Species Checklist National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Threadleaf Ragwort Color Species Habit Season (Senecioflaccidus) w Ambrosia dumosa (burrobush) S C Joshua Tree National Park Commonly found in washes, this w Atriplex canescens (fourwing saltbush) S H w Baccharis sergiloides (desert baccharis) s H ^ » shrubby species is very responsive to any type of moisture and w Brickellia atractyloides (pungent brickellia) s C you can often find it flowering w Chilopsis linearis (desert willow) T H throughout the year. The bright w Eriogonum fasciculatum (California buckwheat) s C, H Eriogonum inflatum (desert trumpet) p C, H yellow flowering heads are a little w w Funastrum hirtellum (hairy milkweed) p C more than an inch wide. Such •t. w Galium stellatum (starry bedstraw) SS C striking blooms and often bright W/P Gilia stellata (star gilia) A C *0 green foliage make the plant highly w Lycium andersonii (Anderson's boxthorn) s C CottonwoocT conspicuous. Many plants in the genus Senecio w Nicotiana obtusifolia (desert tobacco) s C Spring have pyrrollzidine alkaloids, which are toxic to w Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana (honey mesquite) S, T C ••■X. Mastodon both livestock and humans. Repeatedly digesting w Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) s C IN Peak \ • these plants has been known to cause liver cancer. w Yucca brevifolia (Joshua tree) T C Y Acmispon rigidus (desert rock pea) SS C A Y Adenophyllum cooperi (Cooper's dyssodia) p c Bush Arrowleaf Y Bahiopsis parishii (Parish's goldeneye) s c (Pleurocoronis Y Bebbia juncea var. aspera (sweetbush) s C, H 0 0.1 Q.2 0.3 0.4 Miles pluriseta) Y Brickellia californica (California brickellia) s H 0 160 320 500 650 Meters Y Cylindropuntia echinocarpa (silver choNa) c C As the common name Y Dudleya saxosa (desert live-forever) p c See inside of guide for a selection of plants found on this trail. suggests, this small shrub has Echinocactus polycephalus var. polycephalus Y leaves that are shaped like (cottontop cactus) The Flora of Joshua Tree National Park tiny arrows, a unique trait Y Ericameria cuneafa (rock goldenbush) s H Three distinct biogeographic regions converge in Joshua Tree that makes identification Y Ferocactus cylindraceus (barrel cactus) c C National Park, creating a rich flora: nearly 730 vascuiar plant rather easy. You can find this Y Opuntia chiorotica (pancake cactus) c c T c species have been documented here. small hardy shrub clinging Y Parkinsonia florida (blue Palo Verde) Y Peritoma arborea (bladderpod) s C, H to canyon walls and rock crevices. Despite these Y Physalis crassifolia (groundcherry) p C harsh conditions, it blooms in all but the hottest The Sonoran Desert to the south and east, at elevations Y Salix exigua (narrowleaf willow) S,T C parts of the year. less than 3000 ft (914 m), contributes a unique set of plants Y Senecio flaccidus (threadleaf ragwort) SS C that are adapted to a bi-seasonal precipitation pattern Y Senegalia greggii (cat's claw acacia) S H : Senna armata (desert senna) s (winter and summer), as well as a low frequency of freezing Y C, H Black-banded Rabbitbrush Y Stanleya pinnata (prince's plume) SS C conditions. The higher elevations of the park are dominated (Ericameria paniculata) 0 Adenophyllum porophylloides (San Felipe dyssodia) SS c by the Little San Bernardino Mountains, an eastern extension R Epilobium canum (California fuschia) SS H of California's Transverse Ranges. Although this desert The common name of this rabbitbrush R Fouquieria splendens ssp. splendens (ocotillo) s, T C upland area represents the southwestern corner of the refers to die thick black bands along R Phoradendron californicum (desert mistletoe) pp c Cottonwood Spring and Coryphantha alversonii (cushion foxtail cactus) p c Mojave Desert, it also serves as a conduit for many plants the stems caused by a smut fungus. P P Cylindropuntia ramosissima (pencil cholla) c H to reach their easternmost distribution, thus providing for an You can see these bands from a Mastodon Peak Loop distance, making it a distinguishing P Echinocereus engelmannii (hedgehog cactus) c C interesting mix of chaparral, montane, and desert species. character of this species. In addition, P Eriogonum wrightii (Wright's buckwheat) SS H P Krameria erecta (littleleaf ratany) s C A Botanical Trail Guide it has distinct resinous dots on the Stillingia linearifolia (linear-leaved stillingia) p C, H It is the intermingling of species from all three of these leaves, visible as little depressions on P This trail Is located In the Colorado Desert portion P Tiquilia canescens var. canescens (shrubby tiquilia) SS C, H biogeographic regions that lends the Park its incredible the leaf surface. If the leaves seem of the park. In the scenic Eagle Mountains. From the V Eriastrum eremicum (desert woollystar) A C discouragingly pungent, the resin is doing its diversity: shrub assemblages here, for example, are among V Gilia sinuata (rosy gilia) A C trallhead. It Is an easy downhill walk to Cottonwood the most diverse vegetation types in North America. To job: it's there to dissuade hungry herbivores. V Phacelia campanularia (desert bluebells) A C Spring, where the palm oasis Is located. Nearly one- ^ appreciate the full floristic richness of this area, try to catch You can find the black-banded rabbitbrush V Psorothamnus schottii (indigo bush) S C half mile after Cottonwood Spring, the Mastodon along sandy wash corridors. the fleeting bloom of annual plants, which represent half V Salvia columbariae (chia) A c Peak trail loops off from the Lost Palms Oasis trail. Scutellaria mexicana (paper-bag bush) S c Color (flower color) V the species found in the park. Many of these annuals will V Stephanomeria exigua (small wirelettuce) A c, H This section takes you through typical Sonoran Scrub W (white); Y (yellow); O (orange); R (red); P (pink to purple); only flower after hot monsoonal rain events, at a time of V Xylorhiza tortifolia (Mojave aster) S c vegetation. Including unique stands of graythorn year when many people assume the desert to be completely V (violet to blue); F (fern); G (green^rown); C (cone) G Hilaria rigida (big gallela grass) PG C, H (Zizyphus obtusifolia) and BIgelow nollna (NoUna dormant. Looking at plants is a year-long activity in Joshua Habit (general growth shape) G Muhlenbergia porteri (bush muhly) PG H bigelovii). Once on the Mastodon Peak Loop trail, you Tree. Pair the list in this guide with a botanical field guide A (annual); P (perennial); PG (perennial grass); G Muhlenbergia rigens (deergrass) PG H will climb uphill along bouldery canyons and outcrops, Poa secunda (big bluegrass) PG C, H SS (subshrub); C (cactus); S (shrub); T (tree) G and see how many you can identify. G Stipa parishii (Parish's needlegrass) PG C with an optional detour to Mastodon Peak on an Season Happy hiking! C Ephedra aspera (rough jointfir) S C unmalntalned trail. This loop Is 2.4 miles (3.9 km) with H: responds to hot season precipitation (generally blooms C Juniperus californica (California juniper) S, T moderate elevation gain. June-Oct); C: responds to cool season precipitation (generally blooms Feb-June) Guide 5 In This Series .