WHITE NEEDLE-FLOWER
Justicia longii (Siphonoglossa longiflora)
Acanthus Family (Acanthaceae)
Height: To 8”.
Flowers: White, tubular; with 1 notched, smaller upper lip; 3-lobed, larger lower lip; brown-tipped stamens; flower to 2” long, ½” wide; clustered in leaf axils.
Leaves: Dark green, opposite, margins curled slightly upward; short-stalked, lance-shaped, to 2” long.
Blooms: April–October.
Elevation: 3,000 to 4,000’.
Habitat: Canyons and rocky slopes.
Comments: Flowers open in evening and close the following morning. Browsed by livestock and wild animals. Three species of Justicia in Arizona. Photograph taken in Molino Canyon, Santa Catalina Mountains, May 14.
BIGELOW BEARGRASS
Nolina bigelovii
Agave Family (Agavaceae)
Height: (Usually with a flower stalk) to 8’.
Flowers: White, tinged with green; to ¹⁄₈” long; very numerous. On upright flower stalk to 8’ long; flowering upper half to two-thirds is branched, followed by thin, 3-lobed seed capsule; to ½” in diameter.
Leaves: Dark green, stiff and leathery; evergreen, rough-margined, narrow; to 4½’ long, ¾” wide; in dense, basal cluster.
Blooms: June–July.
Elevation: 500 to 3,500’.
Comments: Erect, unbranched trunk. Occasionally poisonous to livestock. Four species of Nolina in Arizona. Photograph taken near Burro Creek and Wikieup, July 15. A very similar species, Parry Nolina (Nolina parryi), has sharply toothed leaf margins and slightly larger flowers and seed capsules.
BEARGRASS
Sacahuista
Nolina microcarpa
Agave Family (Agavaceae)
Height: Flower stalk to 8’.
Flowers: Creamy white, ¹⁄₈” wide, in dense plumelike, often bending or crooked, flowering cluster; to 3’ long, followed by papery fruit capsule to ³⁄₈” in diameter.
Leaves: Green, tough, grasslike; no marginal spines; loose fibers on margins at tips; to ½” wide, 4’ long; in large, basal rosette.
Blooms: May–June.
Elevation: 3,000 to 6,500’.
Habitat: Rocky slopes and exposed areas on mountainsides.
Comments: Resembles a large, coarse grass. During drought, leaves are browsed by wildlife, but sheep and goats are occasionally poisoned. Mexicans use leaves for basketry. Native Americans used bud stalks for food. Four species of Nolina in Arizona. Photograph taken at Sedona, June 18.
ARIZONA YUCCA
Datil
Yucca baccata var. brevifolia (Yucca arizonica)
Agave Family (Agavaceae)
Height: Trunks to 8’. Another variety, Banana Yucca (Yucca baccata var. baccata) is nearly trunkless. Flower stalk to 5’.
Flowers: White, waxy, bell-shaped, with 6 yellow anthers and 6 petallike segments; to 3” long; on a stalk in long cluster; reddish buds, followed by large, fleshy, banana-like fruits, which grow to 5” long.
Leaves: Green and straight (variety brevifolia) or blue-green and slightly curved (variety baccata), broad, stiff, spine-tipped; white fibers on margins; to 3’ long, 2” wide; in a basal rosette.
Blooms: April–July.
Elevation: 3,000 to 8,000’ (variety brevifolia tending toward the lower end of the elevational range).
Habitat: Dry plains and slopes.
Comments: Has short flower stem scarcely taller than leaves. Nine species of Yucca in Arizona. Photograph taken near Willcox, April 22.
JOSHUA TREE
Yucca brevifolia
Agave Family (Agavaceae)
Height: To 30’.
Trunk: To 3’ in diameter. Brown or gray, corky, and rough, deeply furrowed. Young trunks covered with dead leaves.
Flowers: Greenish white, waxy, bell-shaped; to 2½” long; in tight clusters on stalks to 1½” long at ends of branches; flowers do not open fully; followed by egg-shaped, greenish fruit about 4” long.
Leaves: Dark green, long and narrow, with pointed tip and toothed margins; to 14” long; clustered in dense rosettes at ends of branches.
Blooms: March–April.
Elevation: 2,000 to 3,500’.
Habitat: Rocky plains and hillsides.
Comments: Symbol of the Mojave Desert and the largest yucca, the Joshua tree was named by Mormon pioneers who likened its grotesque shape to the biblical Joshua lifting his arms in prayer. An evergreen, this narrow-leaved yucca can live between 100 and 300 years. It does not bloom every year, as flowering is governed by temperature and rainfall. Birds, woodrats, and a small species of night lizard make their homes in the Joshua tree. A healthy Joshua tree needs periods of low temperature to go into dormancy. Wood is used for splints and veneering. Nine species of Yucca in Arizona. The Joshua Tree Parkway northwest of Wickenburg is a good example of a Joshua “forest.” Photographs taken on Joshua Tree Parkway, May 29 (tree) and March 11 (flowers).
SOAPTREE YUCCA
Palmilla Yucca elata
Agave Family (Agavaceae)
Height: Trunks to over 20’ with 5’ flower stalks.
Flowers: Creamy white, bell-shaped; to 2” long; in dense cluster on upright branch, followed by light brown, 3-celled, cylindrical seed capsule.
Leaves: Yellowish green, long and narrow, evergreen; with threadlike margins and a sharp spine at terminal end; to 2½’ long.
Blooms: May–July.
Elevation: 1,500 to 6,000’.
Habitat: Mesas, desert washes, sandy plains, and grasslands.
Comments: This yucca forms clumps. Arrangement of leaves channels moisture to plant’s center. Native Americans use leaves for basket weaving. Flowers and buds were used as food. Roots, known as amole, used as substitute for soap. Nine species of Yucca in Arizona. Photograph taken in Sedona area, June 18.
SIERRA MADRE YUCCA
Mountain Yucca
Yucca madrensis (Yucca schottii)
Agave Family (Agavaceae)
Height: Flower stalk to 18’.
Flowers: White, waxy, bell-shaped, with 6 broad, pointed sepals; to 1½” long; in short-stalked upright cluster, followed by green, fleshy, bananalike fruit growing to 5” long, to 2” in diameter; falling before winter.
Leaves: Bluish green; edges are reddish without teeth or threads; lance-shaped, flat, flexible, and leathery; sharp-pointed; to 2½’ long, 2” wide.
Blooms: April–August.
Elevation: 4,000 to 7,000’.
Habitat: Hillsides and canyons.
Comments: Evergreen. Grows new asparagus-like flower stalk yearly. Native Americans ate buds, flowers, and young flower stalks. Leaf fibers made into mats, baskets, cloth, rope, and sandals. Prepared roots used as soap substitute. Nine species of Yucca in Arizona. Photograph taken in Madera Canyon, April 28.
NORTHERN WATER-PLANTAIN
Mud-Plantain
Alisma triviale
Water-Plantain Family (Alismataceae)
Height: To 3’.
Flowers: White, 3 rounded, notched petals; 3 green sepals showing between petals; 6 green-tipped stamens; flower to ³⁄₈” wide, in large, loose cluster.
Leaves: Dark green, leathery, broadly elliptical; basal, to 9” long with stem, to 4” long without stem; to 2” wide.
Blooms: June–August.
Elevation: 4,000 to 8,000’.
Habitat: Shallow water and muddy areas.
Comments: Many-branched. Branches and branchlets arranged in whorls around stem. Three species of Alisma in Arizona. Photograph taken at Woodland Lake near Lakeside, July 6.
SMOOTH SUMAC
Scarlet Sumac
Rhus glabra
Cashew Family (Anacardiaceae)
Height: To 20’.
Trunk: To 4” in diameter.
Bark: Brown; smooth or scaly.
Flowers: Whitish, 5 petals; to ¹⁄₈” wide; in dense, spikelike terminal cluster to 8” long; sexes usually on separate plants; followed by dark red, round fruit covered with short, sticky, red hairs; ¹⁄₈” in diameter, in upright, terminal cluster when mature.
Leaves: Shiny green above, creamy beneath; turning bright red in fall; pinnately compound; to 12” long; up to 31 lance-shaped, toothed leaflets, each to 4” long.
Blooms: June–August.
Elevation: 5,000 to 7,000’.
Habitat: Roadsides and rich soil in ponderosa pine forests.
Comments: Birds feed on fruits; fruits and twigs browsed by deer. If chewed, fruit quenches thirst; a lemonadelike drink is made from fruit. Eight species of Rhus in Arizona. Photograph taken in Oak Creek Canyon, June 18.
LITTLE-LEAF SUMAC
Desert Sumac
Rhus microphylla
Cashew Family (Anacardiaceae)
Height: To 6’.
Flowers: Whitish, 5-petaled, with pinkish center; to ¹⁄₁₆” wide; in dense, roundish cluster to ¼” wide; followed by egg-shaped, sticky, hairy, reddish fruit, to ¼” long, in cluster.
Leaves: Green, pinnate, with 5 to 9 leaflets; airy, winged leaflet stem; to 1¾” long (in shady locations) but closer to ¾” in sunny locations, in clusters along stems.
Blooms: March–May.
Elevation: 3,500 to 6,000’.
Habitat: Dry slopes and mesas.
Comments: Sprawling, many-branched shrub with spine-tipped branches. Eight species of Rhus in Arizona. Photograph taken in Portal area on April 22.
SUGAR SUMAC
Chaparral Sumac
Rhus ovata
Cashew Family (Anacardiaceae)
Height: Shrub, or small tree to 15’.
Trunk: To 6” in diameter.
Bark: Grayish brown, shaggy, rough, scaly.
Flowers: Pinkish buds turning to cream color; 5 rounded petals; to ¼” wide; in crowded, terminal cluster to 2” long, followed by reddish, hairy fruits to ¹⁄₈” in diameter.
Leaves: Light green, shiny, thick, leatherlike; pinkish leaf stalk; oval, short-pointed at tip, rounded at base, curved upward at midvein; to 3¼” long.
Blooms: February–March.
Elevation: 3,000 to 5,000’.
Habitat: Mountain slopes in chaparral and in desert canyons.
Comments: Broadleaf evergreen. Fruit used by Native Americans as a sweetener. Eight species of Rhus in Arizona. Photograph taken in Superstition Mountains, March 25.
MEARNS SUMAC
New Mexican Evergreen Sumac
Rhus virens var. choriophylla (Rhus choriophylla)
Cashew Family (Anacardiaceae)
Height: To 7’.
Flowers: White, oval; to ¹⁄₈” long, ¹⁄₁₆” wide; in cluster to 2” long, 2” wide; followed by reddish to brown, hairy fruit, to ¼” long.
Leaves: Dark green, shiny, evergreen, leathery; to 4” long; pinnately compound with 3 to 5 oval leaflets, reddish purple stems, leaflets to 2½” long, 1¼” wide.
Blooms: July–September.
Elevation: 4,000 to 6,000’ in southeastern Arizona.
Habitat: Rocky slopes and canyons
Comments: Eight species of Rhus in Arizona. Photograph taken at Chiricahua National Monument, April 25.
WATER PARSNIP
Berula erecta
Carrot Family (Apiaceae)
Height: To 3’.
Flowers: White, tiny, with 5 rounded, twisted, notched petals; 5 long pink-tipped stamens; in compound umbel to 1¾” wide with bracts around umbel and flower clusters; followed by nearly round fruit, to ¹⁄₁₆” long, in umbel.
Leaves: Light green, divided pinnately into segments; toothed or lobed, to 18” long; leaflets opposite, to 1½” long.
Blooms: June–August.
Elevation: 4,000 to 7,000’.
Habitat: Streamsides, in streams, and in other wet places.
Comments: Perennial. One species of Berula in Arizona. Photograph taken in vicinity of Lakeside, August 9.
WATER HEMLOCK
Cicuta douglasii
Carrot Family (Apiaceae)
Height: To 7’.
Flowers: White, minute, in loose, flat-topped, terminal cluster to 5” wide.
Leaves: Dark green, twice to 3 times pinnate, to 14” long; lance-shaped, sharply toothed leaflets to 4” long.
Blooms: July–September.
Elevation: 6,000 to 9,000’.
Habitat: Marshes, edges of streams, and low, wet areas.
Comments: Perennial herb. Roots and young growth are very poisonous to warm-blooded animals if ingested. Two species of Cicuta in Arizona. Photograph taken at Nelson Reservoir, August 3.
HEMLOCK-PARSLEY
Conioselinum scopulorum
Carrot Family (Apiaceae)
Height: To 4’.
Flowers: Greenish white, with 5 wavy petals, green pistil; to ¹⁄₈” wide; in flat cluster or umbel to 4” wide; followed by flattened fruits with winged ribs, to ¼” long.
Leaves: Dark green, large, triangular-shaped; pinnately divided and cleft, clasping stem at base; to 9” long.
Blooms: August–September.
Elevation: 6,000 to 9,500’.
Habitat: Moist spruce-fir forests.
Comments: Perennial herb. Attractive to flies. Two species of Conioselinum in Arizona. Photograph taken in vicinity of Hannagan Meadow, August 6.
POISON HEMLOCK
Conium maculatum
Carrot Family (Apiaceae)
Height: To 10’, but usually less.
Flowers: White, 5-petaled; to ¹⁄₈” wide; in small cluster or umbel to ½” wide, grouped in compound umbel to 4” wide.
Leaves: Dark green, fernlike, very finely divided; triangular-shaped, to 2’ long, 2’ wide at widest part.
Blooms: May–August.
Elevation: 4,000 to 7,500’.
Habitat: Moist ground near streams, waste areas, and roadsides.
Comments: Biennial herb; many-branched. A native of Eurasia; now naturalized in U.S. Grayish green stems are hollow, grooved, and spotted or blotched with purple. All parts of plant contain very poisonous juices; an extract of this plant is what killed Socrates. Some children have used this plant’s hollow stems as whistles. Mouthing these “instruments” can be fatal. One species of Conium in Arizona. Photograph taken in vicinity of Patagonia, May 10.
AMERICAN CARROT
Daucus pusillus
Carrot Family (Apiaceae)
Height: To 28”.
Flowers: Whitish, tiny, long, with lacy bracts below flower cluster; cluster to 2” wide.
Leaves: Dark green, fernlike, lacy-lobed; to 3” long.
Blooms: March–May.
Elevation: Below 4,000’.
Habitat: Disturbed soil and roadsides.
Comments: Annual. A relative of the cultivated carrot; Native Americans ate roots raw and cooked. Two species of Daucus in Arizona. Photograph taken at Patagonia Lake State Park, April 26.
OSHA
Porter’s Licorice-Root
Ligusticum porteri var.porteri
Carrot Family (Apiaceae)
Height: To 4’.
Flowers: White or pinkish, with 5 notched petals; to ¹⁄₈” wide; bractless; in wide, flat umbel to 3” wide; secondary umbels or umbellets to ¾” wide; followed by oblong fruit with narrow wings on ribs.
Leaves: Dark green, triangular, alternate, and fernlike; pinnate, much-divided, toothed; with base of stalk sheathing stem; to 12” long.
Blooms: June–August.
Elevation: 6,500 to 11,500’.
Habitat: Moist areas in mountains and in coniferous forests.
Comments: Perennial; hollow-stemmed. A forage plant. Roots used medicinally to treat numerous ailments. One species of Ligusticum in Arizona. Photograph taken in mountains above Greer, July 8.
HOG FENNEL
Fendler’s Cowbane
Oxypolis fendleri
Carrot Family (Apiaceae)
Height: To 2’.
Flowers: White, 5-petaled; to ¹⁄₁₆” wide; in loose, flat-topped umbel to 2” wide; followed by oblong to oval fruit with broad, thin, lateral wings, to ¼” long.
Leaves: Dark green, smooth, alternate, pinnate; to 5” long; bases of leaf stalks are expanded and sheath stem; up to 9 coarsely toothed, elliptical leaflets, each to 1½” long.
Blooms: July.
Elevation: 9,500 to 10,000’.
Habitat: Stream banks in partial shade.
Comments: Perennial herb. Unbranched, smooth stems. One species of Oxypolis in Arizona. Photograph taken in Mount Baldy Wilderness, July 8.
PARISH’S YAMPAH
Perideridia parishii
Carrot Family (Apiaceae)
Height: To 3’.
Flowers: White and lacy, with 5 tiny petals; to ¹⁄₈” wide; in small cluster to ½” wide; entire cluster or umbel to 2” wide.
Leaves: Dark green, only 1 or 2 per stem, to 3½” long; 1 to 3 leaflets with margins curved upward.
Blooms: July–September.
Elevation: 6,500 to 8,000’.
Habitat: Mountain meadows and moist pine forests.
Comments: Perennial. Its fleshy roots are edible, and were an important food source for Native Americans and pioneers. Raw roots have carrotlike flavor and can be ground into flour. Two species of Perideridia in Arizona. Photograph taken in vicinity of Woods Canyon Lake, August 2.
PALMER’S BLUESTAR
Amsonia palmeri (Amsonia hirtella var. pogonosepala)
Dogbane Family (Apocynaceae)
Height: To 3’.
Flowers: White to pale bluish gray, tubular, and starlike; 5 slightly twisted lobes; to ½” wide, ½” long; in terminal, branched cluster; followed by long, slender, cylindrical seed pod to 4” long; splitting into 2 sections when mature.
Leaves: Dark green, smooth to hairy, lanceshaped, with prominent midvein; to 3” long.
Blooms: March–April.
Elevation: 1,500 to 5,000’.
Habitat: Canyons and along streams.
Comments: Perennial herb. Stems contain a milky juice. Six species of Amsonia in Arizona. Photograph taken in Superstition Mountains, March 15.
CALIFORNIA FAN PALM
Desert Fan Palm
Washingtonia filifera
Palm Family (Arecaceae)
Height: To 60’ (to 30’ in Kofa Mountains).
Trunk: To 2’ in diameter.
Bark: Grayish brown, checkered, rough.
Flowers: White, fragrant, ³⁄₈” long; in branched, drooping clusters to 12’ long, followed by black, ½”-long oval fruits.
Leaves: Light green, leathery, fan-shaped, to 6’ long; 3 to 6’ broad with outer part consisting of narrowly folded segments, the edges of which have threadlike fibers. Leafstalks: thick, to 3” wide, with hooked spines along edges.
Blooms: May–June.
Elevation: 2,500’.
Habitat: Canyons of desert mountains (only Kofa and Hieroglyphic Mountains in Arizona).
Comments: Largest native palm in this country. Dead brown leaves hang on tree, forming skirt covering trunk. Provides roosting sites for birds and bats. Fruits were eaten by Native Americans, who ground seeds for meal. One species of Washingtonia in Arizona. Photograph taken of an introduced specimen at Hassayampa Preserve, Wickenburg, February 27.
PINE-NEEDLE MILKWEED
Asclepias linaria
Milkweed Family (Asclepiadaceae)
Height: To 5’.
Flowers: Whitish, with pinkish buds; 5 untied petals; to ¼” wide; with sort-horned hoods; flowers in terminal cluster, to 1” wide; followed by smooth, shiny pod to 2” long.
Leaves: Light green, linear, alternate, and soft; to 1½” long; crowded all along stems.
Blooms: March–November.
Elevation: 1,500 to 6,000’.
Habitat: Mesas and dry, rocky slopes.
Comments: Twenty-nine species of Asclepias in Arizona. Photograph taken in vicinity of Tucson, November 10.
POISON MILKWEED
Horsetail Milkweed
Asclepias subverticillata
Milkweed Family (Asclepiadaceae)
Height: To 4’.
Flowers: White to cream-colored; to ½” wide; in round cluster to 1¼” wide; followed by a smooth, tapering seed pod to 4” long.
Leaves: Green, linear, to 5” long; in whorls at stem joints; tiny leaves in axils.
Blooms: May–September.
Elevation: 2,500 to 8,000’.
Habitat: Roadsides, sandy or rocky flats, and slopes.
Comments: Perennial herb. Each seed has a tuft of silky hairs. Stems have milky juice. Very poisonous to livestock. Queen and monarch butterfly caterpillars feed on the foliage of many milkweed species; ingested poisons are active in both caterpillars and adult butterflies, causing natural predators to avoid them. The foliage is fatal to other insects if eaten in large doses. Twenty-nine species of Asclepias in Arizona. Photograph taken near Show Low, July 22.
CLIMBING MILKWEED
Funastrum cynanchoides (Sarcostemma cynanchoides)
Milkweed Family (Asclepiadaceae)
Height: Vine with stems to 10’ long.
Flowers: White and starlike, with 5 petals, 5 sepals; to ½” wide, in cluster to 4” wide; followed by smooth, plump, brownish pod to ⁵⁄₈” wide, 4” long; containing seeds with silky hairs attached.
Leaves: Dark green, arrow-shaped, to 2½” long.
Blooms: May–September.
Elevation: 1,500 to 4,500’.
Habitat: Along streams, in washes, and on dry plains.
Comments: Perennial. Climbs on trees and shrubs. Has milky juice. Three species of Funastrum in Arizona. Photograph taken at Dead Horse Ranch State Park, September 9.
WESTERN YARROW
Milfoil
Achillea millefolium var. occidentalis (Achillea millefolium var. lanulosa)
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 40”.
Flowers: White (sometimes pinkish), to ¹⁄₈” wide; in flat-topped cluster of ray and disk flowers.
Leaves: Light green, finely dissected, fernlike; to 8” long at base.
Blooms: June–September.
Elevation: 5,500 to 11,500’.
Habitat: Fields, roadsides, clearings in pine forests, and waste ground.
Comments: Perennial herb. Native Americans and Spaniards used plant medicinally. Zuni use plant before fire ceremonies. Named for Achilles, said to have discovered healing powers of yarrow. One species of Achillea in Arizona. Photograph taken near Willow Springs Lake, July 21.
FRAGRANT SNAKEROOT
Ageratina herbacea (Eupatorium herbaceum)
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 2’.
Flowers: White, rayless, with 5 starlike, pointed lobes; long white stamens; flower to ¹⁄₁₆” wide, flower head to ³⁄₈” wide; in terminal cluster.
Leaves: Light green, heart-shaped, toothed, prominently veined; to 3” long (including stem), to 1¾” wide.
Blooms: June–October.
Elevation: 5,000 to 9,000’.
Habitat: Clearings in pine forests.
Comments: Six species of Ageratina in Arizona. Photograph taken in vicinity of Woods Canyon Lake, September 14.
CHEESEBUSH
Burrobush
Ambrosia salsola (Hymenoclea salsola)
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 4’.
Flowers: Silvery white, tufted, in leaf axils of upper leaves; also terminal; to ³⁄₈” wide; followed by fruit with silvery white wings.
Leaves: Dark green, very slender; lower leaves have 3 or more threadlike divisions; to 3” long.
Blooms: March–April.
Elevation: Below 4,000’.
Habitat: Arroyos, sandy washes, and rocky slopes.
Comments: Feathery branches. Has cheesy odor when foliage is crushed. Pollen can cause hay fever. Fourteen species of Ambrosia in Arizona. Photograph taken near Salome, March 28.
WESTERN PEARLY EVERLASTING
Anaphalis margaritacea
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 3’.
Flowers: Minute, pearly white bracts surrounding yellowish center of disk flowers; flower head to ³⁄₈” wide; in sprawling, terminal cluster.
Leaves: Shiny, dark green above, woolly white beneath; alternate, linear to linear-oblong, clasping stem, prominent midvein; to 5” long.
Blooms: July–October.
Elevation: 4,500 to 8,500’.
Habitat: Roadsides, open woodlands and forests, along streams, and in canyons.
Comments: Perennial herb; has woolly stems. Flowers last a long time, and dry well for floral arrangements. One species of Anaphalis in Arizona. Photograph taken along West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon, October 1.
SMALL-LEAF PUSSYTOES
Cat’s Foot
Antennaria parvifolia
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 6”.
Flowers: Dirty white, tubular, minute; small heads in loose cluster; cluster to 1” wide.
Leaves: Gray, woolly, in basal rosette; spatulashaped; about ¾” long, narrower on flower stalk.
Blooms: May–August.
Elevation: 5,000 to 12,000’.
Habitat: Open, sandy areas in coniferous forests.
Comments: Perennial herb. Native Americans use plant medicinally and for ceremonies. Five species of Antennaria in Arizona. Photograph taken near Greer, June 20.
KAIBAB PUSSYTOES
Antennaria rosulata
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 1”.
Flowers: Grayish white with brown stamens; minute; in cluster to ¼” wide. Flower heads single or up to 3, surrounded by leaves.
Leaves: Gray, woolly, spoon-shaped; to ½” long, in basal rosette.
Blooms: May–July.
Elevation: 5,500 to 11,000’.
Habitat: Ponderosa pine clearings and meadows.
Comments: Perennial herb. Five species of Antennaria in Arizona. Photograph taken near Ashurst Lake, June 1.
SAND SAGE
Artemisia filifolia
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 5’.
Flowers: White to yellow, tiny, in terminal spikes to 8” long; followed by tiny seeds.
Leaves: Grayish green, threadlike, covered with silvery hairs; occurring all along stems.
Blooms: August–November.
Elevation: 4,000 to 6,500’.
Habitat: Loose, sandy soil.
Comments: Many-branched shrub. A valuable browse plant. Used medicinally by Native Americans and pioneers. Fourteen species of Artemisia in Arizona. Photograph taken at Wupatki National Monument, September 8.
RAGWEED SAGEBRUSH
Bursage Mugwort
Artemisia franserioides
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 2’ with flower stalk.
Flowers: Tiny, white to ³⁄₁₆” wide; in a long, slightly drooping, terminal cluster, to 6” long.
Leaves: Light green above, grayish beneath, with fine hairs; bipinnate, alternate, very fragrant when rubbed; to 6” long.
Blooms: August–September.
Elevation: 8,000 to 10,000’.
Habitat: Clearings in coniferous forests.
Comments: Leaves are very soft and velvety. Fourteen species of Artemisia in Arizona. Photograph taken at Lee Valley Reservoir in mountains above Greer, August 7.
YERBA-DE-PASMO
Baccharis pteronioides
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: Shrub to 3’ tall, 3’ wide.
Flowers: Cream-colored, rayless, flower head to ¼” wide; ¼” long; heads on short, leafy branches arranged like a raceme.
Leaves: Dark green, sandpapery, sticky, lobed; to ⁵⁄₈” long; clustered along many-branched stems.
Blooms: April–September.
Elevation: 3,500 to 6,000’.
Habitat: Slopes and plains.
Comments: Spanish name, yerba-de-pasmo, means “chill weed.” Infusions from leaves were supposedly used for chills. Browsed by livestock. Ten species of Baccharis in Arizona. Photograph taken near Prescott, May 27.
SEEP WILLOW
Batamote
Baccharis salicifolia
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 12’.
Flowers: Creamy white, rayless, male and female flowers on separate plants; in clusters at ends of branches; followed (on female flowers) by seeds with silky tails.
Leaves: Dark green, shiny, waxy, sticky; lanceshaped, toothed; to 6” long, ½” wide.
Blooms: March–December.
Elevation: 2,000 to 5,500’.
Habitat: Along washes, streams, and seepage channels.
Comments: Not a true willow, but has willowlike growth. Leaves have a distinctive odor. Controls river and stream erosion by forming dense stands along watercourses. Acts as a “nurse” plant by protecting willow and cottonwood seedlings. Parts of plant used medicinally. Ten species of Baccharis in Arizona. Photograph taken at Granite Reef Dam area, March 1.
DESERT BROOM
Baccharis sarothroides
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: Shrub to 10’.
Flowers: Whitish, rayless, small; male and female on separate plants (photo shows a male plant); to ³⁄₈” long; in terminal clusters. Female plants develop white, silky, airborne seeds.
Leaves: Bright green, smooth, sticky; to 1½” long, ¹⁄₈” wide.
Blooms: September–February.
Elevation: 1,000 to 5,500’.
Habitat: Sandy washes, hillsides, along streams, and bottomlands.
Comments: Shrub with fast-growing, stiff stems. Important in erosion control. Certain Native Americans chewed stems to ease toothaches. Branches used as brooms by pioneers and Native Americans. Ten species of Baccharis in Arizona. Photograph taken at Stewart Dam area, October 18.
BRICKELLBUSH
Brickellia floribunda
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 4½’.
Flowers: White to cream-colored, rayless; flower head to ³⁄₈” wide, ½” long.
Leaves: Light green, heart-shaped; to 4” long (including stalk), 2” wide.
Blooms: September–October.
Elevation: 3,000 to 5,500’.
Habitat: Rich soil in canyons.
Comments: Entire plant very glandular, sticky, and has odd odor. More than 2 dozen species of Brickellia in Arizona. Photograph taken in vicinity of Christopher Creek, September 14.
LARGE-FLOWERED BRICKELLBUSH
Brickellia grandiflora (Eupatorium grandiflorum)
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 3’.
Flowers: Whitish, upright to nodding, rayless; to ³⁄₈” long; 20 to 40 flowers in a head, hanging at tips of stalks in various-sized clusters.
Leaves: Dark green, triangular, with toothed, prominent veins; to 4” long, smaller on upper stem.
Blooms: August–October.
Elevation: 5,000 to 9,000’.
Habitat: Rocky slopes and coniferous forests.
Comments: More than two dozen species of Brickellia in Arizona. Photograph taken at Sunset Crater National Monument, September 6.
WHITE TACKSTEM
Calycoseris wrightii
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 12”.
Flowers: White to ivory, with pinkish streaks or dots on back of petals; to 1½” wide.
Leaves: Grayish green, narrow; with narrow lobes near base of plant, sparser and smaller lobes toward ends of stems; to 3” long. Tiny stalked green glands on sepals, leaves and stems.
Blooms: March–May.
Elevation: 500 to 4,000’.
Habitat: Sandy soil of mesas, plains, and hillsides.
Comments: Annual. Named “tackstem” for its tack-shaped glands on stems. Two species of Calycoseris in Arizona. Photograph taken in Kofa Mountains, March 29.
FREMONT’S PINCUSHION
Desert Pincushion
Chaenactis fremontii
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 16”.
Flowers: White or pinkish, rayless; disk flowers forming pincushionlike flower head; to 1” wide.
Leaves: Green, divided into linear lobes; to 3” long.
Blooms: March–June.
Elevation: 1,000 to 3,500’.
Habitat: Plains and mesas.
Comments: Seven species of Chaenactis in Arizona. Photograph taken near Salome, March 28.
ESTEVE’S PINCUSHION
Chaenactis stevioides
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 1’.
Flowers: White and rayless; disk flowers form pincushion with raylike outer disks, flower head to ¾” wide, ⁵⁄₈” long.
Leaves: Grayish green, woolly, divided twice into many short, thick, very narrow segments; to 2” long.
Blooms: March–May.
Elevation: 1,000 to 6,500’.
Habitat: Dry mesas and plains.
Comments: Seven species of Chaenactis in Arizona. Photograph taken in vicinity of Kitt Peak, April 18.
BABY ASTER
Rose Heath
Chaetopappa ericoides (Leucelene ericoides)
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 6”.
Flowers: White rays, orange disks; to ⁵⁄₈” wide; on tips of branches; fading to pale pink.
Leaves: Grayish green, finely haired, linear; to ¼” long, tightly adhering to the entire stem.
Blooms: March–September.
Elevation: 3,500 to 7,000’.
Habitat: Dry slopes and mesas.
Comments: One species of Chaetopappa in Arizona. Photograph taken at Portal, April 23.
CHAPARRAL FLEABANE
Erigeron oreophilus
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 16”.
Flowers: White, very narrow rays, yellow disk flowers; flower head to 1” wide.
Leaves: Grayish green, very hairy on both surfaces; alternate, 5- to 7-lobed, to 1” long.
Blooms: May–October.
Elevation: 4,500 to 9,500’.
Habitat: Oak woodlands and clearings in ponderosa forests.
Comments: Herb, with very hairy stem. More than two dozen species of Erigeron in Arizona. Photograph taken in vicinity of Willow Springs Lake, August 19.
WOOLLY DAISY
White Easterbonnets
Eriophyllum lanosum
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 1½”.
Flowers: White, woolly, with yellow centers; to ¼” wide; at ends of woolly stems.
Leaves: Grayish white, woolly, linear; to ¼” long.
Blooms: February–May.
Elevation: 1,000 to 3,000’.
Habitat: Dry, gravelly slopes and mesas.
Comments: Annual. Five species of Eriophyllum in Arizona. Photograph taken near Salome, March 28.
GUARDIOLA
Guardiola platyphylla
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 4’.
Flowers: White, with 1 to 5 rays, 3 to 8 white disk flowers; flower to ½” wide; in loose, terminal clusters.
Leaves: Dark green, opposite, leathery; heartshaped to oval; sharp-toothed, very short-stalked, prominent network; to 2” long.
Blooms: February–September.
Elevation: 3,000 to 5,000’.
Habitat: Rocky slopes and canyons.
Comments: Branching perennial. Mature stems are gray; immature stems, reddish. One species of Guardiola in Arizona. Photograph taken in vicinity of Kitt Peak, April 18.
TIDYTIPS
Layia glandulosa
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 18”.
Flowers: White ray flowers tipped with 3 equal teeth; yellow disk flowers; terminal; to 1½” wide.
Leaves: Green, narrow, with sticky hairs; basal leaves with 1 to 5 pairs of short lobes; to 3” long; stem leaves narrow and elliptical.
Blooms: February–April.
Elevation: Up to 5,000’.
Habitat: Desert washes, dry slopes, and mesas.
Comments: Annual. One species of Layia in Arizona. Photograph taken at Usery Mountain Recreation Area, March 1.
OXEYE DAISY
Field Daisy
Leucanthemum vulgare (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum)
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 2’.
Flowers: White rays, yellow disks; to 2” wide; growing singly, on long stem.
Leaves: Dark green, coarsely toothed or pinnately lobed; basal, to 6” long; growing along stem to 3” long.
Blooms: June–October.
Elevation: Throughout Arizona.
Habitat: Roadsides and fields.
Comments: Introduced from Europe; now naturalized. Two species of Leucanthemum in Arizona. Photograph taken at Hannagan Meadow area, June 30.
BLACKFOOT DAISY
Melampodium leucanthum
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 20”.
Flowers: White ray flowers, 8 to 10, with purple veins; yellow disk flowers; to 1½” wide; numerous flower heads on rounded, shrublike plant.
Leaves: Ash gray, narrow, opposite; to 2” long.
Blooms: March–December.
Elevation: 2,000 to 5,000’.
Habitat: Dry, rocky slopes, desert grassland, and oak woodlands.
Comments: Perennial herb. Three species of Melampodium in Arizona. Photograph taken in Superstition Mountains, March 15.
MOHAVE DESERT STAR
Monoptilon bellioides
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 2” high with tussocks to 10” wide.
Flowers: White to pinkish rays; yellow disk; to ¾” wide.
Leaves: Grayish green, narrow, stiffly haired; to 1” long.
Blooms: February–April.
Elevation: 200 to 3,500’.
Habitat: Sandy or rocky slopes, mesas, and desert flats.
Comments: Winter annual herb; in good years, often producing large patches of white on desert floor. Two species of Monoptilon in Arizona. Photograph taken at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, March 30.
GRAY’S FEVERFEW
Mariola
Parthenium confertum
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 2’.
Flowers: White and buttonlike, with 5 tiny, cuplike ray flowers around outer margin; to ¼” wide; in clusters along upper stems.
Leaves: Grayish green, hairy, alternate; pinnately cleft with blunt, rounded lobes; to 3” long at base, smaller up along stem.
Blooms: April–October.
Elevation: 2,500 to 6,000’.
Habitat: Dry plains and mesas.
Comments: Has hairy stem. Sap contains rubber. This species common in southeastern Arizona. Two species of Parthenium in Arizona. Photograph taken near Portal, April 22.
EMORY’S ROCK DAISY
Perityle emoryi
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 2’.
Flowers: White rays, yellow disks, to ½” wide.
Leaves: Dark green, finely haired, brittle, succulent; broadly triangular, with deeply toothed margins; to 1½” wide.
Blooms: February–May, and possibly to October.
Elevation: To 3,000’.
Habitat: Rocky desert slopes, cliffs, and washes.
Comments: Twelve species of Perityle in Arizona. Photograph taken at Cattail Cove State Park, February 25.
ARIZONA CUDWEED
Pseudognaphalium arizonicum (Gnaphalium arizonicum)
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 2’.
Flowers: Whitish gray, rayless, tipped with yellowish brown; in slender heads; to ¼” long; to 47 per head, in cluster to ½” wide.
Leaves: Grayish, wooly, margins curled under; linear, alternate, pointing upward on stem; to 1” long.
Blooms: August–October.
Elevation: 5,000 to 7,500’.
Habitat: Pine forests.
Comments: Herb. Has woolly stems. Dried flower stalks last a long time. Ten species of Pseudognaphalium in Arizona. Photograph taken in Woods Canyon Lake area, September 14.
DESERT-CHICORY
Rafinesequia neomexicana
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 20”.
Flowers: White, ray flowers only; maroon stripes underneath; flower heads to 1½” wide.
Leaves: Dark green, narrowly lobed, to 6” long at base, smaller on upper stem.
Blooms: Mid-February–May.
Elevation: 200 to 3,000’.
Habitat: From deserts to mesas.
Comments: A weak-stemmed annual that usually grows among shrubs for support. Flower is similar to that of tackstem. Two species of Rafinsequia in Arizona. Photograph taken at Alamo Lake, February 26.
LEMMON’S CANDYLEAF
Stevia lemmoni
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 3’.
Flowers: White, tubular, 5-lobed, with long stamens; flower to ¹⁄₈” wide, ½” long; in clusters to 2” wide.
Leaves: Grayish green, very hairy, rough; linear to elliptical, opposite, to 1½” long; in clusters along brownish stems.
Blooms: February–May.
Elevation: 2,500 to 5,500’.
Habitat: Rocky slopes and canyons.
Comments: Many-branched, mound-shaped shrub. Five species of Stevia in Arizona. Photograph taken in vicinity of Kitt Peak, April 18.
WHITE PRAIRIE ASTER
Symphyotrichum falcatum var. commutatum (Aster commutatus)
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 2’.
Flowers: White rays, yellow disks; to ½” wide; numerous flower heads on branches.
Leaves: Grayish green, hairy, alternate, narrow; to ¼” long, growing all along stems.
Blooms: August–October.
Elevation: 5,000 to 8,000’.
Habitat: Roadsides and clearings in pine forests.
Comments: Perennial herb, with hairy stems. This species absorbs selenium from soil and may be toxic to livestock. More than two dozen species of Symphyotrichum in Arizona. Photograph taken at Upper Lake Mary, September 2.
STEMLESS DAISY
Townsendia exscapa
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 2”.
Flowers: Very narrow, white to pale pink rays; pinkish on undersides; yellow disk flowers; flower head to 2” wide; stemless; occurring singly, or in cluster nestled among rosette of leaves.
Leaves: Dark green, narrow; linear to spatulashaped, hairy; to 2” long, in basal rosette.
Blooms: March–August.
Elevation: 4,500 to 7,000’.
Habitat: Mesas, hillsides, and clearings in ponderosa forests and oak woodlands.
Comments: Perennial. Seven species of Townsendia in Arizona. Photograph taken in Sharp Creek area northeast of Christopher Creek, April 22. (Much variation in flowers in this location, from all white disk flowers to pinkish, spoon-shaped rays on other specimens.)
TOWER DAISY
Townsendia formosa
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 20”.
Flowers: White, with pointed rays above, purplish tinge beneath; yellow disk flowers; daisylike, solitary; to 2½” wide; on tall, unbranched stem.
Leaves: Green, spatula-shaped, to 1¾” long; in basal rosette. Small, linear leaves along stem.
Blooms: June–September.
Elevation: 7,000 to 9,500’.
Habitat: Wet meadows and hillsides in moist coniferous forests.
Comments: Seven species of Townsendia in Arizona. Photograph taken south of Alpine, August 2.
DESERT ZINNIA
Zinnia acerosa
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)
Height: To 10”.
Flowers: 4 or 6 white or light yellow ray flowers; yellow disk flowers, semi-drooping, to 1” wide; on dense-growing, rounded clumps.
Leaves: Grayish green, very narrow, stiff; to 1” long.
Blooms: March–October.
Elevation: 2,000 to 5,000’.
Habitat: Dry mesas and slopes.
Comments: Perennial. Three species of Zinnia in Arizona. Photograph taken near Why, March 30.
SOUTHERN CATALPA
Cigar-Tree
Catalpa bignonioides
Bignonia Family (Bignoniaceae)
Height: To 40’.
Trunk: To 2’ in diameter.
Bark: Brownish gray, scaly.
Flowers: White outside; white inside with 2 yellow stripes and spots and stripes of purplish brown; bell-shaped; 5 rounded, fringed lobes; to 1½” long, 1½” wide; in branched clusters to 9” long; followed by dark brown, very narrow, cylindrical seed capsule to 14” long.
Leaves: Dull green above, paler green and hairy beneath; heart-shaped, opposite, pointed at tip; to 10” long, 7” wide.
Blooms: June–July.
Elevation: Not available. Photograph taken at approximately 5,000’.
Habitat: Clearings and roadsides.
Comments: Fast-growing; has soft wood. Introduced to the state. One species of Catalpa in Arizona. Photograph taken in Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona, June 8.
NARROW-LEAVED POPCORN FLOWER
Cryptantha angustifolia
Forget-me-not Family (Boraginaceae)
Height: To 10”.
Flowers: White, with 5 united petals; to ¹⁄₈” wide; in coiled cluster.
Leaves: Grayish, hairy, narrow; to 1½” long.
Blooms: February–June.
Elevation: Below 4,000’.
Habitat: Creosote bush desert in dry, sandy, or gravelly soil in western and southern Arizona.
Comments: A bristly plant. Thirty-nine species of Cryptantha in Arizona. Photograph taken north of Yuma, March 29.
BRISTLY HIDDENFLOWER
Cryptantha setosissima
Forget-me-not Family (Boraginaceae)
Height: To 3’.
Flowers: White, with 5 united petals, light yellow center; to ¼” wide; in bristly haired, coiled flower cluster.
Leaves: Grayish green, bristly haired, lanceshaped to linear-lobed; to 5” long.
Blooms: May–September.
Elevation: 6,000 to 8,500’.
Habitat: Pine belt.
Comments: Perennial, with bristly haired stems. Thirty-nine species of Cryptantha in Arizona. Photograph taken at North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, June 25.
SWEET-SCENTED HELIOTROPE
Phlox Heliotrope
Heliotropium convolvulaceum
Forget-me-not Family (Boraginaceae)
Height: To 1’.
Flowers: White, fragrant, broadly funnel-shaped, with yellow “eye” in center; 5 lines of hairs beneath flower; to ¾” wide; in terminal clusters, or singly in leaf axils, or on stem between 2 leaves.
Leaves: Green, very hairy; short-stalked, oval (broadest below middle); to 1½” long.
Blooms: March–October.
Elevation: 4,500 to 6,000’.
Habitat: Roadsides and other dry, sandy areas.
Comments: Low, spreading herb with rigid hairs lying flat on stems and leaves. Five species of Heliotropium in Arizona. Photograph taken near St. Johns, August 4.
SALT HELIOTROPE
Heliotropium curassavicum
Forget-me-not Family (Boraginaceae)
Height: To 16”.
Flowers: White to pinkish white, with yellowish center; funnel-shaped; 5 rounded lobes; to ³⁄₁₆” wide; in paired, coiled flower cluster.
Leaves: Bluish green, thick, wavy, and fleshy; smooth, spatula-shaped, covered with bluish wax; to 1½” long.
Blooms: Most of the year.
Elevation: Below 6,000’.
Habitat: Moist, saline soil and dried ponds.
Comments: Pima Indians used powdered root to treat wounds. Quail feed on fruits. Five species of Heliotropium in Arizona. Photograph taken at Lyman Lake, June 28.
HEARTLEAVED BITTERCRESS
Cardamine cordifolia
Mustard Family (Brassicaceae)
Height: To 32”.
Flowers: White, with 4 notched petals; to ⁵⁄₈” wide, ¾” long; in cluster to 1½” wide; followed by long-stalked, upright, slender, slightly flattened seed pod, to 1½” long.
Leaves: Light green, heart-shaped, and shiny, with scalloped margins with hardened, rounded teeth; to 4” long.
Blooms: July–August.
Elevation: 9,000 to 11,000’.
Habitat: Stream banks, mountain streams, and wet alpine meadows.
Comments: Perennial. Three species of Cardamine in Arizona. Photograph taken in Mount Baldy Wilderness, August 13.
SPECTACLE POD
Dimorphocarpa wislizeni (Dithyrea wislizeni)
Mustard Family (Brassicaceae)
Height: To 2’.
Flowers: White, with 4 petals; to ½” long; in dense raceme; followed by a flat green, ½”-wide double pod, 2 round lobes resembling spectacles.
Leaves: Grayish, pinnately lobed; to 6” long (shorter on stem).
Blooms: February–October.
Elevation: 1,000 to 6,000’.
Habitat: Open areas of shady soil in deserts and grasslands.
Comments: Two species of Dimorphocarpa in Arizona. Photograph taken near Gila Bend, March 29.
DRYOPETALON
Dryopetalon runcinatum
Mustard Family (Brassicaceae)
Height: To 25”
Flowers: Bright white, with 4 petals; pinnately cleft into 4 to 9 lobes; to ³⁄₈” wide; in terminal cluster, followed by long, very narrow, erect seed pod to 2½” long.
Leaves: Dark green, pinnately divided or lobed; to 6” long at base, shorter on upper stems.
Blooms: February–mid-May.
Elevation: 2,000 to 7,000’.
Habitat: Moist rock crevices in canyons.
Comments: Annual. One or more stems. One species of Dryopetalon in Arizona. Photograph taken in north-facing rock crevice in Chiricahua National Monument, May 7.
WESTERN PEPPERGRASS
Lepidium montanum
Mustard Family (Brassicaceae)
Height: To 2’.
Flowers: White and minute, with 4 petals; to ¹⁄₈” wide; in short, dense raceme; on slender branch, followed by oval pod with tiny notch at tip.
Leaves: Green, pinnately lobed at base; to 3” long; narrow on stem, to ½” long.
Blooms: April–September.
Elevation: 3,000 to 7,500’.
Habitat: Roadsides, fields, and other open areas.
Comments: Many-branched and shrublike; often grows in loose mounds. Sixteen species of Lepidium in Arizona. Photograph taken at Heber, August 4.
THURBER’S PEPPERGRASS
Lepidium thurberi
Mustard Family (Brassicaceae)
Height: To 2’.
Flowers: Pure white, with 4 petals, 6 stamens; ¹⁄₈” wide; in long, dense, terminal cluster; followed by elliptical or roundish pod with small notch.
Leaves: Light green, slightly haired or nearly hairless, pinnately divided into narrow lobes; to 2½” long.
Blooms: February–November.
Elevation: Below 5,000’.
Habitat: Roadsides and fields.
Comments: A conspicuous white roadside flower. Sixteen species of Lepidium in Arizona. Photograph taken near Portal, April 22.
WHITE WATERCRESS
Nasturtium officinale (Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum)
Mustard Family (Brassicaceae)
Height: To 16”, but usually grows horizontally.
Flowers: White, with 4 rounded petals; yellowish at base; to ¼” wide; in rounded, terminal cluster; followed by slender, curved, upward-pointing, smooth, shiny pod to ½” long, on ½”-long stem.
Leaves: Dark green, succulent; pinnately compound, alternate; to 6” long; 3 to 11 smooth, wavy leaflets, each to ½” long (terminal leaflet is the longest).
Blooms: April–August.
Elevation: 1,500 to 8,500’.
Habitat: Cool water of ponds, brooks, springs, and along mountain streams.
Comments: Perennial herb; native of Europe, now naturalized in North America. Floats or lies in water or mud. Succulent, reddish stems which root at nodes. Leaves have a peppery taste. One species of Nasturtium in Arizona. Photograph taken near Greer, July 7.
WHITE BLADDERPOD
Physaria purpurea (Lesquerella purpurea)
Mustard Family (Brassicaceae)
Height: To 20”.
Flowers: White, streaked with purple, and fading to purplish; to ³⁄₈” wide; in loose, open cluster; followed by globular fruit to ¼” long on ½”-long stem.
Leaves: Silvery green, hairy, narrowing toward base; slightly toothed; to 3” long; graduating upward on stem.
Blooms: January–May.
Elevation: 1,500 to 5,000’.
Habitat: Along washes, desert flats, and in the shade of bushes on mesas.
Comments: Eleven species of Physaria in Arizona. Photograph taken in Superstition Mountains, February 4.
SILVER BELLS
Twist Flower
Streptanthus carinatus ssp. arizonicus (Streptanthus arizonicus)
Mustard Family (Brassicaceae)
Height: To 3½’ tall.
Flowers: White to cream, goblet-shaped, on short stems along erect branches; 4 petals; to ½” long; followed by slender, flat, seed pod to 3” long.
Leaves: Grayish green, rubbery, elongated, and triangular-shaped; base lobes projecting beyond stem; to 8” long.
Blooms: January–April.
Elevation: 1,500 to 4,500’.
Habitat: Desert washes or flats to open juniperpinyon woodlands.
Comments: Two species of Streptanthus in Arizona. Photograph taken in Tucson area, March 31.
WILD CANDYTUFT
Thlaspi montanum
Mustard Family (Brassicaceae)
Height: To 1’, but usually much less.
Flowers: White, 4-petaled, with yellow-tipped stamens; to ³⁄₈” long, ³⁄₈” wide; in terminal cluster to 1¼” wide.
Leaves: Green, arrow-shaped, succulent, alternate, clasping stem; to ½” long; basal leaves are oval-shaped, toothed; to ¾” long.
Blooms: February–August.
Elevation: 4,000 to 12,000’.
Habitat: Mainly coniferous forests.
Comments: Perennial. Unbranched stem. Two species of Thlaspi in Arizona. Photograph taken in vicinity of Willow Springs Lake, April 22.
ELEPHANT TREE
Torote
Bursera microphylla
Torch Wood Family (Burseraceae)
Height: To 20’.
Trunk: To 1’ in diameter.
Bark: Whitish to gray, papery, peeling.
Flowers: Whitish, less than ¼” long; followed by red, 3-angled, ¼”-long, very aromatic fruit.
Leaves: Green, pinnately compound, aromatic; to 2” long; with 10 to 30 narrow leaflets each to ¼” long.
Blooms: July.
Elevation: 1,000 to 2,500’.
Habitat: Rocky slopes of arid desert mountains.
Comments: Very stout tree whose tapering branches resemble an elephant’s trunk and legs. Branches are very sensitive to frost, but roots will produce new growth. Leaves and stems produce copal, a resin once used as incense. Two species of Bursera in Arizona. Photograph taken at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, October 23.
HOP
Humulus lupulus var. neomexicana (Humulus americanus)
Hemp Family (Cannabaceae)
Height: Long, twining vine that climbs over rocks and up into trees.
Flowers: Cream-colored, small, to ¹⁄₈” wide, in loose clusters in leaf axils; followed by drooping cluster of overlapping bracts, to 1¼” long, to 1” wide.
Leaves: Dark green above, lighter with prickly veins beneath; 3- to 7-lobed, very rough, sharply toothed; to 10” long, 7” wide.
Blooms: July–August.
Elevation: 5,500 to 9,500’.
Habitat: Coniferous forests, rocky slopes, and stream banks.
Comments: Perennial. Stems are rough; main stem is candy cane–striped. One species of Humulus in Arizona. Photograph taken at Luna Lake, August 5.
UTAH HONEYSUCKLE
Lonicera utahensis
Honeysuckle Family (Caprifoliaceae)
Height: Shrub to 5’.
Flowers: Creamy white, trumpet-shaped, longstamened, 5-lobed; to ¾” long; paired, on thin, ½”-long flower stem; followed by twin, orangish yellow to red, oval berries.
Leaves: Pale green above, lighter green and powdery beneath; broadly elliptical; to 1½” long.
Blooms: June–July.
Elevation: 8,000 to 11,000’.
Habitat: Openings in coniferous forests.
Comments: Berries are poisonous to humans but eaten by birds and other wildlife. Twelve species of Lonicera in Arizona. Photograph taken in Greer area, July 3.
BLUEBERRY ELDER
Blue Elderberry
Sambucus nigra ssp. cerulean (Sambucus glauca)
Honeysuckle Family (Caprifoliaceae)
Height: Shrub, or small tree to 20’.
Trunk: To 1’ in diameter.
Bark: Brown or gray, furrowed.
Flowers: Creamy white; to ¼” wide; in dense, flat-topped cluster to 8” wide; followed by loose cluster of dark blue, ¼”-diameter berries covered with a powdery coating.
Leaves: Dark green, pinnately compound, evenly toothed, to 8” long; with 5 to 9 lance-shaped leaflets, to 4” long.
Blooms: July–August.
Elevation: 6,500 to 9,500’.
Habitat: Openings in moist coniferous forests and meadows.
Comments: Forms clumps. Foliage browsed by livestock and deer. Berries attractive to birds; edible and used for wine, jelly, and pies. Bark used for fever medication. Two species of Sambucus in Arizona. Photograph taken south of Alpine, July 23.
MEXICAN ELDER
Common Elderberry
Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis (Sambucus mexicana)
Honeysuckle Family (Caprifoliaceae)
Height: To 30’.
Trunk: To 18” in diameter.
Bark: Light brown to gray with long, narrow, scaly ridges.
Flowers: Creamy white, fragrant; to ¼” wide; in flat-topped cluster to 8” wide; followed by dark blue to blackish fruits (with a whitish powdery coating). Fruits are sweet, juicy, edible, ¼” in diameter, and grow in a cluster.
Leaves: Green above, paler green beneath, pinnately compound, to 14” long; with 3 or 5 leaflets, elliptical or oval, finely saw-toothed, thick, leathery, to 3” long, 1½” wide.
Blooms: March–June.
Elevation: 1,000 to 4,000’.
Habitat: Along streams and rivers in woodlands, deserts, and desert grasslands.
Comments: Evergreen, but deciduous during long droughts. One of the largest of the native elders. Grows at lower elevations than any elder in Arizona. Fruits eaten by birds; used in pies and jellies; Native Americans dried fruits for future uses. Two species of Sambucus in Arizona. Photograph taken at Patagonia, April 27.
REDBERRIED ELDER
Red Elderberry
Sambucus racemosa var. racemosa (Sambucus microbotrys)
Honeysuckle Family (Caprifoliaceae)
Height: To 5’.
Flowers: White to cream-colored, fragrant, 5-petaled; to ½” wide; in pyramidal cluster; followed by cluster of shiny, bright red, roundish berries to ¼” in diameter.
Leaves: Dark green, pinnate, to 10” long; 5 to 7 leaflets, each folded upward slightly lengthwise, toothed.
Blooms: June–July.
Elevation: 7,500 to 10,000’.
Habitat: Moist forests.
Comments: Berries eaten by birds. Foliage browsed by deer and livestock. Reportedly parts of this plant and its berries are poisonous if mouthed or eaten raw. Two species of Sambucus in Arizona. Photograph taken at Lee Valley Reservoir on July.
FENDLER’S SANDWORT
Arenaria fendleri (Eremogone fendleri)
Pink Family (Caryophyllaceae)
Height: To 10”.
Flowers: White, starlike, light green filaments; 5 petals; bright pink anthers; to ³⁄₈” wide; in open, branched cluster.
Leaves: Dark green, threadlike, sharply pointed; to 2½” long.
Blooms: April–September.
Elevation: 4,000 to 12,000’.
Habitat: Clearings in ponderosa pine and mixed conifer forests.
Comments: Perennial herb. Three species of Arenaria in Arizona. Photograph taken at Upper Lake Mary, September 6.
SANDWORT
Arenaria lanuginosa ssp. saxosa
Pink Family (Caryophyllaceae)
Height: To 5”.
Flowers: White and starlike, with pink anthers; to ½” wide.
Leaves: Dark green, opposite, elliptical to lanceshaped; to ½” long.
Blooms: May–September.
Elevation: 7,000 to 12,000’.
Habitat: Coniferous forests.
Comments: Grows in compact mounds. Three species of Arenaria in Arizona. Photograph taken near Greer, June 20.
MOUSE-EAR CHICKWEED
Cerastium fontanum ssp. vulgare (Cerastium vulgatum)
Pink Family (Caryopyhllaceae)
Height: To 16”.
Flowers: White, greenish in center, with 5 deeply notched, 2-lobed petals, 5 yellow stamens; to ½” wide; in small, loose cluster at top of stalk.
Leaves: Yellowish-green, very hairy, opposite, oval to oblong; stalkless; to ¾” long.
Blooms: May–September.
Elevation: 2,500 to 8,000’.
Habitat: Fields and roadsides.
Comments: Perennial herb; a common weed introduced from Europe. Sticky hairs on stem. Boiled leaves can be eaten. Nine species of Cerastium in Arizona. Photograph taken in Greer area, July 4.
STARWORT
Chickweed
Pseudostellaria jamesiana (Stellaria jamesiana)
Pink Family (Caryophyllaceae)
Height: To 1’.
Flowers: White; 5 triangular petals, each with a V-shaped notch; to ½” wide; in loose clusters.
Leaves: Dark green, opposite, hairy, lance-shaped; deep center vein; clasping stem; to 4” long.
Blooms: April–July.
Elevation: 7,000 to 8,500’.
Habitat: Moist coniferous forests and mountain meadows.
Comments: Sticky, weak stems. One species of Pseudostellaria in Arizona. Photograph taken at North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, June 25.
CHICKWEED
Starwort
Stellaria longipes ssp. longipes
Pink Family (Caryophyllaceae)
Height: To 16”.
Flowers: White, 5 deeply cleft, pointed petals longer than the 5 sepals; black-tipped stamens; flower to ½” wide; 1 to 3 on long, erect stalk in leaf axil.
Leaves: Dark green, opposite, shiny, ascending, and stemless; linear to lance-shaped; sharppointed at tip to ¾” long.
Blooms: May–August.
Elevation: 8,500 to 10,000’.
Habitat: Wet meadows and moist spruce-fir forests.
Comments: Perennial herb. Six species of Stellaria in Arizona. Photograph taken in mountains above Greer, July 8.
SANDPAPER BUSH
Mortonia scabrella (Mortonia sempervirens ssp. scabrella)
Bittersweet Family (Celastraceae)
Height: To 4’.
Flowers: White and small, with 5 petals to ¼” wide; in narrow cluster to 3” long.
Leaves: Yellowish green, lighter green on margins; alternate; pointing upward on stems; elliptical, curved slightly inward; rough; to ³⁄₈” wide, ½” long; crowded along stems in spiral arrangement, progressively smaller toward tips of branches.
Blooms: March–September.
Elevation: 3,000 to 5,500’.
Habitat: Mesas and dry plains.
Comments: Many stiff, erect stems. One species of Mortonia in Arizona. Photograph taken in vicinity of Tucson, November 12.
RUSSIAN THISTLE
Tumbleweed
Salsola tragus
Goosefoot Family (Chenopodiaceae)
Height: To 4’.
Flowers: Whitish, minute, without petals; growing at base of leaves on upper branches; followed by the drying and enlargement of the 5 flower parts that cover tiny fruit.
Leaves: Grayish green, fleshy on young plants; to 2” long; replaced by bractlike, small, awl-shaped leaves ending in spines.
Blooms: May–October.
Elevation: 150 to 7,000’.
Habitat: Roadsides, overgrazed range, and disturbed soil.
Comments: Not a true thistle. This annual, a native of Russia, was accidentally brought to South Dakota in the 1870s in a shipment of flax seed. Multiple-branching, the often reddish stems form a large, prickly, bushy ball. When dry, the plant breaks off at ground level, allowing winds to roll tumbleweed, scattering thousands of seeds as it moves along. Three species of Salsola in Arizona. Photograph taken at Wupatki National Monument, September 8.
WESTERN CLAMMYWEED
Polanisia dodecandra ssp. trachysperma (Polanisia trachysperma)
Cleome Family (Cleomaceae)
Height: To 3’.
Flowers: White to cream, with 4 petals and 6 to 20 long, pink to purple stamens of varying lengths; to ¾” wide; in terminal clusters on many branches, followed by erect, cylindrical pod, to 3” long. Flowers and fruits are present at the same time.
Leaves: Dark green, clammy-feeling, finely haired; 3 elliptical or broadly lance-shaped leaflets, each to 1½” long.
Blooms: May–October.
Elevation: 1,000 to 6,500’.
Habitat: Sandy washes.
Comments: Annual. Foliage gives off objectionable odor, especially when handled. Stems are sticky and hairy. A favorite of bees and butterflies. One species of Polanisia in Arizona. Photograph taken at Saguaro Lake, May 20.
FIELD BINDWEED
Convolvulus arvensis
Morning Glory Family (Convolvulaceae)
Height: Trailing vine to 4’.
Flowers: White or pinkish, funnel-shaped; to 1” wide; growing on one side of stalk; single; in leaf axil.
Leaves: Dark green, variable, arrow-shaped to triangular; growing on one side of stalk; to 2” long.
Blooms: May–September.
Elevation: Throughout Arizona.
Habitat: Roadsides, fields, and lots.
Comments: Perennial herb, from Europe; now naturalized. A troublesome, deep-rooted weed. Source of a blood-clotting material. Two species of Convolvulus in Arizona. Photograph taken at Nelson Reservoir, August 3.
SILVER MORNING GLORY
Evolvulus sericeus
Morning Glory Family (Convolvulaceae)
Height: Prostrate, spreading; stems to 6” long.
Flowers: White or bluish (depending on variety); with funnel spreading into flattened disk; to ½” wide.
Leaves: Dark green, edged in silver above, gray beneath; tightly folded together; narrowly linear, pointed at both ends; to ½” long.
Blooms: May–September.
Elevation: 3,500 to 5,500’.
Habitat: Dry mesas and plains.
Comments: Sun-loving. Four species of Evolvulus in Arizona. Photograph taken at Lynx Creek Ruins, Prescott, May 27.
RED-OSIER DOGWOOD
Kinnikinnick
Cornus sericea ssp. sericea (Cornus stolonifera)
Dogwood Family (Cornaceae)
Height: Normally a shrub to 8’; in rare instances, tree-sized.
Bark: Gray to brown, smooth or furrowed.
Trunk: to 3” in diameter.
Flowers: Creamy white, with 4 petals; less than ¼” wide; in flat-topped cluster at tip of branch to 2½” wide; followed by bluish white, ¼” berrylike fruits.
Leaves: Dark green tinged with pink above; pale green or whitish beneath; oval to elliptical; to 5” long.
Blooms: May–July.
Elevation: 5,000 to 9,000’.
Habitat: Moist locations, along streams and in canyons, in ponderosa pine and Douglas fir forests.
Comments: Has reddish twigs and branches. Spreads by underground, prostrate stems, often forming very large clumps. Controls erosion on banks of streams. Stems are flexible and used for making baskets. One species of Cornus in Arizona. Photograph taken in vicinity of Mormon Lake, June 2.
RAGGED ROCK FLOWER
Crossosoma bigelovii
Crossosoma Family (Crossosomataceae)
Height: Straggly shrub to 6’.
Flowers: White, with 5 petals, numerous stamens; very fragrant; to 2” wide.
Leaves: Bluish green, alternate, thick, smooth; somewhat oval; to ¾” long, ³⁄₈” wide.
Blooms: February–May.
Elevation: 1,500 to 4,000’.
Habitat: Dry, rocky slopes and canyons.
Comments: A rough-barked shrub. One species of Crossosoma in Arizona. Photograph taken in Superstition Mountains, February 4.
WILD CUCUMBER
Gila Manroot
Marah gilensis
Gourd Family (Cucurbitaceae)
Height: Long vine climbing over shrubs and small trees.
Flowers: White to cream, star-shaped, to ³⁄₈” wide; followed by round, green, fleshy fruit with stout, smooth spines, to 2” in diameter.
Leaves: Dark green, pointy or rounded lobes, to 3” wide.
Blooms: March–April.
Elevation: Below 5,000’.
Habitat: Thickets along washes and streams.
Comments: Perennial. Very large tuberlike root. One species of Marah in Arizona. Photograph taken at Bartlett Dam area, March 24.
PRETTY DODDER
Cuscuta indecora
Dodder Family (Cuscutaceae)
Height: Twining, matted mass of yellowish stems ranging from several inches to several feet wide.
Flowers: Cream-colored, tiny, fleshy, and tubular; to ¼” long; in small clusters.
Leaves: None.
Blooms: July–August.
Elevation: Not available. Photograph taken at 3,000’.
Habitat: Roadsides, canyons, and slopes.
Comments: Annual. A matted mass of yellowish stems. Parasitic; rootless. Seeds germinate in soil. Seedlings break contact with ground and twine about host plant, using suckers to absorb water and nutrients. Often spreads viral plant diseases. This species found on wide variety of shrubs and trees. Sixteen species of Cuscuta in Arizona. Photograph taken on Apache Trail, March 23.
ARIZONA MADRONE
Arbutus arizonica
Heather Family (Ericaceae)
Height: To 40’.
Trunk: To 1½’ in diameter.
Bark: Light gray, in squarish plates.
Flowers: White to pinkish, urn-shaped; to ¼” long; in loose, terminal cluster to 2½” long; followed by a cluster of orange-red, warty, berrylike fruit, ³⁄₈” in diameter.
Leaves: Shiny, light green above, paler beneath; lance-shaped, leathery, with reddish leaf stems; to 3” long, 1” wide.
Blooms: April–September (usually June).
Elevation: 4,000 to 8,000’.
Habitat: Oak woodlands in mountains of southeastern Arizona.
Comments: Evergreen tree with compact, rounded crown. Related to manzanita, except reddish bark occurs only on smaller branches. One species of Arbutus in Arizona. Photograph taken at Cave Creek, Portal, April 22.
POINTLEAF MANZANITA
Arctostaphylos pungens
Heather Family (Ericaceae)
Height: To 6’.
Flowers: White to pink, nodding, and bell-shaped; to ¼” long, in clusters at tips of branches; followed by reddish brown, berrylike fruit, to ¼” in diameter (resembling a miniature apple).
Leaves: Green to bluish green, thick, leathery, elliptical; pointed at tip and base; to 1½” long.
Blooms: March–May.
Elevation: 4,000 to 8,000’.
Habitat: Chaparral and dry hillsides and in ponderosa pine belt.
Comments: Evergreen, with smooth, red bark and crooked branches. Often grows in dense thickets, preventing erosion. Rapidly reseeds or grows from root sprouts in burned areas. Leaves twist on stalks to a vertical position to prevent excess evaporation during drought periods. Infrequently browsed, though berries are eaten by rodents, bears, and birds. Flowers attract hummingbirds. Native Americans use berries for food and for making a beverage. Jelly is made from unripened fruits. Manzanita is Spanish for “little apple.” Four species of Arctostaphylos in Arizona. Photograph in flower taken north of Superior, April 20; in fruit, September 2. Pringle Manzanita (Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. pringlei) is a tall shrub with rounded leaves, and is frequently found in chaparral with pointleaf manzanita. It blooms from April to June. The Greenleaf Manzanita (Arctostaphylos patula), found at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, is a low shrub to 3’ tall, with bright green, nearly oval leaves.
WOOD NYMPH
Moneses uniflora
Heather Family (Ericaceae)
Height: Flower stalk to 5”.
Flowers: White or very pale pink, waxy; 5 rounded, spreading petals with crinkly margins; 10 golden stamens with swollen bases; thick, green stigma with 5 pointed lobes; flower to ¾” wide, solitary and downward-facing on curve tip of stem.
Leaves: Dark green, roundish, finely toothed, thick; in basal cluster; to ¾” long, ⁵⁄₈” wide.
Blooms: July–August.
Elevation: 9,500 to 11,500’.
Habitat: Moist, cool spruce-fir forests.
Comments: Perennial herb. Evergreen. One species of Moneses in Arizona. Photograph taken in mountains above Greer, July 8.
SIDE-BELLS PYROLA
Orthila secunda (Pyrola secunda)
Heather Family (Ericaceae)
Height: Flower stalk to 6”.
Flowers: White to greenish white, bell-shaped; to ¼” long, arranged on only one side of flower stem.
Leaves: Dark green, shiny, basal; oval to elliptical; fine toothed; to 2½” long.
Blooms: July–August.
Elevation: 7,000 to 9,500’.
Habitat: Moist coniferous forests.
Comments: Herbaceous perennial; an evergreen. One species of Orthila in Arizona. Photograph taken near Mexican Hay Lake, July 2.
SHORTLEAF WINTERGREEN
Pyrola chlorantha (Pyrola virens)
Heather Family (Ericaceae)
Height: Flower stalk to 12” long.
Flowers: White to greenish white, bell-shaped, drooping; 5-petaled, with large style extending below petals; to ½” wide; occurring along leafless flower stalk.
Leaves: Dark green, roundish, basal; leaf blade to 1½” wide, 1½” long; to 3” long, including stem.
Blooms: July–August.
Elevation: 6,500 to 10,000’.
Habitat: Rich soil of coniferous forests.
Comments: Perennial herb; evergreen. Native Americans use plant medicinally and to make paint for ceremonials. Five species of Pyrola in Arizona. Photograph taken near Willow Springs Lake, July 6.
WHITEVEIN WINTERGREEN
Pyrola picta
Heather Family (Ericaceae)
Height: Flower stalk to 8”.
Flowers: Greenish white or cream-colored, globeshaped, waxy, nodding, 5-petaled; style turned to one side, flower to ¼” long, to ½” wide, hanging in terminal raceme on pinkish stem.
Leaves: Dark green with white or pinkish white veins above and pinkish below; shiny, oval to elliptical, with reddish stems; to 3” long, 1½” wide; in basal rosette.
Blooms: July–August.
Elevation: 8,000 to 9,500’.
Habitat: Coniferous forests.
Comments: Perennial herb. Five species of Pyrola in Arizona. Photograph taken in mountains above Greer, August 9.
RATTLESNAKE WEED
White Margin
Spurge Euphorbia albomarginata (Chamaesyce albomarginata)
Spurge Family (Euphorbiaceae)
Height: Creeper, ½” high, with stems to 10” long.
Flowers: Tiny, white, flowerlike cups, to ¹⁄₈” wide; lacking sepals and petals; maroon pad at base of each cup, containing many simple flowers.
Leaves: Green, round or oblong; smooth, often edged with white; to ³⁄₈” long.
Blooms: February–October.
Elevation: 1,000 to 6,000’.
Habitat: Open areas in grasslands, disturbed areas, roadsides, pinyon-juniper woodlands, and clearings in ponderosa forests.
Comments: Perennial herb. New plants started when roots form at stem joints. Also reproduces by seed. Its milky sap may irritate skin on contact. At one time people believed plant to be an important snakebite remedy. More than 3 dozen species of Euphorbia in Arizona. Photograph taken at Pine, September 2.
WHITE-BALL ACACIA
Fern Acacia
Acacia angustissima (Acaciella angustissima)
Pea Family (Fabaceae)
Height: To 3’.
Flowers: White, at times tinged with pink, with numerous stamens crowded into a ball-shaped head, to ½” in diameter; in clusters on stems in leaf axils and in elongated, terminal cluster; followed by brown, flattened pod (at maturity); to 3” long.
Leaves: Green to bluish green, bipinnate; first leaflets to 14 pairs, secondary leaflets to 33 pairs; linear-oblong, leaflet to ¹⁄₈” long, ¹⁄₁₆” wide.
Blooms: May–September.
Elevation: 3,000 to 6,500’.
Habitat: Roadsides and dry slopes commonly in chaparral areas.
Comments: No prickles or spines on branches; stems are deeply grooved and very hairy. Roots are perennial, but plant dies back to ground after hard frost. Browsed by horses and cattle; flowers attract butterflies, bees, and other insects. Inhibits soil erosion. There are numerous varieties of this species. Six species of Acacia in Arizona. Photograph taken near Superior, September 2.
STINKING MILKVETCH
Astragalus praelongus
Pea Family (Fabaceae)
Height: Sprawling to 4’.
Flowers: Cream-colored, pealike, and drooping; to ⁷⁄₈” long; in raceme to 3” long; followed by whitish, inflated, warty pod to ½” wide, 1½” long.
Leaves: Grayish green, to 6” long; with 11 to 27 elliptical leaflets, each to ¾” long and slightly curved upward lengthwise.
Blooms: May–August.
Elevation: 3,000 to 6,500’.
Habitat: Sandy soil.
Comments: Coarse, malodorous plant; toxic to sheep. Its largest stems are reddish. The species of Astragalus , a very large genus, are difficult to identify. There are more than 6 dozen species of Astragalus in Arizona. Identifying them as either a milk vetch or a locoweed is in most cases as far as one can go. Photograph taken at Concho Lake, August 4.
FALSE MESQUITE
Calliandra humilis
Pea Family (Fabaceae)
Height: To 2” tall, sprawling to 8”.
Flowers: White, numerous, with long, conspicuous stamens; flower head to ⁵⁄₈” in diameter; followed by narrow, flat pod with thick, riblike margins. Reddish buds.
Leaves: Grayish green edged in red; hairy; leaf segments to ¹⁄₈” long, leaf to 2½” long. On some plants leaf segments close when touched and stay closed for several minutes.
Blooms: June–August.
Elevation: 4,000 to 9,000’.
Habitat: Dry soil in oak or pine woodlands.
Comments: Stems are reddish and very hairy. Two species of Calliandra in Arizona. Photograph taken in vicinity of Prescott, June 7.
SCRUFFY PRAIRIE CLOVER
White Prairie
Clover Dalea albiflora
Pea Family (Fabaceae)
Height: To 2’.
Flowers: Whitish, tiny, and pealike; in dense, elongated, terminal spike to 1½” long, ½” wide.
Leaves: Grayish green, pinnate, with linear lobes; covered with short, whitish hairs; to 1½” long.
Blooms: April–October.
Elevation: 3,500 to 7,500’.
Habitat: Clearings in ponderosa forests and roadsides.
Comments: Has hairy stems. Thirty species of Dalea in Arizona. Photograph taken near Camp Verde, September 30. This species resembles another species known as White Prairie Clover (Dalea candida); however, it has 10 stamens instead of the 5 found in Dalea candida.
WHITE PRAIRIE CLOVER
White Tassel-Flower
Dalea candida (Petalostemum occidentale)
Pea Family (Fabaceae)
Height: To 2½’.
Flowers: White, pealike; to ¼” long; with yellowtipped stamens; growing in axils of bracts on dense, terminal spike.
Leaves: Dark green, gland-dotted, hairless; pinnate, with 3 to 9 leaflets, very narrow to lanceshaped; leaf to 1” long.
Blooms: May–September.
Elevation: 3,000 to 7,000’.
Habitat: Roadsides, plains, and mesas.
Comments: Perennial herb, with gland-dotted flower stems. Thirty species of Dalea in Arizona. Photograph taken in vicinity of Christopher Creek, September 14.
ARIZONA PEA
Nevada Pea
Lathyrus lanszwertii var. leucanthus (Lathyrus arizonicus, L. leucanthus)
Pea Family (Fabaceae)
Height: Sprawling or twining to 2’.
Flowers: White, pealike, with wide upper petal with pinkish veins; to ⁵⁄₈” wide, ¾” long; 2 to 5 flowers in cluster arising from a leaf axil, followed by a flat seed pod.
Leaves: Dark green, thin, pinnate, with 2 to 10 broadly linear leaflets, each to 2” long; tendrils small, bristlelike, and not prehensile. Stipules in leaf axils.
Blooms: May–October.
Elevation: 6,000 to 11,000’.
Habitat: Coniferous forests.
Comments: Not favored as browse by livestock, as are vetches. Seven species of Lathyrus in Arizona. Photograph taken on San Francisco Peaks, June 4.
FEATHER TREE
Lysiloma watsonii (Lysiloma microphylla var. thornberi)
Pea Family (Fabaceae)
Height: To 15’.
Trunk: To 5” in diameter.
Bark: Brownish gray, fissured and scaly.
Flowers: Creamy to white, in a dense ball; with numerous stamens; to ½” in diameter; followed by a large, dark brown, flat, broad pod to 9” long, 1” wide.
Leaves: Bright green, bipinnately compound, alternate; oval leaflets to ¼” long, ¹⁄₈” wide; leaf to 7” long, 4” wide.
Blooms: April–June.
Elevation: 2,800 to 4,000’.
Habitat: Rocky hillsides in upper desert.
Comments: A very localized species in southern Arizona. Dies back in hard winters. One species of Lysiloma in Arizona. Photograph taken at Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, April 30.
WHITE SWEETCLOVER
Melilotus albus
Pea Family (Fabaceae)
Height: To 6’ or more.
Flowers: White and pealike; to ¼” long; in long, spikelike raceme of 30 to 80 flowers; spike to 8” long.
Leaves: Light green, pinnately divided into 3 lanceshaped, toothed leaflets, each to 1” long.
Blooms: July–October.
Elevation: 100 to 7,500’.
Habitat: Roadsides and fields.
Comments: A native of Eurasia; now naturalized in the U.S. Forage plant; enriches soil with nitrogen. Smells like newly mown hay. Excellent honey producer. Three species of Melilotus in Arizona. Photograph taken near Nutrioso, July 23.
WAIT-A-MINUTE BUSH
Cat Claw
Mimosa aculeaticarpa var. biuncifera (Mimosa biuncifera)
Pea Family (Fabaceae)
Height: To 8’.
Flowers: White to pinkish, with a ball-like head; to ⁵⁄₈” in diameter; on long flower stalks in leaf axils; followed by a cluster of slightly curved, flat pods, brown to reddish brown on upper surface, greenish beneath; to 2” long, ¹⁄₈” wide; with a few marginal prickles.
Leaves: Dark green, bipinnate, with primary leaflets to 7 pairs, secondary leaflets to 13 pairs; haired; leaf to 2” long.
Blooms: May–August.
Elevation: 3,000 to 6,000’.
Habitat: Mesas, hillsides, desert grassland, and chaparral.
Comments: Nodes of stems armed with clawlike spines to ¼” long. Brown bark; honey plant; occasionally browsed by livestock. Forms thickets which prevent soil erosion and provide cover for wildlife. Four species of Mimosa in Arizona. Photograph taken near Lake Pleasant, May 7.
GRAHAM’S MIMOSA
Mimosa grahamii
Pea Family (Fabaceae)
Height: To 2’.
Flowers: Creamy white, ball-shaped; to ¾” wide; with purplish red tinged corolla, creamy white filaments tipped with pale yellow anthers; each ball on 1”-long stem in leaf axil; followed by pod to 1½” long, ⁵⁄₁₆” wide with prickles on margins.
Leaves: Grayish green, very hairy, bipinnate; oblong leaflet to ¼” long; leaf to 6 ½” long; midrib beneath is lined with short, curved spines.
Blooms: April–August.
Elevation: 4,000 to 6,000’.
Habitat: Hillsides and dry slopes in canyons in southern Arizona.
Comments: An uncommon species. Stems have irregularly spaced spines to ¹⁄₁₆” long. Four species of Mimosa in Arizona. Photograph taken at Cave Creek Canyon near Portal, May 4.
WHITE CLOVER
Trifolium repens
Pea Family (Fabaceae)
Height: Creeper with flower stalks to 1’ high.
Flowers: White to pinkish, pealike; to ¹⁄₈” wide, ³⁄₈” long; clustered in round flower head to ¾” wide on leafless stem.
Leaves: Dark green, finely toothed, to 1” wide; compound, with 3 oval, notched leaflets, each with a yellowish-green semicircle near the base.
Blooms: April–October.
Elevation: Throughout U.S.
Habitat: Meadows, lawns, fields, and roadsides.
Comments: Introduced from Europe. More than twenty species of Trifolium in Arizona. Photograph taken near Willow Springs Lake, September 14.
SWEET-CLOVER VETCH
Showy Vetch
Vicia pulchella
Pea Family (Fabaceae)
Height: Climbing or trailing to 3’.
Flowers: White and pealike; to ¼” long, ¹⁄₈” wide; in crowded, narrow raceme with flowers pointed downward, all facing in one direction. Raceme, to 5” long, bearing up to 20 flowers, followed by a flattened pod to 1¼” long.
Leaves: Dark bluish green, pinnate; to 5” long; ending in a tendril; stipule at leaf base; up to 18 linear to oblong leaflets, each to ¾” long.
Blooms: July–September.
Elevation: 6,000 to 8,500.
Habitat: Ponderosa pine forests.
Comments: Grooved, weak stems. Often a tangled mass. Four species of Vicia in Arizona. Photograph taken in vicinity of McNary, July 13.
TRUMPET GOOSEBERRY
Ribes leptanthum
Currant Family (Grossulariaceae)
Height: Shrub to 5’.
Flowers: White to cream-colored, trumpet-shaped; to ¼” long; in cluster; followed by dark red to black berry, to ⁵⁄₁₆” in diameter.
Leaves: Light green, alternate, broad, rounded; 5-lobed, toothed; to 1” wide.
Blooms: May–June.
Elevation: 6,000 to 9,500’.
Habitat: Along streams and mountain meadows.
Comments: Deciduous. Browsed by livestock and deer. Its tart berries are eaten by birds, and were used (both fresh and dried) by Native Americans. This genus of plant serves as an alternate host to white pine blister rust, which kills 5-needled pines (these pines are not common in Arizona). Ten species of Ribes in Arizona. Photograph taken near Greer, June 22.
CLIFF FENDLERBUSH
False Mockorange
Fendlera rupicola
Hydrangea Family (Hydrangeaceae)
Height: Straggling shrub to 6’.
Flowers: White and fragrant; 4 spoon-shaped petals, fringed, hairy, and faintly edged in pink; 8 stamens; to 2” wide; pinkish buds, single or in small clusters, each followed by 4-chambered, woody, grayish green, acornlike capsule to ½” long.
Leaves: Shiny, rough, dark green above, dull green beneath; 3 prominent sunken veins; thick, elongated, opposite; to 1¾” long.
Blooms: March–June.
Elevation: 3,000 to 7,000’.
Habitat: Dry, rocky, and gravelly slopes.
Comments: New shoots have reddish stems. Browsed by bighorn sheep, deer, and goats. The Navajo Indians use parts of the bush for ceremonial food and to smoke. Three species of Fendlera in Arizona. Photograph taken at Cave Creek, Portal, April 23. Unlike the similar Utah Serviceberry (Amelanchier utahensis) (page 83), cliff fendlerbush has narrow, pointed leaves and 4-petaled flowers followed by 4-chambered, woody capsules. Littleleaf Mockorange (Philadelphus microphyllus) (page 59) also resembles cliff fendlerbush, but its 4 petals are not spoon-shaped, and it has many more than 8 stamens.
LITTLELEAF MOCKORANGE
Philadelphus microphyllus
Hydrangea Family (Hydrangeaceae)
Height: To 4’.
Flowers: White and fragrant, with 4 broad and rounded petals, numerous yellow stamens; to ½” wide.
Leaves: Dark green, shiny; faintly lined in lighter green above, paler green beneath; oval to elliptical; to ½” long.
Blooms: June–July.
Elevation: 5,000 to 9,000’.
Habitat: Rocky slopes and canyons.
Comments: Erect shrub with shreddy bark. To some, its flowers smell like orange blossoms. Browsed by bighorn sheep. Native Americans used stems for bows, arrows, and pipe stems. Eight species of Philadelphus in Arizona. Photograph taken at the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, June 25. A similar plant, Cliff Fendlerbush (Fendlera rupicola) (page 58) has spoon-shaped petals and only 8 stamens.
NARROWLEAF YERBA SANTA
Eriodictyon angustifolium var. amplifolium
Waterleaf Family (Hydrophyllaceae)
Height: To 6½’.
Flowers: White to pale lavender, funnel-shaped, 5-lobed, with dark-tipped stamens; to ³⁄₈” wide; in loose, terminal clusters on upper branches.
Leaves: Sticky, leathery, aromatic, evergreen; dull, dark green above (shiny when immature); lighter green and white-woolly beneath, with a prominent midvein and network of veins; linear, often slightly toothed; margins rolled under; to 4” long.
Blooms: April–August.
Elevation: 2,000 to 7,000’.
Habitat: Dry hillsides, roadsides, and washes.
Comments: Woody at base. Browsed by mule deer. Infusion made from leaves is used medicinally to treat respiratory problems. One species of Eriodictyon in Arizona. Photograph taken northeast of Superior, May 2.
VARILEAF PHACELIA
Phacelia heterophylla (Phacelia magellanica)
Waterleaf Family (Hydrophyllaceae)
Height: To 4’.
Flowers: White to greenish yellow, with long stamens; 5-lobed; to ½” wide: in coiled, terminal cluster.
Leaves: Grayish green, very hairy, oval on upper stem; pinnately divided into 3 to 5 sharp-pointed leaflets; to 4” long on lower stem.
Blooms: May–October.
Elevation: 4,000 to 9,500’.
Habitat: Moist coniferous forests.
Comments: Pinkish purple, prickly, hairy stems. Forty-six species of Phacelia in Arizona. Photograph taken in Oak Creek Canyon, May 29.
ALKALI PHACELIA
Phacelia neglecta
Waterleaf Family (Hydrophyllaceae)
Height: To 4”.
Flowers: White, bowl-shaped, with 5 united petals; to ¼” wide.
Leaves: Dark green, broadly oval, slightly scalloped; hairy, thick, succulent, brittle; to 1¼” long.
Blooms: March–April.
Elevation: Below 1,500’.
Habitat: Stony desert soils frequently of volcanic origin.
Comments: Forty-six species of Phacelia in Arizona. Photograph taken north of Yuma, March 29.
HORSE-MINT
Yellow Mint
Agastache pallidiflora
Mint Family (Lamiaceae)
Height: To 3’.
Flowers: White to pale yellowish green to pinkish, depending on subspecies; tubular, 2-lipped, yellowish green bracts; to ½” long; in thick, terminal cluster.
Leaves: Yellowish green above, paler green beneath; opposite, with round-toothed margins; triangular, deeply veined; to 1½” long.
Blooms: July–October.
Elevation: 7,000 to 10,000’.
Habitat: Moist soil in coniferous forests and along mountain streams.
Comments: Perennial herb. Has square stems. Six species of Agastache in Arizona. Photograph taken at Luna Lake, August 5.
HOREHOUND
Marrubium vulgare
Mint Family (Lamiaceae)
Height: To 3’.
Flowers: White, tiny; to ¼” long; in whorls in leaf axils.
Leaves: Grayish green, oval, veiny, crinkly surfaced above, white-woolly beneath; in pairs; to 1½” long; on stem below each flower whorl.
Blooms: April–September.
Elevation: Throughout the state.
Habitat: Disturbed places, roadsides, fields, and pastures.
Comments: Perennial herb, and a weed. Stems are white, woolly, and 4-angled. Horehound used as flavoring in candy. Introduced from Europe, now naturalized in U.S. One species of Marrubium in Arizona. Photograph taken at Harshaw, April 27.
SPOTTED HORSEMINT
Monarda punctata
Mint Family (Lamiaceae)
Height: To 16”.
Flowers: White, long, narrow, hairy; 2-lipped, with upper lip arched upward, lower lip curved downward and speckled with lavender; to 1” long; in circular clusters around stem; surrounded by 8 broad, purplish bracts covered with a white down.
Leaves: Grayish green, opposite, lance-shaped; folded upward from center vein; tinged with lavender at base; slightly toothed, curved downward from stem; to 2” long; in clusters surrounding stem.
Blooms: End of June–August.
Elevation: 5,000 to 7,000’.
Habitat: Dry, sandy soil.
Comments: Square stem. Four species of Monarda recorded for Arizona. This species is very rare in the state. Photograph taken 28 miles north of St. Johns, June 28.
FUNNEL LILY
Androstephium breviflorum
Lily Family (Liliaceae)
Height: Flower stalk to 1’.
Flowers: Whitish to light pink, with darker central stripe on petals; 6 petals, black anthers, petals and sepals partly joined; stamen filaments are partly united to form a tube in the center. Flower to ⁵⁄₈” wide, in loose, terminal cluster of up to 12 flowers.
Leaves: Grayish green, grasslike, narrow; few, grooved on upper surface, basal; to 8” long.
Blooms: March–April.
Elevation: 2,000 to 7,000’.
Habitat: Dry, sandy soil of slopes and plains.
Comments: Leafless stem arises from a bulb. Lacks onion odor. One species of Androstephium in Arizona. Photograph taken south of Parker, March 7.
AJO LILY
Hesperocallis undulata
Lily Family (Liliaceae)
Height: To 4’.
Flowers: White, trumpet-shaped, fragrant; to 2½” long, clustered flower stalk.
Leaves: Bluish green, narrow, wavy-margined; in basal rosette; to 20” long.
Blooms: Mid-February–mid-April.
Elevation: Below 2,000’ in southwestern Arizona.
Habitat: Dunes and sand-gravel flats.
Comments: Perennial. Resembles Easter lily; called ajo lily because its big, edible bulb resembles garlic (ajo in Spanish). Bulbs sometimes grow as deep as 2’ below surface of soil. Hawk moths pollinate flowers. Some taxonomists put this genus in the Asparagus family (Asparagaceae). One species of Hesperocallis in Arizona. Photograph taken near Salome, March 28.
LARGE SOLOMON’S SEAL
Maiathemum racemosum ssp. amplexicaule (Smilacina racemosa)
Lily Family (Liliaceae)
Height: To 3’.
Flowers: White, starlike, with 6 petallike segments; flower to ¹⁄₈” long in branched, dense, terminal raceme on arching stem, followed by a cluster of reddish berries dotted with purple; each berry to ¼” long.
Leaves: Dark green, broadly lance-shaped to oval; clasping stem at base; to 6” long.
Blooms: May–July.
Elevation: 6,000 to 10,000’.
Habitat: Rich soil in coniferous forests.
Comments: Perennial herb. Two species of Maiathemum in Arizona. Photograph taken at Greer, June 17.
STAR SOLOMON’S SEAL
Maiathemum stellatum (Smilacina stellata)
Lily Family (Liliaceae)
Height: To 2’.
Flowers: White, starlike, with 6 petallike segments; to ¼” wide; loosely spaced on a terminal, zigzag raceme, followed by green berries with dark blue, vertical stripes, berries turning black with maturity.
Leaves: Dark green, lance-shaped; to 5” long.
Blooms: May–June.
Elevation: 7,500 to 10,000’.
Habitat: Moist, rich forests.
Comments: Perennial herb. Two species of Maiathemum in Arizona. Photograph taken near Greer, June 22.
FALSE HELLEBORE
Skunk Cabbage
Veratrum californicum var. californicum
Lily Family (Liliaceae)
Height: To 8’.
Flowers: Whitish to greenish, star-shaped; Vshaped green gland at base; to ¾” long, ½” wide; in branching, terminal cluster to 1’ long.
Leaves: Yellowish green, oval, strongly veined; appear pleated; to 1’ long.
Blooms: July–August.
Elevation: 7,500 to 9,500’.
Habitat: Wet meadows, around springs and bogs, and moist forests.
Comments: Perennial herb. Extremely poisonous to livestock as well as to bees and other insects. One species of Veratrum in Arizona. Photograph taken at Greer, July 20.
WHITE CAMAS
Mountain Death
Camas Zigadenus elegans
Lily Family (Liliaceae)
Height: To 3’.
Flowers: White to greenish white; 6 segments with green, heart-shaped gland at each base; to ¾” wide; in elongated, terminal cluster.
Leaves: Bluish green, onion-like; to ¼” wide, 12” long.
Blooms: July–September.
Elevation: 5,000 to 10,000’.
Habitat: Clearings in moist ponderosa pine and spruce-fir forests.
Comments: From a bulb similar to an onion. This species not as poisonous as Death Camas (Z. virescens) (at right). Three species of Zigadenus in Arizona. Photograph taken near Willow Springs Lake, September 15.
DEATH CAMAS
Zigadenus virescens
Lily Family (Liliaceae)
Height: To 2’.
Flowers: White to greenish, bell-shaped; to ¼” wide; widely spaced on long flower stalks that curve away from main stalk.
Leaves: Dark green, narrow, grasslike; to 12” long.
Blooms: July–September.
Elevation: 6,500 to 11,000’.
Habitat: Rich soil in moist coniferous forests.
Comments: From a bulb similar to an onion. All parts contain zygadenine, a heart depressant, and are poisonous. Three species of Zigadenus in Arizona. Photograph taken south of Alpine, August 2.
WHITE-BRACTED STICK LEAF
Sand Blazing
Star Mentzelia involucrata
Stick Leaf Family (Loasaceae)
Height: To 1’.
Flowers: White to pale cream, streaked inside with faint orange lines; translucent, erect, with 5 petals; to 1½” wide, 1¼” long.
Leaves: Grayish green, lance-shaped, with irregular teeth on margins; very rough due to stiff hairs; to 4½” long.
Blooms: February–May.
Elevation: Below 3,000’.
Habitat: Desert washes, slopes, and flat areas in dry, sandy soil.
Comments: Annual. Very rough, sandpapery leaves stick to fabric, making them difficult to remove. Over twenty species of Mentzelia in Arizona. Photograph taken north of Yuma, March 29.
DESERT COTTON
Algodoncillo
Gossypium thurberi
Mallow Family (Malvaceae)
Height: To 7’.
Flowers: White to very pale pink, with 5 rounded, crinkly petals, each with a lavender spot near base; cup-shaped, with large filament tube in center; to 1” long, 1½” wide; followed by dark brown capsule, to ½” in diameter.
Leaves: Dark green above, paler green beneath; palmate, 3- to 5-lobed; to 7” wide, 7” long.
Blooms: August–October.
Elevation: 2,500 to 5,000’.
Habitat: Rocky slopes, washes, and canyons.
Comments: Shrubby. An alternate host for the boll weevil. Bees and wasps are attracted to flower nectar; other insects feed on nectar produced by leaves and flower stalk. One species of Gossypium in Arizona. Photograph taken north of Superior, September 2.
WOODY BOTTLE-WASHER
Camissonia boothii ssp. condensata
Evening Primrose Family (Onagraceae)
Height: To 20”.
Flowers: White, fading to pink, with 4 petals; long stamens curved inward toward center; to ½” wide on numerous long stems in center of plant; followed by splitting capsules on a woody core when mature and dry.
Leaves: Dark green, with reddish purple blotches and spots; mainly basal; lance-shaped to elliptical; to 4” long.
Blooms: February–May.
Elevation: Below 2,500’.
Habitat: Open desert.
Comments: Annual. Around two dozen species of Camissonia in Arizona. Photograph taken at Golden Shores, February 25.
PRAIRIE EVENING PRIMROSE
Oenothera albicaulis
Evening Primrose Family (Onagraceae)
Height: To 16”.
Flowers: White (pink when aged), with 4 petals; to 1½” wide.
Leaves: Grayish green, to 2” long. Basal leaves are spoon-shaped; stem leaves are cleft into narrow lobes.
Blooms: March–August.
Elevation: 2,500 to 7,500’.
Habitat: Roadsides and dry, grassy, or sandy disturbed areas.
Comments: Twenty-one species of Oenothera in Arizona. Photograph taken near Nutrioso, August 3.
TUFTED EVENING PRIMROSE
Oenothera caespitosa
Evening Primrose Family (Onagraceae)
Height: To 4”.
Flowers: White, turning to pink with age; 4 heartshaped petals; long, yellow stamens and stigma; slightly fragrant; to 4” wide; opening in late afternoon, fading the following morning. Flower held above ground by long, thin calyx tube.
Leaves: Grayish green (some are tinged reddish), finely haired, narrow, with toothed margins; to 7” long, 1” wide; in basal rosette.
Blooms: April–September.
Elevation: 3,000 to 7,500’.
Habitat: Roadsides, ponderosa forest clearings, and dry, rocky slopes.
Comments: Twenty-one species of Oenothera in Arizona. Photograph taken northeast of Superior, April 20.
CUTLEAF EVENING PRIMROSE
Oenothera coronopifolia
Evening Primrose Family (Onagraceae)
Height: to 18”.
Flowers: White, with 4 petals; to 1” wide.
Leaves: Grayish green, linear and linear-lobed, toothed; to ¾” long.
Blooms: June–August.
Elevation: 3,000 to 8,000’.
Habitat: Dry plains and sandy soil.
Comments: Perennial herb. Twenty-one species of Oenothera in Arizona. Photograph taken at Lee’s Ferry, June 23.
DUNE PRIMROSE
Birdcage Evening
Primrose Oenothera deltoides
Evening Primrose Family (Onagraceae)
Height: To 1½’.
Flowers: White, turning pink; yellow toward center; 4 petals; saucerlike; to 3½” wide.
Leaves: Pale green, hairy, sometimes grooved or cleft; to 4½” long.
Blooms: February–May, depending on variety.
Elevation: Generally below 2,500’, depending on variety.
Habitat: Sandy deserts and other open areas.
Comments: Sweet-scented and bushlike. There are numerous varieties of this species. The outer stems on some varieties curl upward and inward when they die, forming a cagelike structure. Twenty-one species of Oenothera in Arizona. Photograph taken near Tacna, March 29.
GIANT RATTLESNAKE PLANTAIN
Rattlesnake Orchid
Goodyera oblongifolia
Orchid Family (Orchidaceae)
Height: To 18”.
Flowers: White to pinkish, hairy; to ⁵⁄₈” long, ¾” wide; upper sepal and petals united in hood over lip; on long, densely flowered, hairy, naked stem; flowering section of stem to 4” long.
Leaves: Dark green, with mottled, white central line; oblong; to 4” long; in basal rosette.
Blooms: July–September.
Elevation: 8,000 to 9,500’.
Habitat: Rich, moist coniferous forests.
Comments: The giant rattlesnake plantain is named for its mottled leaves, which resemble rattlesnake skin. Two species of Goodyera in Arizona. Photograph taken at Greer, August 10.
DWARF RATTLESNAKE PLANTAIN
Dwarf Rattlesnake
Orchid Goodyera repens
Orchid Family (Orchidaceae)
Height: Flower stem to 1’.
Flowers: White to greenish, occasionally pinktinged; upper sepal and petals united in hood over lip; to ¹⁄₈” long; along one side of slender flower spike.
Leaves: Dark green, shiny, fleshy, mostly basal; faint network, broadly oval; to 1½” long.
Blooms: July–August.
Elevation: 9,000 to 10,000’.
Habitat: Moist mountain slopes in coniferous forests.
Comments: Two species of Goodyera in Arizona. Photograph taken in mountains above Greer, August 8.
HOODED LADIES’ TRESSES
Pearl Twist
Spiranthes romanzoffiana
Orchid Family (Orchidaceae)
Height: Flower stem to 16”.
Flowers: White, 3 sepals, 3 petals; 2 upper petals form a hood; lip petal curved downward and pinched in on each margin near tip; flower to ½” long, ¹⁄₈” wide; flowers densely arranged in 3-spiraled rows on a slender spike.
Leaves: Light green, shiny, smooth, lancedshaped; succulent, basal; to 8” long, ½” wide.
Blooms: August–September.
Elevation: 8,500 to 9,500’.
Habitat: Wet meadows, bogs, streamsides.
Comments: Often several stems in a clump. Three species of Spiranthes in Arizona. Photograph taken in Mount Baldy Wilderness, August 13.
BLUESTEM PRICKLEPOPPY
Southwestern Prickly
Poppy Argemone pleiacantha
Poppy Family (Papaveraceae)
Height: To 3’.
Flowers: White, tissue-paper thin, with 4 to 6 crinkled petals, numerous bright orange stamens; to 5” wide; followed by oblong, prickly seed pod to 1½” long.
Leaves: Bluish green, deeply lobed; clasping stem; prickles on veins and margins; to 8” long.
Blooms: April–November.
Elevation: 1,400 to 8,000’.
Habitat: Fields, roadsides, mesas, and washes.
Comments: Perennial herb; with very spiny stems, acrid yellow sap. All parts are poisonous; however, mourning doves feed on seeds. Large expanses of this species on rangeland indicate overgrazing. Nine species of Argemone in Arizona. Photograph taken at Theodore Roosevelt Lake, April 29.
PURSH PLANTAIN
Indian Wheat
Plantago patagonica (Plantago purshii)
Plantain Family (Plantaginaceae)
Height: Flower stem to 8”.
Flowers: Buff-colored with brownish tinge toward center; 4 narrow, pointed petals; to ¹⁄₈” wide; flowers spaced on woolly bracted spike to 1¼” long.
Leaves: Grayish green, very hairy, narrow, and basal; to 4” long.
Blooms: February–July.
Elevation: 1,000 to 7,000’.
Habitat: Dry slopes and mesas.
Comments: Very hairy plant. Browsed by livestock. Twenty-one species of Plantago in Arizona. Photograph taken in Superstition Mountains, March 25.
NUTTALL’S LINANTHUS
Leptosiphon nuttallii (Linanthus nuttallii)
Phlox Family (Polemoniaceae)
Height: To 1’.
Flowers: White, yellow in center; with 5 broad, flared lobes on narrow tube; to ½” wide; in terminal clusters on leafy stems.
Leaves: Green, rigid, narrowly linear; leaves appear whorled on stems; to ½” long.
Blooms: July–November.
Elevation: 5,500 to 8,000’.
Habitat: Open ponderosa forests.
Comments: Perennial herb. Three species Leptosiphon in Arizona. Photograph taken near Willow Springs Lake, August 19.
DESERT SNOW
Linanthus demissus
Phlox Family (Polemoniaceae)
Height: To 4”.
Flowers: White, bell-shaped, with 5 flaring lobes, each with 2 reddish brown to purplish lines at base; to ½” wide, ¼” long; in few-flowered clusters on branches.
Leaves: Green, wiry, hairlike; to ³⁄₈” long; surrounding bases of flowers.
Blooms: March–May.
Elevation: Below 2,000’.
Habitat: Desert sands.
Comments: Annual. Many-branched. Four species of Linanthus in Arizona. Photograph taken in Kofa Mountains, March 29.
DESERT PHLOX
Vine Phlox
Phlox tenuifolia
Phlox Family (Polemoniaceae)
Height: To 3’.
Flowers: White, funnel-shaped, with yellow inner tube; to 1” wide.
Leaves: Dark green, linear, to 2” long.
Blooms: February–May, rare instances in the fall after summer rains.
Elevation: 1,500 to 5,000’.
Habitat: Along washes and on rocky slopes.
Comments: Perennial. In partial shade, stems are vinelike and supported by neighboring shrubs. In the open, plants form tufts. Fourteen species of Phlox in Arizona. Photograph taken in Superstition Mountains, February 4.
WHITE MILKWORT
Polygala alba
Milkwort Family (Polygalaceae)
Height: To 14”.
Flowers: White with greenish tinge at base; 3 petals; 5 sepals, 2 larger ones colored white like petals; to ¹⁄₈” long; in dense, narrow spike to 3” long; on top of slender stem.
Leaves: Dark green, linear, very narrow; in whorls at base, at intervals along upper stem; to 1¼” long.
Blooms: May–September.
Elevation: 5,000 to 7,500’.
Habitat: Roadsides and fields.
Comments: Does not produce a milky sap. It was once believed that if cattle ate the plant their milk production increased. Fourteen species of Polygala in Arizona. Photograph taken at Heber, August 4.
WESTERN BISTORT
Smokeweed
Bistorta bistortoides (Polygonum bistortoides)
Buckwheat Family (Polygonaceae)
Height: To 2’.
Flowers: Snow white to pale pink with 5 petallike segments; to ³⁄₁₆” long; in dense, spikelike, terminal cluster to 2” long, ¾” wide; on long erect, nearly leafless stem.
Leaves: Dark green, with prominent, yellowish midvein; lance-shaped to elliptical, mainly basal; to 7” long.
Blooms: June–September.
Elevation: 8,500 to 11,000’.
Habitat: Wet meadows and along mountain streams.
Comments: Stem is reddish near the ground. Roots are starchy and edible, raw or boiled. One species of Bistorta in Arizona. Photograph taken in Hannagan Meadow area, June 30.
ANTELOPE-SAGE
Eriogonum jamesii var. jamesii
Buckwheat Family (Polygonaceae)
Height: To 14”.
Flowers: White to cream-colored with long, whitish stamens; to ¼” wide, ³⁄₈” long, in tight or loose cluster above whorl of small leaves.
Leaves: Grayish green above, very white and hairy beneath; lance-shaped; to 2” long; in basal rosette.
Blooms: July–October.
Elevation: 5,000 to 9,000’.
Habitat: Rocky areas and cliffs in clearings in oak woodlands and pine forests.
Comments: Over fifty species of Eriogonum in Arizona. Photograph taken in Heber vicinity, August 4.
REDROOT BUCKWHEAT
Eriogonum racemosum
Buckwheat Family (Polygonaceae)
Height: Flowering stem to 1½’.
Flowers: White to pinkish, with dark pink ribs on back of petals; to ¹⁄₈” wide, ¼” long; in loose, spikelike clusters along upper half of gray, leafless flowering stems.
Leaves: Grayish green, on long leaf stem; basal cluster, erect, broadly oval, and feltlike; to 1¼” long, ¾” wide.
Blooms: June–October.
Elevation: 5,000 to 9,000’.
Habitat: Clearing in pine forests.
Comments: Over fifty species of Eriogonum in Arizona. Photograph taken in vicinity of Upper Lake Mary, September 2.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPRING BEAUTY
Claytonia lanceolata var. rosea (Claytonia rosea)
Purslane Family (Portulacaceae)
Height: To 4”.
Flowers: White to pinkish, 5 petals, 5 pink-tipped stamens; to ⁵⁄₈” wide; in loose raceme.
Leaves: Dark green above, pinkish beneath, narrow, and smooth; succulent, lance-shaped; 1 pair, opposite; to 1¾” long.
Blooms: February–May.
Elevation: 5,500 to 8,000’.
Habitat: Moist coniferous forests.
Comments: Perennial. Three species of Claytonia in Arizona. Photograph taken at Willow Springs Lake, April 22.
MINER’S LETTUCE
Indian Lettuce
Claytonia perfoliata (Montia perfoliata)
Purslane Family (Portulacaceae)
Height: To 14”.
Flowers: White to pinkish; to ¼” wide, in tiny raceme rising above center of circular leaf.
Leaves: Dark green, fleshy, circular, flowerbearing leaf; to 2” wide. Other leaves lanceshaped on narrow stalks.
Blooms: February–May.
Elevation: 2,500 to 7,500’.
Habitat: Moist places in shade, along brooks, and around springs.
Comments: Annual. Used by pioneers and Native Americans as a potherb and for salads. Three species of Claytonia in Arizona. Photograph taken at Saguaro Lake area, February 6.
CHAMISSO’S MONTIA
Montia chamissoi
Purslane Family (Portulacaceae)
Height: Creeping stems to 6” long.
Flowers: White or pink, 5 petals, 5 pink-tipped stamens; to ½” wide; in loose cluster of up to 8 flowers.
Leaves: Dark green, lance-shaped; very succulent; opposite; to 1½” long.
Blooms: June–August.
Elevation: 6,000 to 9,500’.
Habitat: Springs and other wet areas in coniferous forests.
Comments: Perennial. Runner branches end in bulblets. Two species of Montia in Arizona. Photograph taken at Lee Valley Reservoir, August 11.
ROCK JASMINE
Pygmyflower
Androsace septentrionalis
Primrose Family (Primulaceae)
Height: To 10”.
Flowers: White, funnel-shaped, starlike, with 5 roundish lobes; to ¹⁄₈” wide; on leafless, erect stems.
Leaves: Dark green to reddish green, lance-shaped, irregularly toothed; in basal rosette; to 1¼” long.
Blooms: April–September.
Elevation: 7,000 to 12,000’.
Habitat: Meadows and clearings in coniferous forests.
Comments: Many-stemmed. Two species of Androsace in Arizona. Photograph taken in Greer area, July 4.
COMMON BANEBERRY
Snakeberry
Actaea rubra
Buttercup Family (Ranunculaceae)
Height: To 3’.
Flowers: White, with 4 to 10 small petals, many stamens; to ¹⁄₈” long; in elongated cluster to 5” long; followed by cluster of ½” purplish red berries.
Leaves: Green, few but very large; pinnately divided into oval, sharply toothed leaflets, each to 3½” long, with up to 2 dozen leaflets per triangular leaf.
Blooms: May–July.
Elevation: 7,000 to 10,000’.
Habitat: Moist mountain forests and stream banks.
Comments: Perennial herb with poisonous berries. One species of Actaea in Arizona. Photograph taken at Greer, July 21.
DESERT ANEMONE
Desert Windflower
Anemone tuberosa
Buttercup Family (Ranunculaceae)
Height: To 16”.
Flowers: White to pinkish purple, petalless, with petallike structures that are actually sepals; to 1½” wide; at ends of erect stems.
Leaves: Green, divided several times into sections; basal and in whorl midway on stem; to 4” long, 2” wide.
Blooms: February–April.
Elevation: 2,500 to 5,000’.
Habitat: Rocky desert slopes.
Comments: Perennial herb. Two species of Anemone in Arizona. Photograph taken in Superstition Mountains, February 4.
MARSH MARIGOLD
Cowslip
Caltha leptosepala
Buttercup Family (Ranunculaceae)
Height: To 8”.
Flowers: White, with 5 to 12 petallike sepals, not true petals; a center of numerous yellow stamens; to 1½” wide.
Leaves: Dark green, shiny; heart-shaped, minutely scalloped; basal; to 3” long.
Blooms: May–September.
Elevation: 7,500 to 11,000’.
Habitat: Wet, boggy meadows and along streams.
Comments: Perennial. One species of Caltha in Arizona. Photograph taken at Hannagan Meadow, June 24.
ROCK CLEMATIS
Alpine Clematis
Clematis columbiana var. columbiana (Clematis pseudoalpina)
Buttercup Family (Ranunculaceae)
Height: Trailing or climbing woody vine to 5’.
Flowers: White to violet or purple; 4 drooping, petallike sepals on leafless stem; to 2” long, followed by seeds in cluster of long silky plumes.
Leaves: Dull green, compound, divided twice into threes; toothed; to 2” long.
Blooms: June–July.
Elevation: 7,000 to 9,000’.
Habitat: Rich soil in moist coniferous forests.
Comments: Plumes aid in distribution of seeds by the wind. Six species of Clematis in Arizona. Photograph taken at Greer, June 17.
TEXAS VIRGIN’S BOWER
Barbas De Chivato
Clematis drummondii
Buttercup Family (Ranunculaceae)
Height: Woody vine to 20’ or more.
Flowers: White, petalless, with 4 white, petallike sepals, and numerous white stamens; to 1” wide; followed by fluffy, white plume.
Leaves: Grayish green, downy-haired, thin; pinnately compound, cleft or lobed; to 2” long.
Blooms: March–September.
Elevation: Below 4,000’.
Habitat: Open ground.
Comments: Six species of Clematis in Arizona. Photograph taken at Patagonia Lake State Park, April 26.
WHITE VIRGIN’S BOWER
Clematis ligusticifolia
Buttercup Family (Ranunculaceae)
Height: Woody vine to 20’ or more.
Flowers: White and petalless, with 4 white, petallike sepals, numerous white stamens; to 1” wide; followed by fluffy, white plume on female plant.
Leaves: Green, thin, smooth, pinnately compound; 5 to 7 toothed or 3-lobed leaflets, each to 3” long.
Blooms: May–September.
Elevation: 3,000 to 8,000’.
Habitat: Along streams and in other moist places.
Comments: Perennial vine; clings by twisting leaf stems that form tendrils. Weak stems climb over shrubs, up into trees, and over rocks. Chewed by Native Americans and pioneers as sore throat treatment. Infusion of leaves used for treating sores on horses. Leaves and stems taste like pepper; certain species of Clematis, however, are poisonous. Very fragrant; a favorite of bees. Six species of Clematis in Arizona; this species hybridizes with Texas Virgin’s Bower (Clematis drummondii) (page 79) and varies greatly in leaflet size, shape, and dentation. Photograph taken in vicinity of Nutrioso, August 18.
WATER BUTTERCUP
Water Crowfoot
Ranunculus aquatilis var. diffusus
Buttercup Family (Ranunculaceae)
Height: Aquatic flower; projects about 1” above surface of water.
Flowers: White; 5 petals, yellow at base; to ¾” wide.
Leaves: Submerged, cut into numerous forked, hairlike segments.
Blooms: May–August.
Elevation: 4,500 to 9,000’.
Habitat: Ponds and slow streams.
Comments: Aquatic perennial; forms dense beds in ponds. Food for ducks and geese. Over twenty species of Ranunculus in Arizona. Photograph taken at Nelson Reservoir, August 3.
FENDLER’S CEANOTHUS
Buckbrush
Ceanothus fendleri
Buckthorn Family (Rhamnaceae)
Height: Spiny shrub to 6’, but usually 3’.
Flowers: White to pinkish, with 5 petals, 5 stamens; to ³⁄₁₆” wide, in terminal, pyramid-shaped cluster to 1½” long; followed by reddish brown, dry, 3-lobed fruit, to ³⁄₁₆” in diameter.
Leaves: Grayish green, somewhat thick; velvety surface, hairy beneath, prominent veins, elliptical, alternate; to 1” long.
Blooms: April–October.
Elevation: 5,000 to 10,000’.
Habitat: Pinyon-juniper woodlands and pine forests.
Comments: Forms thickets. Has gray, felty stems and straight, slender spines up to 1” long. Mature twigs are reddish brown. Browsed by deer and livestock. Foliage and stems are eaten by porcupines and rabbits. Native Americans used leaves for tea and fruits for food and medicines. Seven species of Ceanothus in Arizona. Photograph taken in vicinity of Portal, April 22. This is the only species of Ceanothus with spines.
GREGG’S CEANOTHUS
Desert Ceanothus
Ceanothus greggii (Ceanothus pauciflorus)
Buckthorn Family (Rhamnaceae)
Height: To 8’, but usually less.
Flowers: Whitish to pinkish, with 5 spoon-shaped, hooded petals; to ³⁄₈” wide; in crowded cluster on branches; followed by cluster of fruit; each capsule to ³⁄₁₆” in diameter.
Leaves: Shiny green above, grayish and felty beneath with a visible network; opposite, thick, leathery; to 1” long near base of shrub, in clusters along upper branches.
Blooms: March–May.
Elevation: 3,000 to 7,000’.
Habitat: Oak woodlands.
Comments: Light gray, felt-covered bark on old branches. Young wood is pinkish and felt-covered. Browsed by deer; seeds eaten by birds and small mammals. Seven species of Ceanothus in Arizona. Photograph taken northeast of Superior on April 3. Branches of this species are not spine-tipped.
DEERBRUSH
White Lilac
Ceanothus integerrimus
Buckthorn Family (Rhamnaceae)
Height: Shrub to 8’.
Flowers: White, occasionally pink or bluish, fragrant, 5-petaled; to ¹⁄₁₆” wide; in a spikelike flower cluster to 6” long; followed by cluster of dry, crested capsules.
Leaves: Dark green, elliptical, with 3 prominent main veins; to 1½” long.
Blooms: May–October.
Elevation: 3,500 to 7,000’.
Habitat: Open woodland and chaparral.
Comments: Browsed by deer; wildlife feed on bark and seeds. Native Americans made a soapy mixture from the bark; root bark was used medicinally. Blooms are a source of honey. Seven species of Ceanothus in Arizona. Photograph taken in a canyon north of Superior, April 20.
WRIGHT’S MOCK BUCKTHORN
Sageretia wrightii
Buckthorn Family (Rhamnaceae)
Height: Straggling shrub to 8’.
Flowers: Cream-colored, starlike, with 5 petals; to ¹⁄₈” wide; followed by a small, fleshy drupe.
Leaves: Dark green, shiny, oval, pointed at tip; to 1¼” long.
Blooms: March–September.
Elevation: 1,500 to 5,000’.
Habitat: Along washes and in canyons among rocks.
Comments: Grayish, woolly stems. Somewhat spiny; spines to ¼” long. One species of Sageretia in Arizona. Photograph taken in vicinity of Saguaro Lake, August 26.
UTAH SERVICEBERRY
Shadberry
Amelanchier utahensis
Rose Family (Rosaceae)
Height: Shrub or small tree to 15’.
Bark: Smooth, gray.
Flowers: White, with 5 long, narrow petals; to ½” wide; 3 to 6 in a cluster; followed by small, applelike fruits to ³⁄₈” in diameter, maturing to bluish purple.
Leaves: Dark green, nearly round to elliptical; toothed on margins from midleaf to tip; to 1½” long, 1” wide.
Blooms: April–May.
Elevation: 2,000 to 7,500’.
Habitat: Rocky slopes in pinyon-juniper woodlands and ponderosa pine forests.
Comments: Browsed by livestock and deer. Fruits are eaten by birds and rodents. Berries are used for wine, jelly, and jam. Two species of Amelanchier in Arizona. Photograph taken at Double Springs, in vicinity of Mormon Lake, June 1. Unlike the similar Cliff Fendlerbush (Fendlera rupicola) (page 58), Utah serviceberry has rounded, toothed leaves and 5-petaled flowers, followed by small, fleshy, applelike fruits.
FERNBUSH
Chamaebatiaria millefolium
Rose Family (Rosaceae)
Height: To 6’.
Flowers: White, sticky, with 5 crinkly petals, yellow stamens; to ³⁄₈” wide; in elongated cluster to 4” long at end of branch; followed by small, dry pod.
Leaves: Grayish green, much-divided, fernlike; fragrant, scaly, sticky; to 1½” long.
Blooms: July–November.
Elevation: 4,500 to 8,000’.
Habitat: Pinyon-juniper-sagebrush areas.
Comments: Evergreen. Bark is tinged red and shrubby. Browsed by deer, sheep, and goats. One species of Chamaebatiaria in Arizona. Photograph taken at Walnut Canyon National Monument, September 7.
CERRO HAWTHORN
Crataegus erythropoda
Rose Family (Rosaceae)
Height: Spiny shrub to 9’, or small tree to 20’.
Trunk: To 4” in diameter.
Bark: Reddish brown or gray, and scaly.
Flowers: White, with 5 petals; to ¾” wide; in up to 2½” compact cluster of 5 to 10 flowers; followed by orange-red, ³⁄₈” roundish fruits.
Leaves: Dark green and shiny above, paler beneath; broadly oval, coarsely toothed; prominently veined, often shallowly lobed; to 2½” long, 1¾” wide.
Blooms: April–May.
Elevation: 4,500 to 8,000’.
Habitat: Along streams and in moist canyons.
Comments: Has widely spreading branches, with reddish brown, zigzag twigs. Has numerous 2”long, nearly straight, shiny, dark reddish spines on branches. Fruits are called “haws.” Birds and other animals feed on fruits. Three species of Crataegus in Arizona. Photograph taken in Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona, September 9. The similar River Hawthorn (Crataegus rivularis) has fewer spines, which are blackish, curved, and only 1” long, and leaves that are double-toothed.
APACHE-PLUME
Fallugia paradoxa
Rose Family (Rosaceae)
Height: Shrub to 6’.
Flowers: Pure white, 5-petaled, roselike, and yellow-centered; to 2” wide; followed by seeds on long, white-to-pinkish long-lasting plumes.
Leaves: Grayish green, slightly downy, pinnately divided into 3 to 7 linear lobes; to ¾” long.
Blooms: April–October.
Elevation: 4,000 to 8,000’.
Habitat: Roadsides, dry washes, dry hillsides, and chaparral.
Comments: Evergreen shrub. An erosion deterrent along banks of washes. Native Americans used stems for arrowshafts. Good browse for sheep, cattle, goats, and deer. One species of Fallugia in Arizona. Photograph taken at Sunset Crater National Monument, September 7. Differs from the similar Stansbury Cliff-Rose (Purshia stansburiana) (page 203), by its numerous branches at base, more shrublike appearance, short-haired leaves, white flowers, and fuller plumes.
BRACTED STRAWBERRY
Woodland Strawberry
Fragaria vesca ssp. bracteata (Fragaria bracteata)
Rose Family (Rosaceae)
Height: Creeper, with flower stalks to 2”.
Flowers: White with yellow center, 5 petals, to 1” wide; followed by ¾”-long, red, cone-shaped berry with seeds barely attached to berry’s surface.
Leaves: Dark green, thin, compound, with 3 leaflets, each to ¾” long; toothed on margins.
Blooms: May–September.
Elevation: 7,000 to 9,500’.
Habitat: Coniferous forests.
Comments: Perennial herb. Hairs on stem spread out. Fruits are eaten by birds and mammals, including humans. Two species of Fragaria in Arizona. Photograph taken at Greer, June 18. This species recognizable by its dark green, toothed leaflets and by berries with seeds barely attached.
WILD STRAWBERRY
Fragaria virginiana ssp. glauca (Fragaria ovalis)
Rose Family (Rosaceae)
Height: Creeper, with flower stalk to 2”.
Flowers: White with fuzzy, yellow center; 5 petals; to 1” wide; followed by ¾”-long, red, cone-shaped berry with seeds partly buried in flesh.
Leaves: Light green, slightly covered with whitish bloom; haired on margins; thick, compound, with 3 leaflets, each to ¾” long; toothed on margins mainly from center to tip.
Blooms: May–October.
Elevation: 7,000 to 11,000’.
Habitat: Coniferous forests.
Comments: Perennial herb, with somewhat flattened hairs on stem. Plant spreads by runners. Fruits relished by wildlife. Two species of Fragaria in Arizona. Photograph taken in mountains above Greer, July 3. This species identifiable by its partially toothed leaflets, which whiten slightly, and its strawberries with seeds partly buried in flesh.
MOUNTAIN SPRAY
Rock Spiraea
Holodiscus dumosus
Rose Family (Rosaceae)
Height: To 8’.
Flowers: Creamy white to pinkish, with yellow center; ³⁄₁₆” wide; in spikelike, terminal cluster to 2” long; followed by small, dry, brown seed case.
Leaves: Green above, lighter green and velvety beneath; oval to wedge-shaped; sawtooth-notched on margins of broad outer end; to 1½” long.
Blooms: June–September.
Elevation: 5,500 to 10,000’.
Habitat: Rocky slopes, ponderosa pine and spruce clearings, and often in lava flows.
Comments: Deciduous. Young twigs are hairy, older branches are gray and shreddy. Buds are pink. Dried blooms remain into fall and winter. Plant is browsed by deer. One species of Holodiscus in Arizona. Photograph taken at Sunset Crater National Monument, June 22.
ROCK MAT
Petrophyton caespitosum
Rose Family (Rosaceae)
Height: To 8”.
Flowers: White to light pink, with 5 petals, long stamens; to ¹⁄₈” long; in dense, spikelike raceme.
Leaves: Grayish green and spatula-shaped, with silky hairs; to ¼” long; basal rosettes form dense mats.
Blooms: June–October.
Elevation: 5,000 to 8,000’.
Habitat: Rock crevices and ledges.
Comments: A well-named plant; in Greek petra means “rock” and phyton means “plant.” One species of Petrophyton in Arizona. Photograph taken at Walnut Canyon National Monument, September 7.
MOUNTAIN NINEBARK
Physocarpus monogynus
Rose Family (Rosaceae)
Height: Small shrub to 4’.
Flowers: White, with 5 petals, 5 sepals, and yellow stamens; to ⁵⁄₈” wide; in rounded, terminal cluster.
Leaves: Dull, dark green above, paler green and powdery beneath; palmately lobed, toothed, prominent network; to 3” long.
Blooms: June–July.
Elevation: 8,000 to 9,500’.
Habitat: Pine and mixed conifer forests.
Comments: Old bark of the shrub continually shreds. Native Americans used boiled roots as poultice. One species of Physocarpus in Arizona. Photograph taken south of Alpine, June 30.
COMMON CHOKECHERRY
Prunus virginiana
Rose Family (Rosaceae)
Height: To 25’.
Trunk: To 8” in diameter.
Bark: Shiny and reddish brown, darker and scaly as plant ages.
Flowers: White, with 5 rounded petals; to ½” wide; in cylindrical cluster to 4” long; followed by shiny, dark red or black, juicy, bitter cherry, to ³⁄₈” in diameter.
Leaves: Shiny green above, lighter green beneath (occasionally slightly hairy); elliptical, with finely, sharply saw-toothed margins; to 4” long, 2” wide.
Blooms: April–June.
Elevation: 4,500 to 8,000’.
Habitat: Roadsides, along streams, and in forests and woodland clearings.
Comments: Cherries are very bitter, with poisonous pits. Bears are fond of them. Cherries are used for making syrup, jelly, and wine. There are 2 varieties of this species demissa and melanocarpa. Seven species of Prunus in Arizona. Photograph taken at Chiricahua National Monument, April 25.
RED RASPBERRY
Rubus idaeus ssp. strigosus (Rubus strigosus)
Rose Family (Rosaceae)
Height: To 5’.
Flowers: White, with 5 petals, 5 prominent sepals which are longer than petals and have spiny undersides; to 1” wide; followed by bright red fruits when mature.
Leaves: Dark green above, grayish green beneath; pinnate, 3 to 7 toothed leaflets; to 8” long.
Blooms: June–July.
Elevation: 7,000 to 11,000’.
Habitat: Ponderosa pine and spruce forests.
Comments: Pinkish stems are prickly. Fruits eaten by birds and other wildlife. People eat them raw or use for making jams and jellies; leaves and twigs are used for tea. Six species of Rubus in Arizona. Photograph taken near Woods Canyon Lake, June 5.
NEW MEXICAN RASPBERRY
Thimbleberry
Rubus neomexicanus
Rose Family (Rosaceae)
Height: To 5’, rarely to 9’.
Flowers: White, with 5 rounded petals and bright yellow stamens; to 3” wide; followed by red, juicy raspberry.
Leaves: Green, finely haired above, velvety beneath; toothed, 3- to 5-lobed; to 3” wide.
Blooms: May–September.
Elevation: 5,000 to 9,000’.
Habitat: Moist slopes and woods.
Comments: Young shrubs have brownish bark with vertical stripes. Browsed by deer. Fruits eaten by humans and by birds and other wildlife. Six species of Rubus in Arizona. Photograph taken on Mount Graham, April 21.
THIMBLEBERRY
Rubus parviflorus var. parvifolius
Rose Family (Rosaceae)
Height: To 6’, usually closer to 3’.
Flowers: White, with 5 rounded petals, numerous yellowish tan stamens, and 5 sharply pointed sepals; to 2” wide; in terminal cluster of 3 or more; followed by a very seedy, red, raspberrylike fruit.
Leaves: Dark green, 5-lobed, toothed, hairy above, deeply veined; to 8” wide.
Blooms: July–September.
Elevation: 8,000 to 9,500’.
Habitat: On slopes in ponderosa pine and sprucefir forests.
Comments: A thornless, sprawling shrub. Berries eaten by birds and other wildlife. Six species of Rubus in Arizona. Photograph taken in mountains above Greer, July 8.
ARIZONA MOUNTAIN-ASH
Serbo
Sorbus dumosa
Rose Family (Rosaceae)
Height: To 10’.
Bark: Young growth is pinkish and hairy; mature bark is smooth and gray.
Flowers: White, with 5 petals, numerous stamens; to ¼” wide; in flat-topped cluster; followed by orange-red berry at maturity.
Leaves: Dark green, paler green beneath; pinnate, sharp-toothed; to 7” long; 5 to 13 elliptical leaflets to 2” long.
Blooms: June–July.
Elevation: 7,500 to 10,000’.
Habitat: Moist soil in coniferous forests.
Comments: Not a true ash. Berries eaten by birds and small mammals. One species of Sorbus in Arizona. Photograph taken at Black Canyon Lake area, June 4.
ARIZONA ROSEWOOD
Vauquelinia californica
Rose Family (Rosaceae)
Height: Shrub, or small tree to 25’.
Trunk: To 8” in diameter.
Bark: Gray to reddish brown, thin; shaggy or divided into small, square scales.
Flowers: White, with 5 rounded petals; to ¼” wide; in dense, flat-topped, terminal cluster to 3” wide; followed by hard, woody seed capsules, each to ¼” wide, splitting into 5 sections and remaining all winter.
Leaves: Yellowish green and smooth above, with yellowish, sunken midvein; white, finely haired beneath; narrow, lance-shaped, thick, and stiff; leathery, spiny saw-toothed; to 4” long, ½” wide.
Blooms: May–June.
Elevation: 2,500 to 5,000’.
Habitat: Canyons and mountains in upper desert and oak woodlands.
Comments: Evergreen; slow growing. Wood is hard and heavy. One species of Vauquelinia in Arizona. Photograph taken on Peralta Trail in Superstition Mountains, May 20.
BUTTONBUSH
Button-Willow
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Madder Family (Rubiaceae)
Height: Shrub, or small tree to 10’.
Trunk: To 4” in diameter.
Bark: Brown or gray, ridged, scaly.
Flowers: White with very tiny, brownish dots; narrow, tubular, with very long stamens tipped with yellow; white buds with yellow tips; fragrant, 4-lobed; to ½” long, ¹⁄₈” wide; clustered in round ball, to 1½” in diameter. Followed by a rough button of seeds; green turning to brown; to ¾” in diameter.
Leaves: Shiny, dark green above, slightly paler beneath; finely toothed, with prominent midvein; broadly lance-shaped to elliptical; pointed; opposite or in whorls of 3; to 5” long, 2½” wide.
Blooms: June–September.
Elevation: 1,000 to 5,000’.
Habitat: Wet ground bordering lake sand streams.
Comments: Deciduous. Has green stems with warts; poisonous foliage. Bark is used medicinally. Waterfowl feed on seeds. Plant is a source for honey. One species of Cephalanthus in Arizona. Photograph taken at Saguaro Lake, August 26.
COMMON BEDSTRAW
Goosegrass
Galium aparine
Madder Family (Rubiaceae)
Height: Sprawling to 3’.
Flowers: White to greenish, with 4 petals; to ¹⁄₈” wide; in small clusters on stems rising from the leaf axils.
Leaves: Dark green, hairy, linear to lance-shaped; to 3” long; 6 to 8 in whorls around stem.
Blooms: March–May.
Elevation: 2,000 to 8,000’.
Habitat: Along streams, in canyons, and in woodlands.
Comments: Weak-stemmed annual supported by other plants. Barbed stems cleave to fabric and fur. This species can be found in Europe and is likely exotic to Arizona. Early settlers used plants as mattress stuffing. Seeds used as a coffee substitute. More than a dozen species of Galium in Arizona. Photograph taken in Superstition Mountains, March 26. This species has leaves in whorls of 6 to 8 and 4-angled, spiny stems.
NORTHERN BEDSTRAW
Galium boreale ssp. septentrionale
Madder Family (Rubiaceae)
Height: To 2’.
Flowers: White, with 4 petals; to ¹⁄₈” wide; in dense, round-tipped clusters.
Leaves: Dark green, narrow, nearly smooth; lance-shaped to linear, with 3 prominent veins; to 2” long; in whorls of 4 around stem, smaller side shoots arise from main stems.
Blooms: July–September.
Elevation: 6,000 to 9,500’.
Habitat: Rocky slopes and clearings in pine forests.
Comments: More than a dozen species of Galium in Arizona. Photograph taken in Greer area, July 4. This species has leaves in whorls of 4 and a nearly smooth stem and leaves.
DESERT BEDSTRAW
Galium stellatum var. eremicum
Madder Family (Rubiaceae)
Height: To 2’.
Flowers: Cream-colored, with dark yellow stamens; 4 petals joined at base; starlike; to ¹⁄₈” wide, in loose clusters.
Leaves: Dark green, lance-shaped, sharp-pointed, and rough; in whorls of 4 or 5 on lower stems; to ¼” long.
Blooms: January–May.
Elevation: Below 3,000’.
Habitat: Dry, rocky slopes.
Comments: Many-branched shrubby plant with reddish, square stems. More than a dozen species of Galium in Arizona. Photograph taken in Superstition Mountains, March 26.
NARROWLEAF HOPTREE
Common Hoptree
Ptelea trifoliata ssp. angustifolia
Rue Family (Rutaceae)
Height: Shrub, or small tree to 20’.
Trunk: To 8” in diameter.
Bark: Brownish gray, and smooth.
Flowers: White to yellowish green, fragrant, with 4 petals; to ½” wide, in cluster in leaf axils, followed by light brown, flat, roundish, winged, hoplike fruit, to ½” wide.
Leaves: Dark green, long-stalked; to 5½” long; compound, with 3 ovate, slightly wavy-toothed leaflets, to 3” long.
Blooms: May–June.
Elevation: 3,500 to 8,500’.
Habitat: Canyons, pinyon-juniper woodlands, and ponderosa pine forests.
Comments: Deciduous. Plant parts have disagreeable odor. Fruit is used as hops substitute in brewing. One species of Ptelea in Arizona, with many varieties. Photograph taken at Oak Creek Canyon north of Sedona, May 29.
BASTARD TOADFLAX
False Toadflax
Comandra umbellata ssp. pallida (Comandra pallida)
Sandalwood Family (Santalaceae)
Height: To 14”.
Flowers: White to pinkish white, starlike, petalless; 5 to 6 pointed lobes surround greenish center, 5 greenish white stamens; to ³⁄₈” wide; in terminal cluster.
Leaves: Green, narrow, lance-shaped; to 1½” long.
Blooms: April–August.
Elevation: 4,000 to 9,500’.
Habitat: Mountainsides, oak woodlands, and ponderosa pine forests.
Comments: A root parasite on many different plants. One species of Comandra in Arizona. Photograph taken on mountainside at Madera Canyon, April 29.
WESTERN SOAPBERRY
Jaboncillo
Sapindus saponaria var. drummondii (Sapindus marginatus)
Soapberry Family (Sapindaceae)
Height: To 50’; in Arizona, usually much shorter and often just a large-sized shrub.
Bark: Grayish brown and furrowed.
Flowers: White, with 5 round-tipped petals; to ¼” wide; in large, branched, terminal cluster to 9” long; followed by a ½”-diameter, smooth fruit with a yellowish, translucent flesh.
Leaves: Light green splashed with yellow; smooth above, hairy beneath; alternate, deciduous, pinnate; 7 to 19 lance-shaped, unequal-sided leaflets; terminal leaflet smaller; toothless; leaflets to 4” long, leaf to 12” long.
Blooms: May–August.
Elevation: 2,400 to 6,000’.
Habitat: Canyon slopes, along streams, desert grasslands, and oak woodlands.
Comments: Slow grower, with hairy stems. Fruits contain saponin, a poisonous substance, and have been used as a soap for washing clothes. One species of Sapindus in Arizona. Photograph taken in vicinity of Portal, May 5.
GUM BULLY
Sideroxylon lanuginosum ssp. rigidum (Bumelia lanuginosa var. rigida)
Sapote Family (Sapotaceae)
Height: Shrub to 15’ in Arizona.
Trunk: To 8” in diameter.
Bark: Gray, rough.
Flowers: White, 5-petaled, bell-shaped; 5-lobed, fragrant; to ¹⁄₈” wide; clustered at leaf axils; followed by juicy, blackish, egg-shaped fruits to ³⁄₈” long.
Leaves: Shiny, dark green above, dense gray, matted hairs beneath; alternate or in small clusters; leathery; elliptical or lance-shaped; rounded at tip and narrowing to base; tiny, pinkish stems; to 2” long, to ½” wide.
Blooms: June–July.
Elevation: 3,000 to 5,000’.
Habitat: Along washes and streams.
Comments: Forms dense thickets in some areas. Twigs are often tipped with straight spines. Gray spines at leaf clusters grow to ⁵⁄₈” long. Gum from stem used as a chewing gum. Wood used for making tool handles and cabinets. One species of Sideroxylon in Arizona. Photograph taken at Catalina State Park, November 10.
YERBA MANSA
Anemopsis californica
Lizard Tail Family (Saururaceae)
Height: To 16”.
Flowers: Very tiny, numerous and dense; on conical spike to 2” long; with 7 or 8 1”-long, white, petallike bracts surrounding base of cone.
Leaves: Grayish green, leathery, oblong; mostly basal; to 6” long; smaller leaves erect on flower stem.
Blooms: May–August.
Elevation: 2,000 to 5,500’.
Habitat: Moist, saline soil.
Comments: Perennial herb. Root used medicinally by Native Americans and Spaniards. One species of Anemopsis in Arizona. Photograph taken at Hassayampa River Preserve, Wickenburg, May 7.
NEW MEXICO ALUM-ROOT
Heuchera novomexicana
Saxifrage Family (Saxifragaceae)
Height: Flower stalk to 2’.
Flowers: White and small, in small cluster on weak, 2’-long flower stalk.
Leaves: Dark green above, lighter beneath; roundish and scalloped; hairy, basal; on 4”-long stalks; to 2” wide, 2” long.
Blooms: May–June.
Elevation: 8,000 to 9,000’.
Habitat: Mixed coniferous forests.
Comments: Hairy plant. Six species of Heuchera in Arizona. Photograph taken south of Hannagan Meadow, June 30.
REDFUZZ SAXIFRAGE
Saxifraga eriophora (Micranthes eriophora)
Saxifrage Family (Saxifragaceae)
Height: To 6”, but usually less.
Flowers: White, with 5 petals, reddish hairs on calyx lobes; to ³⁄₁₆” wide; in loose, terminal cluster.
Leaves: Dark green above, reddish hairs beneath; succulent, somewhat thick; oval to elliptical, with scalloped or toothed margins; to 1” long, ½” wide; in basal rosette.
Blooms: March–mid-May.
Elevation: 5,000 to 8,500’.
Habitat: Moist mountain slopes in coniferous forests, often very mossy areas.
Comments: Reddish hairs on stems. Six species of Saxifraga in Arizona. Photograph taken on Mount Graham, May 3.
DIAMONDLEAF SAXIFRAGE
Rockfoil
Saxifraga rhomboidea (Micranthes rhomboidea)
Saxifrage Family (Saxifragaceae)
Height: Flower stem to 1’.
Flowers: White, 5-petaled, greenish in center with light yellow anthers; to ¼” wide; in terminal cluster to ¾” wide on erect, sticky, hairy stem.
Leaves: Dark green to light green, basal, diamondshaped; toothed or scalloped, succulent, sparsely haired on margins; to 2” long, 1¼” wide.
Blooms: April–July.
Elevation: 5,500 to 11,000’.
Habitat: Moist meadows.
Comments: Perennial. Six species of Saxifraga in Arizona. Photograph taken at Willow Springs Lake, April 22.
MAIDEN BLUE-EYED MARY
Blue Lips
Collinsia parviflora
Figwort Family (Scrophulariaceae)
Height: To 1’, but usually less.
Flowers: Two whitish, rounded, upper lobes flaring upward; 2 deep blue lower lobes; bent forward, with a folded, purplish lobe between them; tubular; to ¹⁄₈” wide, ³⁄₈” long; in terminal, leafy cluster on stem.
Leaves: Dark green above, bright maroon beneath; lance-shaped; in whorls at flower clusters, opposite on lower stem, to 1½” long.
Blooms: February–June.
Elevation: 4,000 to 8,000’.
Habitat: Areas moist in the spring.
Comments: Annual herb, with reddish stems. One species of Collinsia in Arizona. Photograph taken northeast of Superior, April 3.
BRITTLESTEM
Mabrya acerifolia (Maurandya acerifolia)
Figwort Family (Scrophulariaceae)
Height: Prostrate, to 10” long.
Flowers: White to greenish white, 5-lobed, tubular; to 1” long.
Leaves: Dark green, downy, sticky; heart-shaped to kidney-shaped; coarsely toothed; to 1” wide, more wide than long.
Blooms: March–May.
Elevation: About 2,000’.
Habitat: Shaded cliffs and rock ledges.
Comments: Mat-forming plant with brittle stems. Stems often hang down from moist rock ledges. One species of Mabrya in Arizona. Photograph taken in Superstition Mountains, April 6.
PARRY LOUSEWORT
Pedicularis parryi
Figwort Family (Scrophulariaceae)
Height: To 20”.
Flowers: White to yellowish white; narrow; upper lip compressed sideways and arched; lower lip 3-lobed and bent downward; to 1” long; on tall spike to 8” long.
Leaves: Dark green with some red; fernlike and narrow; deeply lobed and toothed; to 5” long, ½” at widest; mainly basal.
Blooms: June–September.
Elevation: 7,500 to 12,000’.
Habitat: Moist mountain meadows and stream banks.
Comments: Perennial herb; partially root-parasitic. Pediculus means “louse” in Latin; in Roman times seeds were used to kill lice. Five species of Pedicularis in Arizona. Photograph taken in Greer area, July 3.
SMALL GROUNDCHERRY
Chamaesaracha coronopus
Nightshade Family (Solanaceae)
Height: To 10” tall, spreading on ground to 1½’.
Flowers: Whitish to yellowish green, flat, wheelshaped with 5 spreading lobes; to ¾” wide; on stems in leaf axils; followed by yellow, berrylike seed pod, to ¼” in diameter.
Leaves: Dark green, rough, thick, alternate; covered with scaly down; narrowly oblong, occasionally shallowly lobed; to 4” long.
Blooms: April–September.
Elevation: 2,500 to 7,500’.
Habitat: Dry plains, mesas, roadsides, and disturbed ground.
Comments: Perennial herb; many-branched. Native Americans eat seed pods. Three species of Chamaesaracha in Arizona. Photograph taken at Dead Horse Ranch State Park, May 28.
SACRED DATURA
Thornapple
Datura wrightii (Datura meteloides)
Nightshade Family (Solanaceae)
Height: To 4’.
Flowers: White tinged with lavender; trumpetshaped, united petals; to 6” long; followed by prickly seed capsule to 2” in diameter.
Leaves: Grayish green, oval to heart-shaped, to 6” long.
Blooms: April–November.
Elevation: 1,000 to 6,000’.
Habitat: Washes and roadsides from deserts to mesas.
Comments: Perennial herb. Flowers open in early evening and close following day when struck by the sun’s rays. All parts of plant extremely poisonous if ingested. Datura was one of most important medicinal plants to early Native Americans. Four species of Datura in Arizona. Photograph taken north of Payson, September 2.
DESERT THORN
Desert Wolfberry
Lycium macrodon
Nightshade Family (Solanaceae)
Height: To 10’.
Flowers: Greenish white, tubular, with 5 pointed lobes; to ½” long; followed by fruit constricted below middle; 2- to 4-seeded.
Leaves: Dark green, linear to spatula-shaped, narrow; to 1½” long, ¼” wide.
Blooms: February–May.
Elevation: 500 to 2,000’.
Habitat: Desert and plains.
Comments: Branches end in spines. Immature twigs are woolly. Eleven species of Lycium in Arizona. Photograph taken at Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, March 3. This species native to Pinal County and southern Arizona.
DESERT TOBACCO
Tabaquillo
Nicotiana obtusifolia (Nicotiana trigonophylla)
Nightshade Family (Solanaceae)
Height: To 3’.
Flowers: White to greenish white, trumpetshaped; to ¾” long; in loosely branched clusters.
Leaves: Dark green, sticky, oval to lance-shaped; to 6” long; upper leaves stalkless, with 2 lobes clasping sticky stem.
Blooms: Throughout the year.
Elevation: Below 6,000’.
Habitat: Washes and other sandy areas.
Comments: Perennial herb. Leaves contain nicotine. Four species of Nicotiana in Arizona. Photograph taken at Usery Mountain Recreation Area, March 18.
WHITE NIGHTSHADE
Solanum americanum (Solanum nodiflorum)
Nightshade Family (Solanaceae)
Height: To 30”.
Flowers: White, with 5 starlike, united petals with yellow beak of stamens; to ¾” wide; followed by a shiny, black, pea-sized berry.
Leaves: Light green, triangular, lobed; to 3½” long.
Blooms: March–December.
Elevation: Not available. Photograph taken at 2,000’.
Habitat: Wasteland and roadsides in Maricopa and Pinal counties and probably elsewhere.
Comments: Introduced from tropical America. Fifteen species of Solanum in Arizona. Photograph taken in Superstition Mountains, March 26.
WILD POTATO
Solanum jamesii
Nightshade Family (Solanaceae)
Height: To 1’.
Flowers: White, deeply 5-cleft, with 5 orange stamens; to ¾” wide, in loose cluster.
Leaves: Dark green, alternate, sparsely haired; to 4¾” long, pinnately compound; 5 to 9 leaflets.
Blooms: July–September.
Elevation: 5,500 to 8,500’.
Habitat: Coniferous forests, clearings, and wooded slopes.
Comments: Perennial herb. Has small tubers, and was once used as food by Native Americans. Fifteen species of Solanum in Arizona. Photograph taken in vicinity of Nutrioso, August 3.
DESERT HACKBERRY
Celtis pallida
Elm Family (Ulmaceae)
Height: To 20’.
Flowers: Whitish, tiny, to ¹⁄₁₆” wide; single or in small clusters on new growth; followed by twinned or single green, egg-shaped berry, to ¼” long, which ripens to yellowish or orange in fall.
Leaves: Dark green, elliptical to oval, alternate, toothed or untoothed; smooth when young, rough when older; to 1½” long, ¾” wide.
Blooms: Summer.
Elevation: 1,500 to 3,500’.
Habitat: Washes, canyons, and open desert.
Comments: Spiny, evergreen shrub. Spines on new branches to ⁵⁄₈” long; on older branches to 1” long. Fruits provide food for wildlife; cover for many species of birds. Native Americans use fruits for food. Wood occasionally used for fence posts. Two species of Celtis in Arizona. Photograph taken at Usery Mountain Recreation Area, September 3.
TEXAS FROG FRUIT
Phyla nodiflora (Phyla incisa)
Vervain Family (Verbenaceae)
Height: Creeping stems to 2’ or more.
Flowers: White, 4-lobed; to 1/6” wide; arranged in circle, alternating from white with 1 yellowish orange lobe to white with 1 lavender lobe; compact flower head to ½” wide, on long stem in leaf axil.
Leaves: Dark green, hairy, rough, and granular; prominent midvein; 2-toothed on each margin near pointed tip; oblong to wedge-shaped; to 1” long.
Blooms: April–November.
Elevation: 400 to 7,000’.
Habitat: Open ground along lakesides, riverbanks, and in damp woodlands.
Comments: Plant roots at nodes; has hairy stems. Three species of Phyla in Arizona. Photograph taken at Lyman Lake State Park, June 28.