Plant Biodiversity Survey

Plant Biodiversity Survey

Common Native and Non-Native Desert Plant Search List, Tucson, AZ

(From “Plants of the Desert: Running Plant list. By Dick Barber, University of Arizona)

Names: ______Period______

Location:______Date ______

Note: Let the treasure hunt begin! Below you will find a list of native desert plants, as well as some NON-native plants that might be found in your school or backyard in Tucson. Some of these plants CHECK THE BOX if you find them in your search – see how many you can find, and make a note as to where you found them.

TREES COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME HABITAT

 Arizona (Velvet) Ash FraxinusvelutinaRiparian

 Arizona Black Walnut Juglans majorRiparian

 Cottonwood PopulusfremontiiRiparian

 Desert Willow ChilopsislinearisRiparian

 Feather tree LysolomamicrophyllaRiparian, endemic

 Ironwood OlneyatesotaDesert

 Mesquite, Velvet ProsopisvelutinaDesert

 Netleaf Hackberry Celtis reticulateRiparian

 Palo Verde, Blue CercidiumfloridumDesert

 Palo Verde, Foothills CercidiummicrophyllumDesert

 Palo Verde, Mexican ParkinsoniaaculeataDesert, introduced

 Sycamore PlatanuswrightiiRiparian

 Western Black Willow Salix gooddingiiRiparian

SHRUBS

 AgaveAgave sp.Desert

 BeargrassNolinamicrocarpaDesert/upland

 BrickelliaBrickelliasp.Desert

 BrittlebushEncinafarinoseDesert

 BurrowweedIsocomatenuisectaDesert

 BurrobrushAmbrosia (Hymenoclea) salsolaDesert

 Canyon RagweedAmbrosia ambrosiadiesDesert/Riparian

 Catclaw AcaciaAcacia greggiiDesert

 CondoliaCondaliawarnockiiDesert

 CreosoteLarreatridentateDesert

 Desert BroomBaccaharissarathodiesDesert

 Desert HackberryCeltispallidaRiparian

 Desert LavenderHyptisemoryiDesert/Riparian

 Desert MistletoePhoradendroncalifornicumParasite

SHRUBSCOMMON NAMESCIENTIFIC NAME HABITAT

 EphedraEphedra trifurcaDesert

 FairydusterCalliandraeriophyllaDesert

 GraythornZizphusobtusifoliaDesert

HopbushDodonaeaviscosaDesert

JojobaSimmondsiachinensiDesert

KoeberliniaKoeberliniaspinosaDesert

Krameria, White RatanyKrameriagrayiDesert

LimberbushJatrophacardiophyllaDesert

Lippia/BeebushAloysiawrightiiDesert

Mariola Partheniumconfertu (incanum) Desert

OcotilloFoqueriasplendansDesert

Red Bird of ParadiseCaesalpinaMexicanaDesert,

SaltbushAtriplexcanescensDesert



SeepwillowBaccahrisglutinosaRiparian

SotolDasylirionwheeleriDesert

StephanomeriaStephanomeriaexiguaDesert

SweetbushBebbiajunciaDesert

TecomastansTecomastansRiparian

Texas RangerLeucophyllumspp Desert, Chihuahuan

TrixisTrixiscalifornicaDesert

Tree TobaccoNicotaniaglaucaDesert

Triangle-leaf BursageAmbrosia deltoidiaDesert

Whitethorn AcaciaAcacia constrictaDesert

WolfberryLyciumspp (need flowers to key out)

Yellow Bird of ParadiseCaesalpiniagilliesiiDesert

Yucca

Banana YuccaYucca baccataDesert

Soaptree YuccaYucca elataDesert

Schotts’s YuccaYucca SchotiiDesert

LOW SHRUBS AND BUSHES

COMMON NAMESCIENTIFIC NAME HABITAT

CassiaSennacovesii Australia, cultivar

DaturaDaturametelodiesRiparian

Desert MarigoldBaileyamultiradiataDesert

Desert TobaccoNicotinatrigonophyllaDesert

Desert ZinniaZinnia acerosaDesert

DyssodiaDyssodiaacerosaDesert

JanusiaJanusiagracilisDesert

MallowsSphaeralceaspp.Desert

Globe MallowSphaeralceaambiguaDesert

HerissanthiaHerissanthiacrispaDesert

Indian MallowAbutilon sp.Desert

Rose MallowHibiscus sp.Desert

PenstemonPenstemon spp.Desert

SnakeweedGutierreziasarothraeDesert

SiphonoglossaSiphonoglossalongifloraDesert

Verbena

Gooding’s (Desert)GlandulariagoodingiDesert, washes

SandAbroniavillosaDesert, washes

Wright’sGlandulariawrightiiDesert

Yellow PaperflowerPsilostrophecooperiDesert

SOME SUMMER ANNUAL FLOWERS/WEEDS

COMMON NAMESCIENTIFIC NAME HABITAT

BahiaBahia absinthifoliaDesert

CaltropKalistroemiagrandifloraDesert

ClammyweedPolanisiadodecandraDesert

CrownbeardVerbesinaenceliodesDesert

Devil’s ClawProboscideaparvifloraDesert

EuphorbsEuphorbia spp.Desert

SOME SUMMER ANNUAL FLOWERS/WEEDS, cont’d

COMMON NAMESCIENTIFIC NAME HABITAT

Five-fingered GourdCurcurbitadigitataDesert

HorseweedConyzacanadensisDesert

SeneciaSenecio spp.Desert

SunflowerHelicanthusannusDesert

CACTI (Family Cactacea)

Barrel CactusFerocactusfulgidaDesert

Cholla

Jumping ChollaCylindraopuntia (opuntia)fulgida

Cane/StaghornChollaCylindraopuntiaacanthocarpa/versicolor

Christmas ChollaCylindraopuntialeptocactusDesert

 Pencil ChollaCylindraopuntiaarbusculaDesert

Teddy Bear ChollaCylindraopuntiabigelloviiDesert

Hedgehog, StrawberryEchinocerusengelmaniiDesert, upland

Hedgehog, PinkflowerEchinocerusfasciculatusDesert, upland

Night-blooming cereusPeniocereus spp.Desert

OrganpipeCereus thurberiiDesert

PincushionMammillariamicrocarpaDesert

Prickly PearOpuntiasppDesert

SaguaroCarnegiagiganteanDesert

INVASIVE DESERT SPECIES

COMMON NAMESCIENTIFIC NAME ORIGIN

GRASSES

BuffelgrassPennisetumciliareAfrica, Asia, M. East

Burmuda grassCynodondactylonMiddle East

CheatgrassBromustectorumEurasia

Fountain grassPennisetumseteceumAfrica, Asia

NutgrassCyperusrotundus Eurasia, Africa

Red BromeBromusrubensEurasia

FORBS

African (Sahara) mustardBrassica tournefortiiAfrica

Diffuse KnapweedCentaureadiffusaEurasia

London RocketSisymbriumirioEurasia

Malta starthistleCentaureameletensis Mediterranean

Puncture Vine (Goat Head)Tribulusterristris Invasive, Eurasia

TumbleweedSalsolaibericaRussia

VelvetweedGuaramollisAsia

INVASIVE DESERT SPECIES, cont’d

COMMON NAMESCIENTIFIC NAME ORIGIN

TREES/SHRUBS

African sumacRhuslancea South Africa

Athel TamariskTamarixaphylla Eurasia, Africa

SaltcedarTamarixparviflora Eurasia, Africa