WILDLAND PLANTS OF THE SOUTHWEST
University of Idaho Rangeland Program Gary Nored, Flickr Warm Desert Shrublands & Grasslands
Mojave B. Wicks, BLM
K. Launchbaugh
Sonoran
B. Wicks, BLM Plants of the Southwest Region GRASSES ------
CYNODONTEAE Black Grama Bouteloua eriopoda Perennial Native
CYNODONTEAE Tobosa Grass Hilaria mutica Perennial Native
CYNODONTEA Sideoats Grama Bouteloua curtipendula Perennial Native FORBS & Woody Plants------
ASTEREA Broom Snakeweed Gutierrezia sarothrae Perennial Native
HELIANTHEAE Desert Marigold Baileya multiradiata Perennial Native
HELIANTHEAE Tarbrush Flourensia cernua Perennial Native
FABACEAE Catclaw Acacia Acacia greggii Perennial Native
FABACEAE Purple Locoweed Oxytropis lambertii Perennial Native
FABACEAE Honey Mesquite Prosopis glandulosa Perennial Native
ZYGOPHYLLACEAE Creosotebush Larrea tridentata Perennial Native CYNODONTEAE Black Grama Bouteloua eriopoda Perennial | Native ▪ Stoloniferous grass forming a weak sod ▪ Not very tall <2 feet
Max Licher CYNODONTEAE Black Grama Bouteloua eriopoda Perennial | Native ▪ Internodes pubescent, covered by glabrous sheaths giving it an alternate “hairy/not- hair” appearance Hairy Internode
▪ Seedhead has 3-5 spicate, Glabrous comb-like branches per culm Sheath ▪ Awns as long or longer than spikelets
Max Licher CYNODONTEAE Tobosa Grass Hilaria mutica Perennial | Native ▪ Sod forming with thick and scaly rhizomes ▪ Leaf blade is flat or somewhat rolled inwards ▪ Gray-green color
Jason Karl Max Licher CYNODONTEAE Tobosa Grass Hilaria mutica Perennial | Native ▪ Lower nodes are hairy, upper nodes without hairs ▪ Seedhead is a bilateral spike ▪ Spikelets are “fan-like”
Patrick Alexander
Max Licher CYNODONTEAE Sideoats Grama Bouteloua curtipendula Perennial | Native ▪ A rhizomatous mid-grass that grows 1-3 feet tall ▪ Spicate branches are bent to one side - looks like it was pressed in a book
Patrick Alexander Mike Haddock CYNODONTEAE Sideoats Grama Bouteloua curtipendula Perennial | Native ▪ End of main seed stalk creates a zig-zag ▪ Lower leaf blade edges with evenly spaced hairs from a swollen base
Mike Haddock ASTEREAE Broom Snakeweed Gutierrezia sarothrae Perennial | Native ▪ Suffructescent plant that grows up to 2 feet ▪ Branches arise from the base of the plant forming a “broom-like” structure
Mike Haddock
Max Licher ASTEREAE Broom Snakeweed Gutierrezia sarothrae Perennial | Native ▪ Linear, sessile leaves ▪ Yellow flowers mostly the top of plants
Patrick Alexander
Max Licher Max Licher HELIANTHEAE Desert Marigold Baileya multiradiata Perennial | Native ▪ Low growing plants ½ to 1½ feet tall ▪ Woody caudex on top of taproot ▪ Leaves in basal rosette – woolly white hairs
Patrick Alexander Jason Karl HELIANTHEAE Desert Marigold Baileya multiradiata Perennial | Native ▪ Flowers are composite with disk & ray flowers ▪ Bright yellow ▪ Ray flowers 3-toothed at tip
Sue Carnahan
Max Licher HELIANTHEAE Tarbrush Flourensia cernua Perennial | Native ▪ Shrub varies in height up to 6 ft. ▪ Highly branched throughout ▪ Leaves entire, petiolate, and alternate, with net venation ▪ Leaves and stem covered with small black glands
Patrick Alexander
Patrick Alexander
Patrick Alexander HELIANTHEAE Tarbrush Flourensia cernua Perennial | Native ▪ Flowers yellow, discoid ▪ Heads nodding turning blackish at maturation ▪ Flowers from July to September
Patrick Alexander Liz Makings FABACEAE Catclaw Acacia Acacia greggii Perennial | Native ▪ Shrub or small tree (3-5 feet tall) forming thickets ▪ Spines are “cat claws” on branches ▪ Leaves alternate & even-bipinnately compound
Patrick Alexander FABACEAE Catclaw Acacia Acacia greggii Perennial | Native ▪ Flowers creamy-white or yellow ▪ Produces flat, curved legumes
Liz Makings FABACEAE Purple Locoweed Oxytropis lambertii Perennial | Native ▪ 13 inches tall ▪ Compound leaves in basal rosette ▪ Leaves and stems arise directly from a branching base
Mike Haddock FABACEAE Purple Locoweed Oxytropis lambertii Perennial | Native ▪ Flowers April to August – Purple/Blue ▪ Flowers elevated above leaves on stem ▪ Flowers “irregular”
Patrick Alexander Max Licher FABACEAE Honey Mesquite Prosopis glandulosa Perennial | Native ▪ Shrub or small tree 20-feet tall ▪ Leaves alternate & bipinnately compound ▪ Small straight thorns
AgriLife Extension Texas A&M System
Jason Karl FABACEAE Honey Mesquite Prosopis glandulosa Perennial | Native ▪ Fruits are pods that are long and straight or slightly curved ▪ Inflorescences greenish-yellow to creamy yellow
AgriLife Extension: Texas A&M System Jason Karl ZYGOPHYLLACEAE Creosotebush Larrea tridentata Perennial | Native ▪ Shrub up to 9 feet tall with no well-defined trunk ▪ Twigs slender with brown nodes ▪ Foliage emits creosote odor, particularly when wet or burned ▪ Leaves are opposite, bifoliate, and glossy
Patrick Alexander Jason Karl ZYGOPHYLLACEAE Creosotebush Larrea tridentata Perennial | Native ▪ Flowers yellow with 5 petals ▪ Fruits are fuzzy white spheres
Zachery Berry Max Licher WILDLAND PLANTS OF THE SOUTHWEST
University of Idaho Rangeland Program Gary Nored, Flickr