Cabeza Prieta Natural History Association
Sonoran Desert Plants
This list is approximately one fourth of the total of 473 entries in the list of plants. You may limit the list to plants that have specific characteristics by using the Plant Identificaton Form. Use the Key Word Search Form to generate a list of plants who's database record contain your search phrase.
List plants by common name: [A-C] | [D-G] | [H-R] | [S-Z] | [A-Z]
- Acuña cactus (Echinomastus erectocentrus var. Acunata) - low columnar cactus *
- Adenophyllum (Adenophyllum porophylloides) - low shrub *
- Ajo lily, Desert lily (Hesperocallis undulata) - perennial forb *
- Ajo oak (Quercus ajoensis) - medium tree *
- Alkali goldenbush (lobed leaves) (Isocoma acradenia var. acradenia) - low shrub,medium shrub *
- Alkali goldenbush (non-lobed leaves) (Isocoma acradenia var. acradenia) - low shrub,medium shrub *
- Alkali heliotrope, hierba del sapo (Heliotropium curassavicum) - annual forb
- Alkali sacaton, zacaton alcalino (Sporobolus airoides) - grass *
- Amolillo, Shin Dagger (Agave schottii) - succulent *
- Angel's trumpets (lanceolate leaves) (Acleisanthes longiflora) - perennial forb
- Angel's trumpets (ovate-triangular leaves) (Acleisanthes longiflora) - perennial forb
- Angle pod (Matelea parvifolia) - perennial vine
- Annual globe mallow, mal de ojo (Sphaeralcea coulteri) - annual forb *
- Arabic schismus (Schismus arabicus) - introduced annual grass *
- Arched comb-bur (Pectocarya recurvata) - annual forb *
- Arizona blanket-flower (Gaillardia arizonica) - annual forb *
- Arizona evening primrose (Oenothera arizonica) - annual forb
- Arizona fiesta flower (Pholistoma auritum var. arizonicum) - annual forb *
- Arizona fluffweed (Filago arizonica) - annual forb
- Arizona jewelflower (Streptanthus carinatus subsp.arizonicus) - annual forb *
- Arizona lupine (Lupinus arizonica) - annual forb *
- Arizona rosewood (Vauquelinia californica) - small tree,large shrub *
- Arizona scarlet-bugler (Penstemon subulatus) - perennial forb *
- Arizona snakeweed (Gutierrezia arizonica) - annual forb
- Arizona spike-moss, flor de piedra (Selaginella arizonica) - spike moss *
- Arrow weed (Pluchea purpurascens var. purpurascens (P. sericea)) - tall shrub *
- Arrow-leaf (Pleurocoronis pluriseta) - small shrub
- Arrow-leaf (Pleurocoronis pluriseta) - small shrub
- Arroyo lupine, Coulter's lupine (Lupinus sparsiflorus) - annual forb *
- Ashy limberbush (Jatropha cinerea) - medium shrub *
- Ayenia (Ayenia filiformis (Ayenia pusilla)) - subshrub
- Ayenia (Ayenia filiformis (Ayenia pusilla)) - subshrub
- Baby Bonnets (Coursetia glandulosa) - tall shrub *
- Bare-stem larkspur (Delphinium scaposum) - perennial forb,poisonous *
- Barnyard grass, zacate de agua, zacate de corral (Echinochloa crusgalli var. crusgalli) - introduced annual grass *
- Bearded cryptantha (Cryptantha barbigera) - annual forb
- Bearded cupgrass, zacate taza (Eriochloa aristata var. aristata) - annual grass *
- Beargrass, sacahuista, basket grass (Nolina microcarpa) - low shrub *
- Beaver tail cactus (Opuntia basilaris) - pad cactus *
- Bermuda grass, zacate bermuda, zacate ingles (Cynodon dactylon var. dactylon) - introduced invasive stoloniferous perennial grass *
- Big galleta, galleta grande, tobosa (Pleuraphis rigida (Hilaria rigida)) - large perennial grass *
- Bigelow bluegrass, zacate azul nativo (Poa bigelovii) - annual grass *
- Bigelow linanthus (Linanthus bigelovii) - annual forb
- Bigelow linanthus (Linanthus bigelovii) - annual forb
- Bitter condalia (Condalia globosa) - tall shrub,small tree *
- Bitterweed (Hymenoxys odorata) - annual forb *
- Bladder mallow (Herissantia crispa) - perennial forb *
- Bladder sage (Salazaria mexicana) - medium shrub
- Blazing star (Mentzelia multiflora) - perennial forb
- Blue dicks, wild-hyacinth, coveria (Dichelostemma capitatum subsp. pauciflorum) - perennial forb *
- Blue Palo Verde (Parkinsonia florida (Cercidium floridum)) - medium tree *
- Blue sand lily (Triteleiopsis palmeri) - perennial forb *
- Blue-eyed scorpion-weed (Phacelia distans) - annual forb *
- Brickell-bush (Brickellia coulteri) - low shrub *
- Bristly calico (Langloisia setosissimum) - annual forb *
- Bristly nama, morada, sandbells (Nama hispidum) - annual forb
- Brittle phacelia (Phacelia neglecta) - annual forb *
- Brittle spine-flower, short-horn spine-flower (Chorizanthe brevicornu ssp. Brevicornu) - annual forb *
- Brittlebush, incienso (Encelia farinosa) - low shrub *
- Broad-leaf gilia (Gilia latifolia) - annual forb
- Broad-leaf gilia (Gilia latifolia) - annual forb
- Broad-wing comb-bur (Pectocarya platycarpa) - annual forb
- broom snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae) - perennial forb
- Brown-center brittlebush (Encelia farinosa var phenicodonta) - low shrub
- Brown-eyed evening primrose (Camissonia claviformis ssp. Claviformis) - annual forb *
- Brown-eyed evening primrose (Camissonia claviformis ssp. Peeblesii) - annual forb
- Brown-eyed evening primrose (Camissonia claviformis ssp. Rubescens) - annual forb *
- Brownfoot (Acourtia wrightii) - perennial forb
- Buckhorn cholla (Opuntia acanthocarpa) - low arborescent cactus *
- Buffelgrass, zacate buffel (Pennisetum ciliare (Cenchrus ciliaris)) - introduced,invasive perennial grass
- Bush muhly, zacate aparejo (Muhlenbergia porteri) - perennial grass *
- Button Brittlebush, Green brittlebush, Rayless encelia (Encelia frutescens) - low shrub *
- California brome (Bromus carinatus) - grass *
- California caltrop, mal de ojo (Kallstroemia californica) - annual forb
- California chicory (Rafinesquia californica) - annual forb
- California fagonia (Fagonia californica subsp. Californica) - subshrub
- California fagonia (Fagonia californica subsp.californica) - subshrub *
- California fagonia (Fagonia callifornica subsp. longipes) - subshrub
- California fluffweed (Filago californica) - annual forb
- California snake bush, snakewood (Colubrina californica) - tall shrub
- California suncup, mustard evening primrose (Camissonia californica) - annual forb *
- California three-awn, tres barbas de California (Aristida californica var. californica) - perennial grass *
- Cane bluestem, zacate popotillo (Bothriochloa barbinodis (Andropogon barbinodis)) - perennial grass *
- Cane cholla (Opuntia spinosior) - medium arborescent cactus *
- Cane cholla (Opuntia spinosior) - medium arborescent cactus *
- Cane cholla (Opuntia spinosior) - medium arborescent cactus *
- Canutillo, tepopote, long-leaved joint-fir (Ephedra trifurca) - medium shrub *
- Canyon ragweed, giant bursage (Ambrosia ambrosioides) - medium shrub *
- Careless weed (Amaranthus palmeri) - annual forb,invasive
- Cat Claw, Wait-a-minute Bush (Acacia greggii) - tall shrub *
- Cereus, Reina de la noche, Night-blooming cereus (Peniocereus greggii var. transmontanus (Cereus greggii)) - sprawling cactus *
- Chain-fruit cholla (Opuntia fulgida var. fulgida) - tall arborescent cactus *
- Checker fiddleneck (Amsinckia tessellata) - annual forb
- Chrysanthemum-leaved hideseed (Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. bipinnatifida) - annual forb *
- Chuparosa (Justicia californica) - medium shrub *
- Climbing milkweed (Sarcostemma cynanchoides var. hartwegii) - non-woody vine *
- Coldenia, crinklemats (Tiquilia palmeri) - annual forb
- Common dogweed (Thymophylla pentachaeta) -
- Common sow thistle, chinita (Sonchus oleraceus) - introduced weedy annual forb *
- Corkseed fishhook cactus (Mammillaria tetrancistra) - pincushion cactus
- Cotton-top cactus (Echinocactus polycephalus) - spherical cactus *
- Cottontop, zacate punta blanca (Digitaria californica (Trichachne californica)) - perennial grass *
- Coulter's wrinkle-fruit (Tetraclea coulteri) - perennial forb
- Coville barrel cactus (Ferocactus emoryi) - medium columnar cactus *
- Coyote gourd, calabachilla, chichi coyota (Cucurbita digitata) - vine *
- Creosote bush (Larrea divaricata subsp. tridentata (Larrea tridentata)) - medium shrub *
- Crucifixion thorn, corona de cristo (Castela emoryi) - small tree *
- Cutleaf thelypodium (Caulanthus lasiophyllus var. lasiophyllus) - annual forb *
The scope of this page is to provide links to information and images of most or all of the plant species native to the Sonoran Desert of southwestern Arizona. Currently, not all the species in this region are on the list, but more will be added from time to time. Information and images for species already on the list are continually being added and updated. Because of this, be sure to check back occasionally.
The plant identification page and the plant images are meant to be only a first step in the identification process. In spite of our best efforts, it is not possible to insure that 100% accuracy in identifying unknown plants can be obtained by using search keys and photographs. When it is of critical importance to be absolutely sure of the identification of a plant, a specimen must be examined by a professional botanist and verified at a recognized herbarium.
* Specie page has photos.
Questions and comments are encouraged. If you have any of these or are in disagreement with any information or images being presented, please contact us at, content_mgr@cabezaprieta.org Feedback is necessary to enable us to correct incorrect information and to further fine-tune the identification process.
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Thomas R. Powell