. Distribution: Throughout N. Amer., in every state in the U.S. except MS, AL, FL, KY, PA, NH;
south to S. Amer. Notes: This incredibly common winter/spring annual is characterized by having a basal cluster of hairy, grass-like linear leaves,
and leafless stems topped with a dense spike of white and green flowers. It is similar to the also incredibly common P. ovata, but that species
has a shorter flower spike, less than 6 cm long; each flower is subtended by a short ovate bract, 2-3 mm long; and the hairs on the upper
portion of the stems stick out at right angles (P. patagonica has flower spikes up to 21 cm long; each flower is subtended by a longer linear-
triangular bract, 2-16 mm long; and the hairs on the upper stems are appressed against the stem.) This species can cover the desert floor in the
late winter, and before flowering it resembles a hairy annual grass. Ethnobotany: Keres, Navajo, and Zuni make plant tea to treat diarrhea and
headaches. Havasupai and many other southwest tribes utilized the seeds as a meal, hence the common name Indian Wheat. Etymology:
Plantago is from the Latin planta, sole of the foot, and -ago, similar to, alluding to the veiny leaves lying flat on the ground; patagonica means
from Patagonia in South America. Synonyms: Plantago patagonica var. breviscapa, P. patagonica var. gnaphalioides, P. patagonica var. oblonga,
P. patagonica var. spinulosa, P. picta, P. purshii, P. purshii var. breviscapa, P. purshii var. oblonga, P. purshii var. picta, P. purshii var. spinulosa, P
Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017

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POACEAE (GRASS FAMILY)
Name
Aristida adscensionis L.

Name
Aristida divaricata Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.

Name
Aristida pansa Woot. & Standl.

Name
Aristida purpurea Nutt. var. fendleriana (Steud.) Vasey

Name
Aristida purpurea Nutt. var. nealleyi (Vasey) Allred

Name
Aristida purpurea Nutt. var. parishii (A.S. Hitchc.) Allred

Name
Aristida purpurea Nutt. var. purpurea

Name
Aristida purpurea Nutt. var. wrightii (Nash) Allred

Name
Avena fatua L.

Name
Bothriochloa barbinodis (Lag.) Herter

Name
Bouteloua aristidoides (Kunth) Griseb.

Name
Bouteloua barbata Lag.

Name
Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr. var. caespitosa Gould & Kapadia

Name
Bromus arizonicus (Shear) Stebbins

Name
Bromus arvensis L.

Name
Bromus berterianus Colla

Name
Bromus carinatus Hook. & Arn.

Name

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Bromus marginatus Nees Ex Steud.

Name
Bromus rubens L.

Name
Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.

Name
Dasyochloa pulchella (Kunth) Willd. ex Rydb.

Name
Digitaria californica (Benth.) Henr.

Name
Elymus elymoides (Raf.) Swezey

Name
Enneapogon desvauxii Desv. ex Beauv.

Name
Eragrostis cilianensis (All.) Vign. ex Janchen

Name
Heteropogon contortus (L.) Beauv. ex Roemer & J.A. Schultes

Name
Hilaria belangeri (Steud.) Nash (Steud.)

Name
Hilaria rigida (Thurb.) Benth. ex Scribn.

Name
Hordeum murinum L. ssp. glaucum (Steud.) Tzvelev

Name
Hordeum murinum L. ssp. leporinum (Link) Arcang.

Name
Leptochloa dubia (Kunth) Nees

Name
Leptochloa panicea (Retz.) Ohwi ssp. brachiata (Steudl.) N. Snow

Name
Muhlenbergia emersleyi Vasey

Name
Muhlenbergia microsperma (DC.) Trin.

Name
Muhlenbergia porteri Scribn. ex Beal

Name

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Panicum hirticaule J. Presl. ssp. hirticaule

Name
Pappostipa speciosa (Trin. & Rupr.) Romasch.

Name
Pennisetum ciliare (L.) Link

Name
Pennisetum setaceum (Forsk.) Chiov.

Name
Phalaris minor Retz.

Name
Poa bigelovii Vasey & Scribn.

Name
Polypogon monspeliensis (L.) Desf.

Name
Schismus arabicus Nees

Name
Schismus barbatus (Loefl. ex L.) Thellung

Name
Sporobolus cryptandrus (Torr.) A. Gray

Name
Tridens muticus (Torr.) Nash var. muticus

Name
Urochloa arizonica (Scribn. & Merr.) O. Morrone & F. Zuloaga

Name
Vulpia microstachys (Nutt.) Munro var. ciliata (Beal) Lonard & Gould

Name
Vulpia microstachys (Nutt.) Munro var. pauciflora (Scribn. ex Beal) Lonard & Gould

Name
Vulpia octoflora (Walt.) Rydb. var. octoflora

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POLEMONIACEAE (Phlox Family)
Miniature Woolystar
Eriastrum diffusum (A. Gray) Mason
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Delicate annual herb, 3-35 cm tall, erect, stems simple to diffusely branching.
Leaves: Basal and cauline, the cauline leaves alternate; needlelike and entire or with 1-2 pairs of lobes near the base; 1-3 cm long; subglabrous
to sparsely woolly. Flowers: White to blue-purple, sessile in compact terminal clusters subtended by wolly bracts; calyx 6-7 mm long; corolla
radially symmetrical, narrowly funnelform to slightly zygomorphic, throat white to yellow, lobes white to pale blue or bluish lavender, entire
corolla 6-11 mm long; stamens inserted on throat near sinuses, shorter than corolla lobes, the filaments unequal in length. Fruits: Capsule 2-4
mm long. Ecology: Found in open sites, desert shrublands, sagebrush, and pinyon-juniper woodland, below 5,500 ft (1676 m); flowers February-
June. Distribution: s CA, s NV, s UT, AZ, NM, CO, s TX; south to n MEX. Notes: These spring annuals are distinguished by wooly pubescence all
over and delicate purple bracteate flower clusters; and from the other Eriastrum by having smaller flowers (corolla 6-11 mm in E. diffusum vs.
12-20 mm in E. eremicum). Ethnobotany: Unknown, but others in the genus have medicinal uses. Etymology: Eriastrum is from Greek erion, for
wool, and astrum, star, meaning woolly with starlike flowers; diffusum means diffuse, referring to the plant's branching pattern. Synonyms:
Eriastrum diffusum subsp. jonesii Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2015

Desert Woolystar
Eriastrum eremicum (Jepson) Mason
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Small annuals 5-30 cm tall with erect stems, sometimes suffrutescent and
diffusely branching, the leaves and stems puberulent to lanate. Leaves: Alternate, linear and entire or pinnately parted near the base with 1-3
pairs of narrow lobes, 1-5 cm long. Flowers: Bright blue to white, the corolla regular to irregular, calyx 5-7 mm long, the lobes often nearly
equaling the tube, the tube and throat 6-14 mm long, flowers borne in dense heads with leafy bracts, these conspicuously cobwebby with long,
fine, white hairs, calyx lobes unequal, bristle-tipped, stamens exserted. Fruits: Capsules 3-5 mm long, ellipsoid to ovoid, seeds 1-several.
Ecology: Found on dry plains, washes, desert shrub and woodlands and mesas, from 5,000 ft or below, (1524 m); flowering March-June. Notes:
Distinguished from E. diffusum by the longer corolla the subequal lobes and the longer anthers. Ethnobotany: Used as a stomach medicine, for
diarrhea, for children with tuberculosis. Etymology: Eriastrum is form Green erion, for wool and astrum, star, meaning woolly with starlike
flowers, while eremicum means of deserts. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley, 2010, LCrumbacher 2011

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POLEMONIACEAE (Phlox Family) Cont.

Lesser Yellowthroat Gilia

Gilia flavocincta A. Nels.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual herbs, 6-30 cm tall; stems erect and branched throughout; herbage
cobwebby below and glabrous to sparsely stipitate glandular above. Leaves: Basal rosette plus a few reduced, alternate stem leaves, all sparsely
cobwebby; basal and lower stem leaves lobed once or twice, the lobes entire or toothed; upper stem leaves entire or basally lobed. Flowers:
Pink-purple and yellow, short-pediceled or subsessile in compact terminal clusters, the clusters on long stalks; calyx 3-5 mm long, glabrous to
sparsely cobwebby, consisting of 5 herbaceous sepals connected to each other by papery membranes, the sepals with acuminate to attenuate
tips; corolla funnelform, 7-27 mm long, the tube equal to or longer than the calyx and violet or yellow, the throat yellow, the lobes pink to
yellow with violet flecks; anthers slightly exserted beyond the corolla lobes. Fruits: Capsule 5-9 mm long, broadly ovoid; containing several
seeds. Ecology: Found in sandy canyons, on mountain slopes and along arroyos, from 1,500-5,000 ft (457-1524 m); flowers February-May.
Distribution: UT, AZ, NM; south to n MEX. Notes: Distinguished by sparse cobwebby hairs on leaves which are mostly basal, and reduced above;
flowers subsessile or short-pedicelled (some pedicelled) in terminal corymbose or capitate clusters (some in open inflorecsences); calyces not
glandular, and streaked or spotted with purple, especially on the papery sinuses between the calyx lobes; and funnelform corollas. It is similar
to G. mexicana, but that species has generally smaller leaves that are dissected into very narrow lobes (less than 1 mm wide) with pointed tips;
lacks the purple spots on the papery sinuses between the calyx lobes; and has smaller flowers, the corollas only 5-8 mm long (7-27 mm long in
G. flavocincta). There are two subspecies: subsp. australis can be told apart by having a corolla 7-18 mm long, the tube equal to or slightly
exceeding the calyx, the style usually not exceeding the stamens, and usually found at slightly lower elevations; subsp. flavocincta has a corolla
12-27 mm long, the tube longer than the calyx, with the style usually exceeding the stamens. Kearney and Peebles incorrectly use the name
Gilia tenuifolia for this species; it is not a true synonym. Ethnobotany: Unknown, but other species in the genus have uses. Etymology: Gilia is
named for Filippo Luigi Gilii (1756-1821) an Italian naturalist; flavocincta comes from the Latin flavus, yellow, and cincta, surrounded or
encircled, referring to the yellow throat of the flower. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2015, AHazelton

2017

Star Gilia
Gilia stellata Heller
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Erect annual with stout stems, to 40 cm tall, simple or branching from the base,
lower leaves and stems faintly hoary with short, white, genticulate hairs, upper stems and leaves with shorter, glandular hairs. Leaves: Basal
leaves bipinnate, 2-10 cm long, lobes rounded with 2-7 apiculate teeth, upper leaves shorter and less dissected. Flowers: Pale blue to white,
with a ring of purple spots in the throat, corolla funnelform with acuminate lobes, the lobes as long or longer than the corolla throat, flowers
borne singly on glandular pedicels, calyx pubescent with glandular or genticulate hairs, stamens inserted. Fruits: Capsules subglobose, 5-7 mm
long, dehiscing between 3 valves running from the top to the middle of the capsule, seeds 5-10 in each cell, mucilaginous. Ecology: Found in
washes and on slopes in lower desert regions, below 6,000 ft (1700 m); flowering March-May. Notes: One of the taller Gilia species.
Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Gilia is named for Filippo Luigi Gilii (1756-1821) an Italian naturalist, while stellata means stellate or with
star like spreading hairs. Synonyms: None Editor: LCrumbacher, 2011

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POLEMONIACEAE (Phlox Family) Cont.

Golden Desert Trumpets

Leptosiphon aureus (Nutt.) J.M. Porter & L.A. Johnson ssp. aureus
PLANT: Annual, 3-15 cm tall, usually branched throughout; stems ascending, glabrous to pilose or glandular. LEAVES: 3-5, linear, mucronate, 3-8
mm long, glabrous to glandular. INFLORESCENCE: open, the flowers 1-3, mostly terminal. FLOWERS: pedicelled, the filiform pedicels 4-13 mm
long; calyx glabrous, campanulate, 3-8 mm long, the lobes equalling the tube, the hyaline membranes as wide as the herbaceous ribs; corolla
diurnal, closed at night, rotate, 6-15 mm long, white or bright yellow, the throat maroon to orange, with a ring of hairs between the tube and
the throat; stamens inserted on the throat; style slightly exserted. NOTES: 2 vars.; CA to sw UT, NM and n Mex. REFERENCES: Dieter H. Wilken
and J. Mark Porter, 2005, Vascular Plants of Arizona: Polemoniaceae. CANOTIA 1: 1-37.

Slender Phlox
Phlox gracilis (Hook.) Greene

Santa Catalina Mountain Phlox

Phlox tenuifolia E. Nels
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Perennial with 1-6 stems, suffrutescent; stems 3-6 dm tall, the internodes
evident, pilose to short villous. Leaves: Linear to narrowly lanceolate, flat, 2-5 cm long, 1-3 mm wide, glabrous to sparsely pilose. Flowers:
Usually 2-3, pedicelled, pedicels sparsely glandular to short pilose; calyx 7-12 mm long, the membranes flat, corolla narrowly funnelform, white
to lavender, the tube 7-16 mm long, lobes 3-5 mm wide, obtuse to truncate; stamens inserted on the upper tube; stigmas located among the
anthers. Fruits: Ovoid capsules, 4-5 mm long, obtuse at apex. Ecology: Found in open to shaded sites, in canyons, rocky ravines, from 1,500-
5,000 ft (457-1524 m); flowers April-June. Notes: This is the only really shrubby phlox there is, the stiff stems and the fragrant, delicate white
flowers help to distinguish this species. Ethnobotany: Unknown, but other species in the genus have many uses. Etymology: Phlox is from the
Greek phlox, or flame, while tenuifolia means having finely divided or slender leaves. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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POLYGONACEAE (Buckwheat Family)
Brittle Spineflower
Chorizanthe brevicornu Torr.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Erect annual with several to numerous puberulent, greenish stems branching
profusely from base often very brittle at nodes when mature. Leaves: Mostly basal, petiolate, oblanceolate-spatulate, 3-6 cm long, strigose-
puberulent, bracts foliaceous at lower nodes, acerose above, acerose ones 3-6 mm long, reddish. Flowers: Involucres solitary in axils, 3-angled,
6 ribbed toward apex of puberulent tube, this 3.5-6 mm long, somewhat falcately curved, 6-toothed, teeth short, subequal, 1 mm long or less,
uncinate; perianths short-pedicellate, 3-4 mm long, almost or completely included, greenish yellow, lobes similar, linear-oblong, about 1 mm
long, 3 stamens inserted at base of perianth tube, opposite inner lobes. Fruits: Achenes slightly curved, slightly exserted. Ecology: Found on
sandy desert slopes, flats, and washes below 2,500 ft (762 m); flowers March-May. Distribution: WA and ID to AZ, UT, and CA Notes: This
species is often recognizable by its diffuse branching, largely devoid of leaves, and what leaves there are they are often very reduced. Can be
confused in a small measure in appearance with Nemacladus glanduliferus, but pay attention to the ocrea in C. brevicornu and you will have no
problem. Ethnobotany: Unknown, but other species in the genera has use. Etymology: Chorizanthe comes from Greek chorizo, to divide, and
anthos flower, referring to the divided calyx, while brevicornu means short-horned. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley, 2010

Abert's Buckwheat
Eriogonum abertianum Torr.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual herb, 5-60 cm tall; stems erect or spreading, profusely branched from
near the base, green or grayish to reddish, appressed-hirsute. Leaves: In a spreading basal rosette and alternate along the stems; basal leaves
ovate, 1-4 cm long and 1-3 cm wide, on petioles up to 6 cm long. Upper stem leaves usually sessile, the blades obovate-lanceolate to linear, 1-4
cm long and 5-20 mm wide. All leaves loosely villous to hoary. Flowers: White to pink, arranged in tight rounded clusters of several flowers held
together by a cup-shaped structure called an involucre; involucres arranged in open cymose inflorescenses, these up to 50 cm wide and long,
with hairy branches; each individual flower is 3-4 mm high, with 6 ruffled, papery, petal-like tepals, these white to pale yellow and often tinted
with rose, with deep-rose colored midribs. Fruits: Achenes lens-shaped, less than 1 mm long, dark brown and smooth or transversely rugulose
(wrinkled). Ecology: Found on sandy plains, washes, and granitic hills, from 1,500-7000 ft (457-2134 m); flowers March-September.
Distribution: AZ, NM, TX; south to n MEX. Notes: One of our most common annual buckwheats with several varieties known. It is annual and
can be variable in growth form, as erect and branching above, or small with few stems from a basal rosette, or prostrate and spreading; the
leaves are oval-shaped, with long, shaggy hairs and wavy margins and are smaller higher up the stem. Immediately obvious (in some
populations) are the inflorescences which are often round balls of white flowers with red stripes down the center of each petal and many
yellow stamens in the centers; the inflorescences can also be elongated on some. Ethnobotany: Navajo used it to make a lotion for skin cuts on
humans and horses. Etymology: Eriogonum is from the Greek erion, wool, and gony, knee, alluding to the hairy nodes of the first species
described, E. tomentosum; abertiaum is named for James William Abert (1820-1897), a US Army officer who led exploratory expeditions in the
American West. Synonyms: Eriogonum cyclosepalum, Eriogonum pinetorum Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017

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POLYGONACEAE (Buckwheat Family) Cont.

Flatcrown Buckwheat
Eriogonum deflexum Torr. var. Deflexum
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual with stems 5-200 cm tall. Leaves: Basal leaves, blade 10-40 mm, round
to reniform, white-woolly below, tomentose above. Flowers: Cyme-like inflorescence, unevenly branched, generally widely spreading, glabrous,
bracts scale-like; involucres on reflexed stalks, 1-3 mm unribbed, the perianth 1-3 mm, white to pinkish, glabrous, outer lobes generally cordate
at base, inner narrow. Fruits: Glabrous achene 1.5-3 mm. Ecology: Found in washes, roadsides, disturbed areas, on dry flats below 4,000 ft
(1219 m); flowers throughout the year. Distribution: UT to AZ and Baja Calif., MEX Notes: Very abundant, conspicuous along roadsides. The
most obvious character is the dangling flowers, which can be white, light pink, or even darker vivid pink. Variable species with several different
varieties, the most like variety for this region is var. deflexum. Ethnobotany: Unknown, other species in the genus widely used. Etymology:
Eriogonum is from Greek erion, wool and phyllon, leaf, deflexum means bent, or turned abruptly downward. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley,
2010

Eastern Mojave Buckwheat

Eriogonum fasciculatum Benth. var. polifolium (Benth.) Torr. & A. Gray
Common Name: Eastern Mojave buckwheat Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Low spreading woody shrub, 0.5-
1 m, compact and much branched with leafy stems and shredding bark; stems, leaves and scapes canescent-pubescent. Leaves: Fascicled,
sessile or nearly so, 3-15 mm, white hairy on both surfaces, canescent above, densely woolly below. Flowers: Involucres 5-toothed, 2.5 mm,
densely to moderately white hairy; flowers white to pink, 3 mm, outer perianth segments densely white hairy toward base and along broad
midrib. Fruits: Achenes 2-2.5 mm. Ecology: Found on dry rocky slopes from 1,000-4,500 ft (305-1372 m); flowers March-June. Notes: The most
common shrubby Eriogonum in the region. Several varieties exist in the region, take a collection if identity to this level is required. Otherwise,
the woolly bases are key, and it is told apart from the similar E. wrightii by the mostly woody habit, as well as having leaves in dense fascicles of
leaves along the stems. Ethnobotany: Used for diarrhea, as an emetic, against witchcraft, for heart medicine, to help heal wounds, for
hoarseness, for stomachaches and the wood was used to pierce ears. Etymology: Eriogonum is from Greek erion, wool and phyllon, leaf,
fasciculatum is derived from Latin word for bundles. Synonyms: Eriogonum fasciculatum subsp. polifolium, E. fasciculatum var. revolutum, E.
poliofolium Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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POLYGONACEAE (Buckwheat Family) Cont.

Desert Trumpet
Eriogonum inflatum Torr. & Frém.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Erect perennial forb, 10-100 cm, glabrous, usually glaucous, grayish; from a
compact caudex, with erect aerial flowering stems, solid or hollow and tubular, 20-50 cm, occasionally hirsute toward the base. Leaves: Basal,
on petiole 2-6 cm long, hirsute; blade oblong-ovate to oblong or rounded to reniform, 1-2.5 cm long by 1-2 cm wide, short-hirsute and grayish
or greenish on both surfaces, sometimes less so or glabrous and green below, margins occasionally undulate. Flowers: Cymose, open, spreading
to erect, 5-70 cm by 5-50 cm, branches hollow and cylindrical, glabrous, usually glaucous, 3 scalelike bracts, 1-2.5 mm by 1-2.5 mm; peduncles
erect, straight, filiform to capillary, 0.5-2 cm, glabrous; turbinate involucres, 1-1.5 mm by 1-1.8 mm, glabrous, 5 teeth, erect, 0.4-0.6 mm;
flowers 2-3 mm, perianth yellow with greenish or reddish midribs, densely hirsute with coarse curved hairs, tepals monomorphic, narrowly
ovoid to ovate; exserted stamens, 1.3-2.5 mm, filaments glabrous or sparsely pubescent proximally. Fruits: Achenes light brown to brown,
lenticular to three sided, 2-2.5 mm, glabrous. Ecology: Found on sandy and gravelly soils from flats to slopes below 5,000 ft (1524 m); flowers
March-October. Distribution: UT and AZ to s CA and Baja Calif., MEX Notes: One of the more distinctive Eriogonum when in flower, with its
inflated stem. However, the presence of this feature is partly a consequence of available moisture, so in drier conditions, the less pronounced is
the inflation. Ethnobotany: Used for animal bites, the leaves were boiled and then eaten, seeds were pounded into a meal, stems can be used
as drinking tubes, or makeshift tobacco pipe. Etymology: Eriogonum is from Greek erion, wool and phyllon, leaf, while inflatum means inflated.
Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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POLYGONACEAE (Buckwheat Family) Cont.

Palmer's Buckwheat
Eriogonum palmerianum Reveal
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Herbaceous annuals, to 30 cm tall, stems several, leafy to the inflorescence,
herbage white-tomentose or lanate, with a woody caudex but not noticeably woody above ground. Leaves: Alternate, suborbiculate to cordate,
5-18 mm long and 15-20 mm wide, margins revolute, acute to obtuse at the tips, lower surfaces hoary-tomentose, upper surfaces glabrous, or
usually less hairy than beneath, petioles 1-4 cm long. Flowers: Perianth white becoming pink or pale yellow, sometimes aging red, 1.5-2 mm
long, glabrous, the outer lobes narrowly fan-shaped, inner oblanceolate, involucres campanulate, hairy to tomentose, appressed, 1.5-2 mm
long, stamens 9, included, filaments pilose below, inflorescence bracts inconspicuous, flowers sessile, solitary but close together, usually on
short, nearly horizontal flexuous branches with short nodes. Fruits: Achenes brown, 1.5-2 mm, narrow, trigonous, not conspicuously winged.
Ecology: Found on sandy or gravelly soils, in washes, flats, and slopes, saltbush, greasewood, creosote bush, blackbrush, and sagebrush
communities, pi-on and/or juniper woodlands and dry thickets from 1,000- 9,000 ft (305-2743 m); March-October. Distribution: Arizona,
California, Idaho, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah. Notes: This species differs from E. plumatella (a synonym for a parent species, E.
plumatella var. palmeri) in its annual habit, with upper leaf surfaces that are glabrous to tomentose (but less than beneath), involucres which
are hairy or tomentose, the branches of the inflorescence nearly horizontal; E. plumatella is perennial, has leaf surfaces tomentose both above
and below, and has inflorescence branches that are horizontal, reflexed, or recurved, and involucres which are glabrous except for the margins.
FNA notes that this species is not the same as E. palmeri, and Eriogonum palmerianum is common and widespread, sometimes becoming locally
abundant and even weedy. In Arizona and New Mexico, it occurs mainly in the Sonoran Desert. Ethnobotany: There is no use recorded for this
species, but other species in this genus have uses. Synonyms: Eriogonum plumatella var. palmeri Editor: LCrumbacher 2012 Etymology:
Eriogonum comes from the Greek erion, "wool," and gonu, "joint or knee," in reference to the hairy or woolly joints of some of the species of
the genus, while palmerianum is after self-taught botanist, professional plant collector and amateur zoologist, archaeologist and ethnologist
Edward Palmer (1829/1830--1911).

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POLYGONACEAE (Buckwheat Family) Cont.

Little Desert Trumpet

Eriogonum trichopes Torr.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Erect to spreading annual 10-45 cm tall, slender to nearly filiform branches,
ultimate branches glabrous to sparsely glandular immediately above nodes, slightly glaucous, yellow-green. Leaves: Basal, on petiole 1-6 cm,
hirsute, blade broadly oblong 1-2.5 cm by 1-2 cm, short hirsute on both surfaces, greenish, with wavy margins. Flowers: Cymose, open to
dense, usually spreading, 5-30 cm by 5-50 cm, branches usually not cylindrical and hollow, but glabrous, 3 scalelike bracts, 1-4 mm by 1-2 mm,
peduncles mostly erect, straight, capillary, 0.5-1.5 cm, glabrous; turbinate involucres, 0.7-1 mm by 0.6-0.9 mm, glabrous, teeth 4, erect, 0.3-0.4
mm; flowers 1-2 mm, perianth yellow to greenish yellow with greenish to reddish midribs, densely hirsute with coarse curved hairs;
monomorphic tepals, narrowly ovate; exserted stamens, 0.9-1.5 mm, filaments sparsely pubescent proximally. Fruits: Achenes light brown to
brown, lenticular to three sided, 1-1.5 mm, glabrous. Ecology: Found on sandy slopes and washes, even in clayey soils below 4,000 ft (1219 m);
flowers January-December. Distribution: CO and UT to AZ, CA and nw MEX Notes: One of the more abundant of the Eriogonum in the low
desert, often forming nearly pure stands. Ethnobotany: Unknown, but other species in the genera have uses. Etymology: Eriogonum is from
Greek erion, wool and phyllon, leaf, while trichopes means hairy-footed or stalked. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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POLYGONACEAE (Buckwheat Family) Cont.

Bastardsage
Eriogonum wrightii Torr. ex Benth.
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Perennial subshrub, shrub, or rarely scapose herb, 15-100 cm tall by 10-150
cm wide, or sometimes matted and less than 30 cm tall; stems spreading to erect, stout to slender, with or without peristent leaf bases;
herbage lanate to thinly tomentose or glabrous, grayish to greenish or reddish. Leaves: Almost always clustered in fascicles (sheaths), the
fascicles located at the base of the plant and at branch tips, and sometimes along the stems; blades oblanceolate to broadly elliptic, 1-30 mm
long by 1-10 mm wide, both surfaces tomentose to floccose, or occasionally the upper surface nearly glabrous. Flowers: White to pink and
arranged in clusters of a few short-stalked flowers held together by a cup-shaped structure called an involucre. Involucres arranged in racemes
on wand-like branches, or sometimes arranged in cymes (flat-topped inflorescences); each individual flower is 1-4 mm high, with 6 ruffled
petal-like tepals, these fused together at the base and white to pink or rose. Fruits: Achenes light brown to brown, 1-3 mm long, glabrous.
Ecology: Found in dry, rocky soils on flats and slopes, from 3,000-7,000 ft (914-2134 m); flowers June-October. Distribution: CA, NV, AZ, s UT,
NM, s TX; south to n MEX. Notes: A common, low-growing shrub that doesn't resemble many other species. It has thick, dark-brown woody
branches at the base and smaller tomentose stems above, which are ascending or spreading and often form dense growth; leaves are gray-
green and also covered with dense mats of white hairs; the leaves are in small bunches (fascicles) at the stem nodes; the white flowers
arranged along semi-constricted inflorescences, these often erect or tucked into the rest of the foliage The species description encompasses a
large amount of variation because there are 9 currently recognized varieties (according to Flora of North America, 2005). There are two
varieties in Arizona and New Mexico, var. nodosum and var. wrightii. Var. nodosum is mostly found in the low deserts of southwestern Arizona
and southeastern California, and can be told apart by gray-tomentose flowering stems and branches. Var. wrightii is found from southeast
California to west Texas and has white-tomentose stems. Ethnobotany: Seeds were pounded into a meal and drunk as a beverage, or even
eaten dry; the plant also used as an emetic. Etymology: Eriogonum is from the Greek erion, wool, and gony, knee, alluding to the hairy nodes of
the first species described, E. tomentosum; wrightii is named for William Greenwood Wright (1831-1912) a California lepidopterist. Synonyms:
Eriogonum trachygonum subsp. wrightii Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017

Woodland Pterostegia
Pterostegia drymarioides Fisch. & C.A. Mey.
Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Slender annual with stems branching from base, prostrate or scrambling 10-50
cm long, sparsely hirsute. Leaves: Opposite, on petiole 0.2-0.6 cm long, lower leaves fan shaped, 3-18 mm broad, often 2-lobed and minutely
crenulate, narrowing to petiole, upper leaves orbicular or slightly wider than long, rarely notched, entire or crenulate. Flowers: Involucral bract
2-lobed, 15-2 mm long in flower, 2-3 mm in fruit, irregularly lobed; calyx lobes usually 6, rarely 5 , lanceolate, acute, finely and sparsely crispate-
hirsutulous. Fruits: Three angled achene, 1 mm long, reddish or buff, smooth and shining. Ecology: Found on open or shaded slopes or among
rocks below 3,500 ft (1067 m); flowers February-April Notes: Due to its preferred habitat, this species is often misidentified as Parietaria. They
can be told apart by the leaf shape. Pay attention to the oblong leaves of Parietaria where the leaves in Pterostegia are fan-shaped.
Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Pterostegia is from pteron, wing and stegon or stege, meaning covering, referring to the winged bract,
while drymarioides means like the genus Drymaria. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley, 2010

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POLYGONACEAE (Buckwheat Family) Cont.

Arizona Dock
Rumex hymenosepalus Torr
Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Coarse perennial 30-100 cm tall, with 1-several tuberous roots, glabrous or
indistinctly papillose-pubescent. Leaves: Prominent ocrea that is persistent at maturity, whitish or silvery white, membranous; blades oblong to
elliptic-oblong, 3-10 cm wide, 10-30 cm long, bases cuneate or narrowly cuneate, margins entire, flat or indistinctly crisped, to sheathing
stipules 1-3 cm long. Flowers: Terminal panicle, occupying the upper half of stem; pedicels slender 8-12 mm long, jointed near middle, flowers
5-20 in whorls, outer sepals linear or elliptic, 1.5-2.5 mm long, spreading, inner fruiting tepals cordate-ovate, membranous, reticulate, bright
red, 6-14 mm long; flowers January-April. Fruits: Achene brown or reddish brown, shining, 4-5 mm long. Ecology: Found on dry flats and along
washes, mostly in gravelly or sandy soil below 6,000 ft (1829 m). Distribution: CA, NV, UT, AZ, s WY, CO, NM, OK, TX; south to n MEX. Notes:
Distinct from other Rumex in the region by being a mostly low-desert, upland species growing in dry, often sandy or disturbed areas; it bolts
and flowers in early spring, often withering away by summer. The basal rosette is of very large, thick, wavy leaves; the leaf axils do not produce
shoots; and the inner tepals (valves), which have 4 wings and tightly contain the seeds, are 10 mm long or longer, have a notch in the top
(cordate), and turn red-pinkish with age, making them resemble hanging hearts and giving the inflorescence a red color. Ethnobotany: Used to
wash sores, for colds, for ant bites or infected cuts, as a gargle for coughs, as a life medicine, a ceremonial medicine, a lactagogue on breasts,
dried and powdered root on burns and other sores, taken for sore throats, used for diarrhea, held in the mouth for sore gums, the stalks and
leaves eaten as greens, made into a tea, the seeds are used to make a mush, the stems were baked and eaten, the seeds are roasted, ground,
and formed into flat cakes, the roots are chewed like a gum, made into pies, and used for a dye. Etymology: Rumex is the Latin name for docks
or sorrels, while hymenosepalus means having membranous sepals in Latin. Synonyms: Rumex hymenosepalus var. euhymenosepalus, R.
hymenosepalus var. salinus Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

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PORTULACACEAE (Purslane Family)

Name
Calandrinia ciliata (Ruiz & Pav.) DC.

Name
Cistanthe monandra (Nutt.) Hershkovitz

Name
Claytonia perfoliata Donn. Ex Willd. ssp. mexicana (Rydb.) J.M. Miller & K. Chambers

Name
Portulaca oleracea L.

Name
Portulaca pilosa L.

Name
Portulaca umbraticola Kunth

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PTERIDACEAE (Fern Family)
Name
Astrolepis cochisensis (Goodding) Bentham and Windham ssp. cochisensis

Name
Astrolepis sinuata (Lag. ex Sw.) Benham & Windham

Name
Astrolepis windhamii Benham

Name
Cheilanthes covillei Maxon

Name
Cheilanthes parryi (D.C. Eat.) Domin

Name
Cheilanthes wrightii Hook.

Name
Notholaena standleyi Maxon

Name
Pellaea truncata Goodding

Name
Pentagramma triangularis (Kaulf.) Yatsk., Windham & Wollenw. ssp. maxonii (Weatherby) Yatsk.,
Windham & Wollen.

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RANUNCULACEAE (Buttercup Family)
Name
Anemone tuberosa Rydb.

Name
Clematis drummondii Torr. & A. Gray

Name
Delphinium parishii A. Gray

Name
Delphinium scaposum Greene

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RHAMNACEAE (Buckthorn Family)
Name
Ziziphus obtusifolia (Hook. Ex Torr. & A. Gray) A. Gray var. canescens (A. Gray) M.C. Johnston

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ROSACEAE (Rose Family)
Name
Cercocarpus montanus Raf

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RUBIACEAE (Madder Family)
Name
Galium aparine L.

Name
Galium stellatum Kellogg ssp. eremicum (Hilend & Howell) Ehrend.

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SALICACEAE (Willow Family)
Name
Populus fremontii S. Wats. ssp. fremontii

Name
Salix gooddingii Ball

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SAPINDACEAE (Soapberry Family)
Name
Dodonaea viscosa (L.) Jacq.

Name
Sapindus saponaria L.

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SCROPHULARIACEAE (Snapdragon Family)
Name
Castilleja applegatei Fern. ssp. martinii (Abrams) Chuang & Heckard

Name
Castilleja exserta (Heller) Chuang & Heckard ssp. exserta

Name
Keckiella antirrhinoides (Benth.) Straw

Name
Maurandella antirrhiniflora (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) Rothm.

Name
Mimulus guttatus DC.

Name
Penstemon pseudospectabilis M.E. Jones ssp. connatifolius (A. Nels.) Keck

Name
Penstemon subulatus M.E. Jones

Name
Sairocarpus nuttallianus (Benth. ex A. DC.) D.A. Sutton

Name
Veronica peregrina L.

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SELAGINELLACEAE (Spikemoss Family)
Name
Selaginella arizonica Maxon

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SIMMONDSIACEAE (Goatnut Family)
Name
Simmondsia chinensis (Link) Schneid

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SOLANACEAE (Potato Family)
Name
Datura discolor Bernh.

Name
Lycium andersonii A. Gray var. andersonii

Name
Lycium andersonii A. Gray var. deserticola (C.L. Hitchc.) C.L. Hitchc. ex Munz

Name
Lycium andersonii A. Gray var. wrightii A. Gray

Name
Lycium berlandieri Dunal

Name
Lycium exsertum A. Gray

Name
Lycium fremontii A. Gray

Name
Lycium parishii A. Gray

Name
Nicotiana obtusifolia Mertens & Galeotti

Name
Physalis hederifolia A. Gray

Name
Solanum douglasii Dunal

Name
Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav.

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TAMARICACEAE (Tamarisk Family)
Name
Tamarix chinensis Lour.

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TYPHACEAE (Cattail Family)
Name
Typha domingensis Pers.

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ULMACEAE (Elm Family)
Name
Celtis pallida Torr.

Name
Celtis reticulata Torr.

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URTICACEAE (Nettle Family)
Name
Parietaria hespera Hinton var. hespera

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VERBENACEAE (Verbena Family)
Name
Aloysia wrightii Heller ex Abrams

Name
Glandularia gooddingii (Briq.) Solbrig

Name
Verbena bracteata Lag. & Rodr

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VISCACEAE (Mistletoe Family)
Name
Phoradendron californicum Nutt.

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ZYGOPHYLLACEAE (Caltrop Family)
Name
Kallstroemia californica (S. Wats.) Vail

Name
Kallstroemia grandiflora Torr. ex A. Gray

Name
Kallstroemia parviflora J.B.S. Norton

Name
Larrea tridentata (Sessé & Moc. ex DC.) Coville

Name
Tribulus terrestris L.

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