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 scientific name: [A-C] | [D-H] | [I-P] | [Q-Z] | [A-Z]
- Dalea mollis (Silky dalea) - perennial forb *
- Datura discolor (Datura wrightii) (Sacred datura, thornapple, western jimson) - perennial forb,halucinogenic and poisonous *
- Daucus pusillus (Wild carrot, Zanahoria silvestre) - annual forb *
- Delphinium scaposum (Bare-stem larkspur) - perennial forb,poisonous *
- Descurainia pinnata (Tansy mustard) - annual forb *
- Descurainia pinnata (Tansy mustard) - annual forb *
- Dichelostemma capitatum subsp. pauciflorum (Blue dicks, wild-hyacinth, coveria) - perennial forb *
- Digitaria californica (Trichachne californica) (Cottontop, zacate punta blanca) - perennial grass *
- Dimorphocarpa pinnatifida (Dithyrea wislizenii) (Dune spectacle-pod) - annual forb
- Ditaxis brandegeei var. intonsa (Sonoran silverbush) - low shrub
- Ditaxis lanceolata (Narrowleaf silverbush) - low shrub *
- Ditaxis neomexicana (New Mexico ditaxis) - perennial forb
- Ditaxis serrata var. serrata (Serrate ditaxis) - perennial forb
- Dithyrea californica (Spectacle-pod) - annual forb *
- Dodonea viscosa (D.angustifolia) (Hopbush) - tall shrub *
- Draba cuneifolia var. integrifolia (Wedge-leaf draba) - annual forb *
- Drymaria viscosa (Drymaria) - annual forb
- Dudleya arizonica (Gila live-forever) - perennial forb *
- Echinocactus polycephalus (Cotton-top cactus) - spherical cactus *
- Echinocereus engelmannii (Strawberry hedgehog Cactus) - low columnar cactus *
- Echinocereus nicholii (Golden hedgehog cactus) - low columnar cactus *
- Echinochloa colonum var. colonum (Junglegrass, junglerice, leopard grass, zacate rayado, zacate pinto, zacate tigre) - annual grass *
- Echinochloa crusgalli var. crusgalli (Barnyard grass, zacate de agua, zacate de corral) - introduced annual grass *
- Echinomastus erectocentrus var. Acunata (Acuña cactus) - low columnar cactus *
- Encelia farinosa (Brittlebush, incienso) - low shrub *
- Encelia farinosa var phenicodonta (Brown-center brittlebush) - low shrub
- Encelia frutescens (Button Brittlebush, Green brittlebush, Rayless encelia) - low shrub *
- Enneopogon desvauxii (Spike pappusgrass, zacate lobero) - perennial grass *
- Ephedra aspera (Mormon tea, Boundary ephedra, tepopote) - low shrub *
- Ephedra trifurca (Canutillo, tepopote, long-leaved joint-fir) - medium shrub *
- Eragrostis cilianensis (Stinking lovegrass, zacate apestoso) - introduced annual grass *
- Eragrostis lehmanniana (Lehmann lovegrass, zacate africano) - introduced perennial grass *
- Eremalche exilis (Eremalche) - annual forb
- Eriastrum diffusum (Miniature Woollystar) - annual forb *
- Ericamera laricifolia (Turpentine bush) - low shrub *
- Erigeron divergens (E.lobatus) (Desert fleabane) - annual forb
- Eriochloa aristata var. aristata (Bearded cupgrass, zacate taza) - annual grass *
- Eriogonum deflexum (Skeleton Weed) - annual forb *
- Eriogonum deflexum (Skeleton Weed) - annual forb *
- Eriogonum fasciculatum (Wild buckwheat) - low shrub *
- Eriogonum inflatum (Desert trumpet, bladder stem, guinagua) - annual forb
- Eriogonum thomasii (Thomas buckwheat) - annual forb *
- Eriogonum thurberi (Thurber buckwheat) - annual forb
- Eriogonum trichopes var. trichopes (Little trumpet) - annual forb
- Eriogonum wrightii var. pringlei (Wright buckwheat) - subshrub
- Eriogonum wrightii var. pringlei (Wright buckwheat) - subshrub
- Erioneuron pulchellum (Tridens pulchellus) (Fluff-grass, zacate borreguerro) - perennial stoloniferous grass *
- Eriophyllum lanosum (White easter bonnets, woolly daisy) - annual forb *
- Eriophyllum lanosum (White easter bonnets, woolly daisy (opposite leaves)) - annual forb *
- Erodium cicutarium (Filaree, storksbill, heronsbill, alfilerillo) - annual forb,introduced,widespread
- Erodium texanum (False filaree, desert storksbill) - annual forb *
- Eryngium nasturtiifolium (Eryngium) - perennial forb
- Eschscholtzia californica ssp. mexicana (Mexican Gold Poppy) - annual forb *
- Eschscholzia minutiflora (Little gold poppy) - annual forb *
- Eucnide rupestris (Velcro plant) -
- Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. bipinnatifida (Chrysanthemum-leaved hideseed) - annual forb *
- Eucrypta micrantha (Peluda, dainty desert hideseed) - annual forb
- Euphorbia abramsiana (Chamaesyce abramsiana) (Golondrina) - annual forb
- Euphorbia albomarginata (Rattlesnake weed) - perennial forb *
- Euphorbia eriantha (Euphorbia eriantha) - annual forb *
- Euphorbia florida (Chamaesyce florida) (Flowery spurge) - annual forb
- Euphorbia hyssopifolia (Chamaesyce hyssopifolia) (Hyssop spurge) -
- Euphorbia micromera (Chamaesyce micromera) (Golondrina) - annual forb
- Euphorbia pediculifera var. pediculifera (Chamaesyce pediculifera) (Louse spurge) - perennial forb
- Euphorbia petrina (Chamaesyce petrina) (Golondrina) -
- Euphorbia polycarpa (Chamaesyce polycarpa) (Desert spurge) - perennial forb *
- Euphorbia setiloba (Chamaesyce setiloba) (Fringed spurge) - annual forb
- Euphorbia spathulata (Euphorbia spathulata) -
- Euphorbia trachysperma (Chamaesyce trachysperma) (Euphorbia trachysperma) -
- Fagonia californica subsp. Californica (California fagonia) - subshrub
- Fagonia californica subsp.californica (California fagonia) - subshrub *
- Fagonia callifornica subsp. longipes (California fagonia) - subshrub
- Fagonia pachyacantha (Fagonia) - subshrub
- Ferocactus cylindraceus (Mountain barrel cactus) - medium columnar cactus *
- Ferocactus emoryi (Coville barrel cactus) - medium columnar cactus *
- Ferocactus wislizenii (fishhook barrel, Arizona barrel) - medium columnar cactus *
- Festuca octoflora (Vulpia octoflora) (Sixweeks fescue, eight-flowered fescue, fescua) - annual grass *
- Filago arizonica (Arizona fluffweed) - annual forb
- Filago californica (California fluffweed) - annual forb
- Fouquieria splendens (Ocotillo) - tall shrub *
- Gaillardia arizonica (Arizona blanket-flower) - annual forb *
- Galium stellatum var. eremicum (Starry bedstraw) - low shrub *
- Gaura parviflora (Lizard-tail, velvet-leaf gaura) - annual forb *
- Geraea canescens (Dune Sunflower, desert sunflower) - annual forb *
- Gilia latifolia (Broad-leaf gilia) - annual forb
- Gilia latifolia (Broad-leaf gilia) - annual forb
- Gilia stellata (Star gilia) - annual forb *
- Grusonia kunzei (Opuntia kunzei) (Desert club cholla, Devil cholla) - low columnar cactus *
- Gutierrezia arizonica (Arizona snakeweed) - annual forb
- Gutierrezia sarothrae (broom snakeweed) - perennial forb
- Gymnosperma glutinosa (Gumhead) - low shrub
- Hedeoma nanum var. macrocalyx (False pennyroyal) - perennial forb
- Helianthus niveus (Dune sunflower (opposite leaves), Mirasol) - annual forb *
- Helianthus niveus (Dune sunflower (alternate leaves), Mirasol) - annual forb
- Heliotropium curassavicum (Alkali heliotrope, hierba del sapo) - annual forb
- Herissantia crispa (Bladder mallow) - perennial forb *
- Hesperocallis undulata (Ajo lily, Desert lily) - perennial forb *
- Heteropogon contortus (Tanglehead, zacate colorado) - perennial grass *
- Hibiscus coulteri (Desert rose mallow) - straggly shrub *
- Hibiscus denudatus (Rock hibiscus) - low shrub *
- Hordeum murinum ssp. Glaucum (Wild barley, cebadilla silvestre) - introduced annual grass *
- Horsfordia alata (Pink velvet mallow) - straggly shrub *
- Horsfordia newberryi (Orange velvet-mallow) - medium shrub *
- Hymenoclea monogyra (Slender burrobrush) - low shrub
- Hymenoclea salsola var. pentalepis (White burro-bush) - low shrub *
- Hymenothrix wislizeni (Yellow thimblehead) - forb
- Hymenothrix wislizenii (Yellow thimblehead) - forb
- Hymenoxys odorata (Bitterweed) - annual forb *
- Hyptis emoryi (Desert lavender) - medium shrub *
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.
HTML & Programing by
Thomas R. Powell