I had hoped to travel to southern California this year for the spectacular wildflower bloom, but I was delayed by illness and then discouraged by the high gas prices that followed. Fortunately for me, autumn and winter rains were plentiful here in the upper Gila River valley of southwestern New Mexico, so there is an enjoyable variety of flowering plants here, including ones I haven’t met before. The format here is borrowed from my website, Wildflowers of Joshua Tree Country, an online botanical guide to some of the flora of the Mojave Desert, and I have raided the text when it fit here too. I also have to shout out two very useful websites: 1) California Plant Names: Latin and Greek Meanings and Derivations—An Annotated Dictionary of Botanical and Biographical Etymology compiled by Michael L. Charters, which is an impressive labor of love. 2) Daniel Moerman’s Native American Ethnobotany Database, which is also available in book form, and is even more impressive.
I took multiple photos of most of these plants. If you’d like to see more, check out my observations on iNaturalist.
I believe nature literacy is more important than ever in our screen-centric society, so I hope this on-screen presentation encourages you to get out and look at what’s blooming in your own corner of the world, wherever you are. Not just to “touch grass” but to ID it, demystify its scientific name, find out how humans and more-than-humans alike interact with it, and discover your own feelings for it.
Arizona Phacelia (Phacelia arizonica)
Life cycle: Annual herb
Family: Borage (Boraginaceae)
Also known as: Arizona Scorpionweed, Caterpillar Weed. “Scorpionweed” refers to the curled up inflorescence, shaped somewhat like a Scorpion’s stinger.
Translation: “Phacelia” is Greek for “a cluster,” which describes the crowded flowers in many species of this genus; “arizonica” is just Arizona, where it is prevalent.
Ethnobotany: Native Americans used various species of Phacelia medicinally, but I couldn’t find information about this species.
Ecological associations: Pollinated primarily by bees, including Bumblebees, Sweat Bees, and Mason Bees. Butterflies also feed on its nectar.
Notes: Some species can cause contact dermatitis when handled. I saw this one most thickly on an overgrazed cow pasture where cows haven’t been for a couple years, and also by the river within the historically flooded zone.
My feelings: I love this whole genus, who I first met in the Mojave Desert, where there are many species. Though this one was new to me here in the Gila, I immediately recognized its genus.
Bajada Lupine (Lupinus concinnus)
Life cycle: Annual herb
Family: Bean (Fabaceae)
Also Known As: Elegant Lupine
Translation: “Lupinus” is Latin for “wolf,” because Lupine thrives in nutrient-poor soils and it was falsely believed that Lupine robbed the soil of fertility like a wolf raids a flock. In actuality, like many species in the Legume Family, Lupine is at home in such habitat and improves its habitat by capturing (“fixing”) nitrogen from the air and adding it to the soil. According to Charters, “concinnus” is Latin for “elegant, pretty, pleasing, well-proportioned or neat,” which I find to be an apt description of this charming plant.
Notes: Like other Lupines, prefers open, disturbed areas, including post-burn landscapes.
My feelings: I appreciate the lesson of the misnaming of Lupine: how it demonstrates the common error of mistaking correlation for causation, a possibility that increases the more separated from nature we become culturally and individually.
Blue Dicks (Dipterostemon capitatus)
Life cycle: Perennial herbaceous herb.
Family: Brodiaea (Themidaceae) (until recently was classified as Lily Family, Lilaceae)
Also Known As: Purplehead, Desert Hyacinth, Wild Hyacinth, Covena, Papagolily, Grass Nuts, Brodiaea (or Brodiea or Brodeia). Given how odd “Blue Dicks” sounds, maybe pick one of these instead (though Grass Nuts might not be an improvement lol).
Translation: “Dipterostemon” is Greek from “di” which is “two,” plus “ptero” which is “wings” and “stemon” which is “stamen” and refers to the flower’s anatomy; “capitatum” or “capitatus” is Latin for “head,” which describes the way the flowers form a head-like cluster.
Ethnobotany: Many Native American tribes throughout this plant’s range harvested the corms as an important food source and kept patches productive by replanting corms and cormlets, sowing seeds, and setting controlled burns.
Ecological associations: Flowers are pollinated by bees and butterflies. Various mammals, including bears, dig and eat the roots. Bears might have been teachers for humans about this plant’s edibility and how disturbing it encourages its spread.
Notes: Sprouts from “corms,” which are enlarged, fleshy portions of the stem that grow underground, much like bulbs. Corms produce “cormlets” that become new plants. Corms and cormlets can go dormant for years at a time and re-sprout after a fire has cleared the area of vegetation that was formerly providing too much shade for them. Early European settlers, copying Native Americans, ate the corms and called them “Grass Nuts.”
My feelings: I have a fascination with all the First Foods and have been to other places in the West where this plant is quite common. Here is fairly rare, probably in part due to the lack of bears and indigenous tending these days. So that’s sad.
Bristly Fiddleneck (Amsinckia tessellata)
Life cycle: Annual herb
Family: Borage (Boraginaceae)
Also Known As: Checker Fiddleneck, Fiddleneck, Devil’s Lettuce.
Translation: Amsinckia: is named for Wilhelm Amsinck (1752-1831), Bürgermeister (mayor) and patron of botany in Hamburg, Germany; “tessellata” is Latin for “checkered” and describes the arrangement of warts on the backs of the nutlets (seeds).
Ethnobotany: The seeds and foliage are edible (not surprising considering it’s in the Borage Family) and a few Native American tribes farther west in this plant’s rage utilized it.
Ecological associations: Food plant for Painted Lady butterfly.
Notes: The common name “fiddleneck” refers to the flowering stem, coiled like a violin’s neck, which is botanically termed a “scorpioid inflorescence” because it resembles a scorpion’s curved tail. It is a pioneer plant, thriving in disturbed areas such as roadsides and unused agricultural fields. Its flowers are self-pollinating so it does not depend on insects for cross-pollination and can set healthy amounts of seed in isolation. It also contains bitter-tasting alkaloids that are toxic to livestock so it thrives in grazed areas. Interestingly, Bristly Fiddleneck is also native to Chile and Argentina, but is absent in the many thousands of miles between here and there.
My feelings: I’m always a fan of a scorpioid inflorescence, and appreciate pioneer plants of all kinds. Seeing who can deal with human disturbance is always interesting. This observation is the only time I’ve seen the species in this area and indeed this is outside its range by at least fifty miles. The spot I found it was a heap of loose sand left behind by a massive flood a few years ago, and it’s hard to imagine a more unstable habitat. How it got here, I have no idea; perhaps seeds were inadvertently introduced by a vehicle. Once or twice a year, people drive down this trail I assume because it ends at a flow-measuring station in the river. Given its hardiness and adaptability, it only would have taken a few seeds, or even one.
California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica ssp. mexicana)
Life cycle: Annual herb
Family: Poppy (Papaveraceae)
Also Known As: Golden Poppy, Mexican Poppy, California Sunlight, Cup Of Gold.
Translation: “Eschscholzia” is named for Dr. Johann Friedrich Gustav von Eschscholtz (1753-1831), a Balkan surgeon, entomologist and botanist who visited California with the Russian expeditions in the early 1800’s; “californica” is just California, where it is quite common and also the state flower.
Ethnobotany: Food, medicine and a cosmetic by many tribes within its range. A cosmetic? Yes, the pollen was used as an eye shadow by some. Western herbalism adopted the plant as a mild sedative. Very popular in flower gardens around the world.
Ecological associations: California Poppy produces pollen but no nectar, but is popular among a wide array of insects including bees, butterflies, flies, thrips, and Pirate Bugs.
Notes: In this area, it’s the subspecies “mexicana” which, due to lower precipitation and a shorter growing season, favors seed production over tap root formation, and blooms sooner compared to the subspecies “californica” on the moister West Coast. Here I see it most prominently along roads and noticed that it sometimes grows in rough horizontal bands parallel to the pavement, which reveals compaction from vehicles like the mowers that cut down vegetation once or twice a year.
My feelings: I find this simple flower entirely joyous. My favorite color is orange, so that’s part of it. Check out my 2019 essay, ““Home” as a Season, Not a Place,” which centers on California Poppies (subspecies “californica” I now know) and Painted Lady butterflies.
Canaigre Dock (Rumex hymenosepalus)
Life cycle: Perennial herb
Family: Buckwheat (Polygonaceae)
Also Known As: Canaigre, Ganagra, Arizona Dock, Tanner’s Dock. “Canaigre” is quite possibly an Anglicized corruption of the Spanish caña agria which means “sour cane,” an apt characterization of the plant’s flavor. “Ganagra” is likely a further corruption of “Canaigre.”
Translation: “Rumex” is the Latin name for plants in this genus, commonly known as “Docks”; “hymenosepalus” is Latin for “having membranous sepals,” which describes the anatomy of the flowers; “arizonicus” means “of Arizona” and “salinus” is Latin for “salty,” referring to the type of soil it can grow in.
Ethnobotany: The Zuni applied a powder of the dried root for skin issues. Different colored dyes can be extracted from the plant and the Navajo used an orange tint in their basket-making. In Western herbalism, used topically for cuts and skin irritation. Like its close relative, the well-known Garden Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum), the stalks of Wild Rhubarb are edible. The young leaves can also be eaten but as with other members of the Rumex genus, they contains oxalic acid which can be toxic in large amounts, though cooking breaks it down. The roots contain tannins that are used for leather-tanning.
Ecological associations: In other areas, it is an important larval food source for some butterflies.
My feelings: I’m familiar with this plant’s close relative Rumex crispus, Yellow Dock, which is a common agricultural weed and which is also used medicinally in Western herbalism. Though this plant is not showy, I’m still quite fond of it because it’s such a hardy survivor. It was one of the first to green up and put on new growth after the Winter Solstice here.
Chiricahua Mountain Mock Vervain (Glandularia bipinnatifida)
Featuring Nikki Hill taking a picture
Life cycle: Perennial herb, sometimes semi-woody.
Family: Vervain (Verbanaceae)
Also Known As: Dakota Mock Vervain, Prairie Verbena, Moradilla.
Translation: “Glandularia” refers to the glands covering its leaves, stems and buds; “bipinnatifida” describes the leaves, which are “twice cut,” that is bi-pinnately divided.
Ethnobotany: Nothing known.
Ecological associations: Bees, butterflies and moths, including the Sphinx Moth, included in this post. Also a nectar source for hummingbirds!
My feelings: I first met the Vervains through Verbena hastata, Blue Vervain aka Grinwort, which I grew for its nervine/sedative qualitities. Loving that plant so much, I’m always thrilled to meet a relative.
Cliff Fendlerbush (Fendlera rupicola)
Life cycle: Woody perennial shrub
Family: Hydrangea (Hydrangeaceae)
Also Known As: False Mockorange
Translation: “Fendlera” honors Augustus Fendler (1813-1883), a German plant collector, who, according the Charters, spent some time as an “itinerant lampmaker living in the woods” near Baltimore before getting into botany. He accompanied US soldiers to the Southwest during the Mexican-American war in the 1840s and settled in Santa Fe, where he collected over 1000 species of plants. “Rupicola” is Latin for “cliff,” and has the meaning here of “rock dweller” which is indeed the habitat where I observed it: a steep, rocky hillside.
Ethnobotany: Navajo people made a tea to drink if an ant was accidentally swallowed. More commonly, the wood was used by various tribes for arrow shafts and other tools including, according to Moerman, “weaving forks, planting sticks and knitting needles.”
Ecological associations: Pollinated by a wide variety of bees, butterflies and moths.
My feelings: I was thrilled to meet this plant for the first time. The flowers are quite striking, especially on a shrub in the desert. I had no idea what it was, and didn’t even have a guess for family.
Crossflower (Chorispora tenella)
Life cycle: Annual herb
Family: Cabbage (Brassicaceae)
Also Known As: Purple Mustard, Blue Mustard, Musk Mustard.
Translation: According to the Southwest Colorado Wildflowers website, “The Greek “Chori”, “separate”, and “spora”, “seed”, refers to the constricted seed shape. “Tenella” means slender and could refer to the overall plant or flower or seed shape, all of which are slender.”
Ethnobotany: None known, although no species in the Cabbage family is toxic, so it is edible. Makes decent forage for cattle, though in dairy cows it can negatively affect the flavor of milk.
Ecological associations: As an early bloomer, it serves bees and other pollinators well. Ground-foraging birds and small rodents eat the seeds.
Notes: This plant is considered a troublesome weed in some areas, but is not very common in this region. I only saw a few individuals, despite all the winter rains and the relative abundance of other annuals in the same family.
My feelings: I love all the Brassica pioneers, and the color of this flower is especially attractive, since so many such species have yellow or white blossoms.
A species in the Cryptantha genus
Life cycle: Annual herb.
Family: Borage (Boraginaceae)
Also Known As: Cat’s Eyes, Popcorn Flower (though the latter name more commonly designates species in the genus Plagiobothrys in the same family).
Translation: “Cryptantha” is Greek for “hidden flower,” which refers to the tiny, virtually invisible, flowers in this genus.
Ethnobotany: Native Americans used different species for a variety of medicinal uses, including snake bites.
Ecological associations: Pollinated by bees and butterflies.
Notes: Species in this genus are notoriously difficult to key out, and often ID depends on the shape of the minuscule seeds.
My feelings: I first met Cryptantha species in the Mojave Desert and find them fascinating. They’re easy to mix up with other genera (genuses) though.
Desert Chicory (Rafinesquia neomexicana)
Life cycle: Annual herb
Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae)
Also Known As: California Chicory, New Mexico Plumseed
Translation: “Rafinesquia” is named for Constantine Samuel Rafinesque-Schmaltz (1783-1840), an eccentric but brilliant botanist and naturalist; “neomexicana” means “of New Mexico.”
Ethnobotany: None known.
Ecological associations: Pollinated by bees, butterflies and small beetles.
Notes: Closely resembles the various wild and weedy chicories found all over North America and the world. Often grows in the shade of shrubs or up through their branches. Ronald J. Taylor, author of Desert Wildflowers of North America, describes Desert Chicory as an “engaging citizen of the desert.”
My feelings: Such a lovely plant, especially the coloration on the back of the petals.
Desert Pincushion (Chaenactis stevioides)
Life cycle: Annual herb
Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae)
Also Known As: Esteve Pincushion
Translation: Chaenactis” is Greek for “gaping ray” and refers to the outer ring of flowers, which are enlarged; “stevioides” is named for Petrus Jacobus Stevus (Pedro Jaime Esteve) (1500-1566), a Spanish botanist, physician, professor and author.
Ethnobotany: Nevada Native Americans used an infusion of this plant to slow down the heartbeats of children with fevers. The Kayenta used the juice as a glue to fix broken ceremonial items.
Ecological associations:
Notes: Chaenactis is a genus of at least 19 species, and the differences between some are subtle, coming down to leaf shape and such.
My feelings: As soon as I met my first species of Pincushion in the Mojave Desert, I was hooked. I’ve hardly ever seen it in this region, so this observation was warmly welcomed.
Fendler’s Desertdandelion (Malacothrix fendleri)
Life cycle: Annual herb
Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae)
Translation: “Malacothrix” is Greek for “soft hair,” and describes the fluffy seedhead; “fendleri” honors Augustus Fendler. See Cliff Fendlerbush, above.
Ecological associations: Popular with butterflies and bees.
Notes: The word “dandelion” is derived from the French “dents de lion” which means “lion’s tooth” and describes the serrated leaves of the common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis), which is also in the Sunflower Family.
My feelings: I have never seen this species before this spring, but am quite familiar with it’s sibling, M. glabrata, the Desert Dandelion, which is widespread throughout the Southwest. In one big bloom year in the Mojave Desert, I saw acres of meadow covered with thousands and thousands of plants. Such a simple plant, yet so happy and sunny!
Fendler’s Penstemon (Penstemon fendleri)
Life cycle: Perennial herb
Family: Plaintain (Plantaginaceae), though formerly Figwort (Scrophulariaceae), which I am resistant to give up
Also Known As: Fendler’s Beardtongue, Plains Penstemon
Translation: “Penstemon” is Greek for “fifth stamen,” which refers to the conspicuous hairiness of the lowermost of the five stamens (the “beardtongue”); “fendleri” honors Augustus Fendler. See Cliff Fendlerbush, above.
Ethnobotany: The Ramah people used the plant to treat arrow or gunshot wounds.
Ecological associations: Pollinated by bees and butterflies. Bumblebees are particularly attracted to purple flowers like this.
Notes:
My feelings: I love all the Penstemons, and will always stop to admire one. This was my first time seeing this one in this area, and I only ran across two specimens altogether.
Firewheel (Gaillardia pulchella)
Life cycle: Annual or short-lived perennial herb
Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae)
Also Known As: Indian Blanket Flower, Sundance. Known as “Indian Blanket Flower” because the colors are like those used in some Southwestern indigenous crafts.
Translation: “Gaillardia” honors “Antoine René Gaillard de Charentonneau (1720-1791), a French magistrate, naturalist and patron of botany, member of the Académie Royale des Sciences” (Charters); “pulchella” is Latin for “beautiful.”
Ethnobotany: Blossoms a good luck charm for the Kiowa. The Western Keres drank a tea of the plant to “become good drummers” (Moerman).
Ecological associations: Larval food for some butterflies and moths.
Notes: State Flower of Oklahoma, and County Flower of Penghu County, Taiwan, where it was introduced. Popular in flower gardens outside its range all over the world.
My feelings: I gasped when I saw this! Such a show-stopper of a flower.
Flatspine Stickseed (Lappula occidentalis)
Life cycle: Annual herb.
Family: Borage (Boraginaceae)
Also Known As: Flatspine Sheepburr, Western Stickseed, Lappula redowskii, Redowski’s Stickseed.
Translation: “Lappula” is from the Latin word, “lappa” meaning burr, which this plant’s fruits have (see picture below); “occidentalis” is “western.”
Ethnobotany: Navajo used it topically for sores, itching and nosebleeds.
Ecological associations: Flowers pollinated by insects, including butterflies, and seeds are eaten by birds and small mammals. Because the burrs on the seeds catch in fur so easily, they are spread by animals who happen to brush up against them.
Notes: Cosmopolitan in distribution, found not just throughout North America, but also northern Europe and Asia.
My feelings: I thought this was a species of Cryptantha at first. I’m familiar with the burrs it produces after flowering because they collect on my pants, socks or leg hair later in the season, and are honestly kind of a hassle then. Despite that, I truly appreciate it at this stage.
RELATED: I also observed the Crowned Stickseed (Lappula occidentalis var. cupulata), which is distinguished by fruit that are shaped like a crown rather than having burrs. I also noticed that the flowers had a blueish tint to them, unlike Flatspine Stickseed. It’s always exciting to ID a subspecies! See comparison of fruits here, with the burred “Flatspine” above and the “Crowned” below.
Fragrant Evening Primrose (Oenothera cespitosa)
Life cycle: Perennial herb
Family: Evening Primrose (Onagraceae)
Also Known As: Tufted Evening Primrose, Sand Lily, Morning Lily. (Despite these names, they are unrelated to Lilies.)
Translation: “Oenothera” is Greek in origin, but its exact meaning is disputed. According to Charters: “One source says that this name derives from the Greek oinos, ‘wine,’ and thera, ‘to imbibe,’ because an allied European plant was thought to induce a taste for wine. However, Stearn’s Dictionary of Plant Names gives an alternate meaning for thera as ‘booty,’ but also suggests that Oenothera could be a corruption of the Greek onotheras from onos, ‘ass,’ [donkey] and thera, ‘hunting, chase, pursuit’ or ther, ‘wild beast.’ The root ther also can have the meaning of ‘summer.’ What this might have to do with the actual plant is unexplained.”
“Cespitosa” means “growing in a tuft.”
Ethnobotany: The Cahuilla tribe would harvest Sphinx moth caterpillars from the closely related Dune Primrose (O. deltoides) for food when they were plentiful.
Ecological associations: Interestingly, bees are not so effective at pollinating this plant because of the flower’s structure. The female part (the “stigma”) which receive pollen is taller than the male parts (the anthers) that shed pollen, so a visiting bee collecting pollen from anthers and going flower to flower might not come into contact with stigmas at all. In this photo you can see the long-stemmed stigma, which is forked, surrounded by anthers, which are like lopsided “T”s and are covered in yellow pollen. It’s easy to imagine a bee kinda ducking under the stigma.
So how does this plant get pollinated? Mostly by Sphinx moths, who use their long tongues to feed off the nectar deep in the flower, and who brush up against all the flower parts when they do, picking up pollen in the process and transferring it to the next flower it visits.. The Sphinx moth is mostly nocturnal, and the Fragrant Primrose flower stays open all night to accommodate this schedule. Additionally, the leaves and flowers of the plant are the primary food source for the moth’s larvae. Pictured here is the White-Lined Sphinx Moth (Hyles lineata).
Notes: Flowers start out white and showy white and fade to pinkish and raggedy. Forms a sturdy tap root and can spread through side roots. Prefers “poor” soils (as in “poor” for agriculture).
My feelings: I first met Dune Primrose in the Mojave Desert and have been thrilled to meet its relatives elsewhere. (White-stem Evening Primrose (O. albicaulis) is featured in last year’s “Checkerblooms, Globemallows, Beardtongues & more” about Colorado flora.) Such elegant blossoms. I love taking closeups of them.
Golden Currant (Ribes aureum)
Life cycle: Woody perennial
Family: Gooseberry (Grossulariaceae)
Also Known As: Clove Currant, Pruterberry, Buffalo Currant.
Translation: According to Michael Charters: “from Latin ribes, ‘currant,’ from the Arabic or Persian ribas, meaning ‘rhubarb or acid-tasting and undecorated, unattractive’”; “aureum” is Latin for “gold.”
Ethnobotany: Berries are edible, if tart, and were eaten by Native Americans throughout the plant’s range. Some tribes made a tea of the bark for topical application to swellings.
Ecological associations: Pollinated by bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Berries eaten by birds and mammals.
My feelings: These are growing on my friend’s rural property but I’ve never seen them make fruit. The flowers are quite attractive though!
Golden Smoke (Corydalis aurea)
Life cycle: Annual or biennial herb.
Family: Poppy (Papaveraceae)
Also known as: Scrambled Eggs, Golden Corydalis.
Translation: From ancient Greek korydalos, the Crested Lark because the flowers have spurs like the bird; “aurea,” as above, is golden.
Ethnobotany: Used medicinally by many Native American tribes for a variety of ailments. Wikipedia lists “heart diseases, backaches, stomach aches, menstruation pain, diarrhea, sore throats, and bronchitis.” Seeds are potentially toxic.
Ecological associations: Seeds are spread by wind and ants. The seeds have a coating called “elaiosome” which is unpalatable to rodents, but which ants feed their young. So the ants carry seeds back to their colonies, distribute the elaiosome, and then discard the still viable seeds outside. Quite an evolutionary story there! For pollination, only long-tongued bees can reach the nectar, but some species of bees lacking such anatomy will chew holes into the sides of the flower, stealing nectar and not pollinating. So Golden Smoke still has to work that one out.
Notes: Lover of disturbed areas, including post-fire landscapes. If a place recovers from disturbance, they die out. Seeds are long-lived and can remain viable in the soil for decades.
My feelings: Such a striking inflorescence! At first I thought this plant was in the Pea family (Fabaceae) because the bilaterally symmetrical flowers and was surprised to learn they in Papaveraceae. The flavor of the foliage is incredibly bitter. When I have tasted some, the flavor has lingered in my mouth for like 45 minutes.
Goodding’s Willow (Salix gooddingii)
Life cycle: Woody perennial
Family: Willow (Salicaceae)
Also Known As: Goodding’s Black Willow
Translation: “Salix” is the old Latin name for the willow, and comes from the verb, “to leap or spring,” which describes their rapid growth; “gooddingii” is named for Leslie Newton Goodding (1880-1967), a botanist and collector.
Ethnobotany: Widespread use among many Native American tribes for both crafts (basket-making, bows) and medicine (pain relief).
Ecological associations: Considered a keystone species due to its importance to so many animals and insects. Pollen and nectar are an important early food source for many bees and butterflies. Foliage is eaten by many larvae and also mammals. Preferred food of Beavers, who also use it in construction. Alongside water provides shade for fish and other aquatic creatures.
Notes: Species is dioecious, meaning male and female flowers are found on separate individuals. Seeds are viable for only a few days so must find suitable habitat immediately. Like the Cottonwood, this species benefits from spring floods, and has suffered in their absence since all the dams were built in the 20th Century.
My feelings: Willows are so lush in the desert environment, and are only found near water, usually directly alongside it, though I observed this specimen up on a shaded slope above the river. I have friends who make baskets so I’ve been trained to pay attention to them wherever I see them. I’m also fond of catkins, just as a kind of flower.
Gordon’s Bladderpod (Physaria gordonii)
Life cycle: Annual or short-lived perennial herb
Family: Cabbage (Brassicaceae)
Translation: “Physaria” is from the Greek word for “bellows,” which the pod resembles; “gordonii” is named for Scottish horticulturist Alexander Gordon, who botanized in the Southwest in the 1840s. Pods pictured below:
Ethnobotany: Unknown, though it is edible.
Ecological associations: Nectar-rich blooms attract bees.
Notes: Listed as “rare.”
My feelings: Ephemeral species of brassica are such a part of spring for me, so it was lovely to meet this one, who is native to the Southwest. Because it’s a yellow-flowered brassica who thrives in disturbed places, I’m sure there are people who don’t take a close look and dismiss it as “invasive.” <eye roll> Their loss.
Heath-leaved Chaetopappa (Chaetopappa ericoides)
Life cycle: Perennial herb
Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae)
Also Known As: Rose Heath
Translation: “Chaetopappa” is derived from Greek and means “bristly pappus”; a “pappus” is a downy attachment to a seed that aids in wind dispersal. Think Dandelions and blowing a wish. “Ericoides” means “resembling Heath,” because the leaves are shaped like those of Heath plants.
Ethnobotany: The Zuni applied a tea of the plant topically for skin issues.
Ecological associations: The plant’s long blooming period serves pollinators well into the summer.
Notes: Like many of the plants in this article, is well-adapted to poor soils. The mat-forming habit of this species helps stabilize the soil.
My feelings: I’m always delighted to make acquaintance with another member of Asteraceae, so was quite happy to meet a new one with this species.
Hoary Townsend Daisy (Townsendia incana)
Life cycle: Perennial herb
Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae)
Also Known As: Silvery Townsendia Daisy, Easter Daisy (presumably because of the time of year it blooms).
Translation: “Townsendia” is named for amateur botanist David Townsend (1787-1858); “incana” is Latin for “grey or hoary.” In J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, the wizard Gandalf, known as “the Grey,” says that his name “in the South” was “Incanus.” This was one of the very rare (or perhaps only) instances when he obviously borrowed from Latin for his mythological languages.
Ethnobotany: According to ethnobotanist Daniel Moerman, the Hopi used it to “induce pregnancy and insure male child” and the Navajo to induce labor.
Ecological associations: Generalist pollinators including bees and flies.
Notes: Described by Southwest Colorado Wildflowers website as “very handsome, definitely cute.”
My feelings: Just met this plant this year for the first time and I was utterly charmed. I guess it’s common, but I’ve missed it until now. I’ll be keeping my eye out now.
Mojave Ceanothus (Ceanothus pauciflorus)
Life cycle: Woody perennial
Family: Buckthorn (Rhamnaceae)
Also Known As: Desert Ceanothus, California Lilac
Translation: “Ceanothus” is from Greek keanothus for spiny plant; “pauciflorus” means “few flowers” which is clearly an error. Perhaps the person who named the species was going from a poor sample. It oughtta be renamed “multiflorus.”
Ecological associations: Highly fragrant flowers attract many pollinators including bees and butterflies.
Notes: Southwest Colorado Wildflowers recommends: “If you get a chance to view Ceanothus flowers, be sure to look at them with a hand lens for a beautiful thrill.”
My feelings: I know the genus Ceanothus from the West Coast, where there are many species. There it it commonly greens up from its roots after fires and the color contrasts with the blackened ground. I didn’t have a hand lens but was wowed by the flowers.
Mule Fat (Baccharis salicifolia)
Life cycle: Woody perennial
Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae)
Also Known As: Seepwillow, Water Wally
Translation: ; “salicifolia” is “willow leafed” which is accurate; when not in flower, I often mix it up for a willow.
Ethnobotany: Decoction of the plant used on hair and scalp by various tribes.
Ecological associations: Flowers attract a variety of butterfly. Birds shelter in the branches.
Notes: Important riparian species for stabilizing banks and making new sand bars into more permanent land.
My feelings: I often see this one in the same places as willows, and admittedly it kinda fades into the background for me, but it’s much showier when in flower, and got my attention this time.
Notch-leaf Scorpionweed (Phacelia crenulata)
Life cycle: Annual herb
Family: Borage (Boraginaceae)
Also Known As: Notch-Leaf Scorpion-Weed, Cleftleaf Wildheliotrope, Heliotrope Phacelia.
Translation: “Phacelia” is Greek for “a cluster,” which describes the crowded flowers in many species of this genus; “crenulata” means “notched”; in English, a wall topped with teeth-like battlements is called “crenulated.”
Ethnobotany: Plant used for sore throat, swellings, and injured animals by the Hopi and Western Keres.
Ecological associations: This genus is a major source of nectar and pollen for butterflies and bees throughout the Southwest.
Notes: Take caution because this one is known to cause contact dermatitis.
My feelings: Like I said earlier, I love all the Phacelias, and I always have to stop for them.
Purplemat (Nama demissa)
Life cycle: Annual herb, often forming a mat
Family: Waterleaf (Hydrophyllaceae)
Also Known As: Desert Mat
Translation: “Nama” is Greek for “stream” and refers to the usual habitat of this genus; “demissum” is Latin for “humble” or “lowly” and is an apt description of this low-growing plant.
Ethnobotany: The Kawaiisu pounded the seeds in a bedrock mortar and then boiled them into a porridge.
Ecological associations: Bees and butterflies.
Notes: Like other ground-covers, this plant creates a micro-habitat that is cooler and conserves moisture.
My feelings: Such a cute plant! I take care not to step on it, though it surely must be adapted for at least some of that. I saw large mats of this species in the Mojave Desert, but just scattered individuals here.
Scarlet Globemallow (Sphaeralcea coccinea)
Life cycle: Perennial herbaceous
Family: Mallow (Malvaceae)
Also Known As: Scarlet Mallow, Cowboy’s Delight, Prairie Mallow, Red False Mallow.
Translation: Sphaeralcea” is Greek for “globe-mallow” and refers to the spherical fruits (which later flatten into “cheese wheels”); “coccinea” according to Charters: “from the Latin word coccineus which means “scarlet” or “crimson,” from the Latin coccum derived from Ancient Greek κόκκος, and usually translated as berry, but referring specifically to the gall of the Kermes oak (Quercus coccifera), used in the past to create a scarlet dye.” Wow, the paths that words take!
Ethnobotany: Used medicinally by Southwestern tribes for a variety of purposes including as a poultice for sores, to improve appetite, for pain, to stop bleeding, to protect skin from hot water and for hydrophobia.
Ecological associations: Foliage is consumed by many mammals including deer, Bighorn Sheep, Prairie Dogs and Jackrabbits. Birds and small mammals eat the seeds. Also a dependable source of pollen for bees because the blooming season is long.
Notes: It’s tricky to ID the various species of Sphaeralcea, and my guess here is based on the shape of the leaf, which is more deeply lobed than most. The genus tends to be a pioneer species that thrives after disturbance and slowly gives way to other plants if recovery is allowed.
My feelings: I’m a big fan of the Globemallows, who I first met in the Mojave Desert, where I never saw this one. As I mentioned, orange is my favorite color, but I’m also way into the Mallow family, which I was introduced to through the medicinal Marshmallow (Althea officinalis) and the Cheeseweed (Malva neglecta), the garden volunteer. Oh and Hollyhocks of course!
Spreading Fleabane (Erigeron divergens)
Life cycle: Annual, biennial or short-lived perennial herb
Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae)
Also Known As: Branching Fleabane, Fleabane Daisy
Translation: Erigeron” is Greek and translates figuratively as “old man in the spring,” referring to this genus’s quick cycle of aging in which it flowers, seeds and dies back early in the season, which is quite poetic, really; “divergens” translates here as “spreading” which describes the plant’s growth habit.
Ethnobotany: Used medicinally by the Navajo for childbirth, topically on skin, as an eyewash, for headaches and for snakebites. Considered a good luck charm by the Kiowa.
Ecological associations: Food source for small mammals like mice, rabbits and ground squirrels. Attracts predatory insects, so could be considered beneficial in a garden setting if you live in an arid region.
Notes: A highly variable species in terms of form and color, besides lifecycle. This plant can also engage in agamospermy, which is asexual reproduction of seeds. That is, flowers don’t need to be pollinated for viable seeds to form, making this species well-adapted to establishing in a fresh disturbance where pollinators might not be in high numbers.
My feelings: I love the fleabanes for their fine petals. Their “agamospermy,” now that I know about it, is another point of appreciation!
Spreading Woollystar (Eriastrum diffusum)
Life cycle: Annual herb
Family: Phlox (Polemoniaceae)
Also Known As: Miniature Woollystar
Translation: “Eriastrum” is Greek for “woolly star,” which refers to the fuzzy bunches of star-shaped flowers; “diffusum” is “spreading” and describes the plant’s growth habit.
Ecological associations: Another plant adapted to “poor” soils.
Notes: A study of annual plants in the vicinity of Kangaroo Rats found that this species grew very well in the spaces between burrows, but not in the soil near the openings where nitrogen levels were higher from Kangaroo Rat scat.
My feelings: I met a few Eriastrums in the Mojave Desert, and they’ve occupied a soft spot in my heart ever since. How couldn’t they? They’re cute and fuzzy!
Western Bristly Scaleseed (Spermolepis lateriflora)
Life cycle: Annual herb
Family: Carrot (Apiaceae)
Also Known As: Rillito Valley Scaleseed, Side-flowering Scaleseed, Nesom’s Scaleseed, Side-Flower Spermolepis, Lateral-flowered Spermolepis
Translation: “Spermolepis” means “scaled seed”; “lateriflora” means “flowers on the side,” as in, on the side of the stem.
Ecological associations: All members of this family are popular with a greater-than-average variety of insects, from bees to flies to wasps, and more.
Notes: This species is apparently somewhat rare, and is no longer found in California outside one sighting in 2017.
My feelings: The only member of the Carrot family I’ve see so far this year! That’s one of my favorite families so I was excited to run across this species, whom I’ve never met til now. I really like the fine foliage, which reminded me of the upper-most leaves of Cilantro. The plant had a vaguely carrot-like scent when rubbed. This plant might not look like much to you, but might be my favorite new find this spring!
Western Rock-Jasmine (Androsace occidentalis)
Life cycle: Annual herb
Family: Primrose (Primulaceae)
Also Known As: Western Fairy Candelabra. This is definitely a case where the “also known as” should be the primary name!
Translation: “Androsace” is, according to Charters, “from the Greek name for some uncertain sea-plant, deriving from the Greek andros or aner, ‘a man, male,’ and sakos, ‘a shield’” which, thanks for looking into it, but that doesn’t shed much light here; “occidentalis” is western.
Ethnobotany: The Navajo used this plant as an ingredient in a compound medicinal to treat post-partum bleeding.
Ecological associations: Not much research into this plant, though bees and butterflies are presumed to be pollinators.
Notes: The range of this species quite extensive, from the western Canadian province to Mexico, and from California to the Great Lakes. I’m sure lots of people miss it though!
My feelings: I very nearly missed this plant entirely, it’s so diminutive. Once I spotted one, though, I saw a bunch more on a gentle rocky slope. Just in that one area though. The tiny little bell-shaped flowers were immediately entrancing, like a fairy candelabra indeed!
Whitedaisy Tidytips (Layia glandulosa)
Life cycle: Annual herb
Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae)
Also Known As: Whitedaisy Tidy Tips, White Layia, Yellow Rayed Layia
Translation: “Layia” is named for George Tradescant Lay (1799-1845), an English naturalist; “gladulosa” is Latin for “provided with glands,” and refers to pin-like glands on the stems.
Ethnobotany: The Cahuilla ground the seeds into flour and combined them with other ingredients to make a porridge. The seeds were also eaten by the Luiseño.
Ecological associations: Attracts generalist insect pollinators. The foliage is the larval food of some butterflies. Birds forage the seeds.
Notes: The common name “Tidy Tips” actually describes another species in this genus that has yellow ray petals tipped with white. A defining characteristic of the flower is the three-lobed shape of each white ray petal, as if each one were a triple petal. Taylor calls this plant “a little charmer.”
My feelings: I find those distinctive three-lobed petals quite attractive.
Woolly Plantain (Plantago patagonica)
Life cycle: Annual herb, as a fall-germinating, over-wintering plant in some areas.
Family: Plantain (Plantaginaceae)
Also Known As: Pursh Plantain, Woolly Indianwheat, Spanish: Pastora
Translation: “Plantago” is Latin for “footprint” because members of this genus can thrive in compact soils like found on paths; “patagonica” refers to Patagonia in South America, where the species also lives.
Ethnobotany: Seeds eaten, often as a mush, by several tribes. The Hopi fed it to people to make them “more agreeable.” Used medicinally by the Western Keres for headaches and diarrhea.
Ecological associations: Not such showy flowers for pollinators but visited by bees. Larval food plants for some butterflies. Leaves eaten by deer and by small mammals including ground squirrels and rabbits. Birds including Quail eat the seeds. Grasshoppers also eat this plant.
Notes: Another one of these mysteries like Bristly Fiddleneck, above, where the species is common in western North America down to Mexico, and then again in South America (including Patagonia duh) but nowhere in between. How does this happen?
My feelings: I know Plantago genus from the garden, where P. major and P. lanceolata are common volunteers who happen to be edible and medicinal (apply a poultice of the leaves to bee stings for reliable relief). I never met this one til this spring though so I was pretty excited. It was growing almost exclusively in the weedy area between the two-tracks on a little-used road that only sees motorized traffic once or twice a year, and which is far more frequently used by hikers and horse riders.
