Desert Scrub
Desert scrub is found at the lowest elevations in Yavapai County, typically below 3500 feet. The vegetation is a scrubland or woodland. The spaces between the small trees or shrubs are filled with layers of shrubs, cacti, succulents, grasses, and in years of adequate moisture, annuals. The common trees are palo verde, cat-claw, mesquite and ironwood. Common shrubs are whitethorn, creosote and bur sage. Cacti are an important vegetation type and include saguaro, several species of cholla and many others. In the upper limits of this plant community crucifixion thorn is common. Bush muhly is probably the most palatable grass. Tobosa grass occurs in low places where runoff waters collect.
Agaves
Agave chrysantha
goldenflower century
Cacti
Carnegiea gigantea
saguaro
Cylindropuntia leptocaulis
Christmas cholla
Echinocereus engelmannii
Engelmann's hedgehog cactus
Echinocereus fasciculatus
strawberry hedgehog
Escobaria vivipara
Common beehive cactus
Mammillaria grahamii
Graham's nipple cactus
Opuntia basilaris
beavertail cactus
Opuntia chlorotica
dollarjoint pricklypear
Opuntia phaeacantha
brown-spine prickly pear
Forbs and Subshrubs
Abutilon abutiloides
shrubby Indian mallow
Abutilon incanum
pelotazo
Abutilon parishii
Parish's Indian mallow
Abutilon parvulum
dwarf Indian mallow
Acourtia nana
dwarf desert peony
Adenophyllum porophylloides
San Felipe dogweed
Allionia incarnata
trailing windmills
Allium bigelovii
Bigelow's onion
Allium macropetalum
largeflower onion
Amaranthus fimbriatus
fringed amaranth
Amaranthus palmeri
carelessweed
Amaranthus wrightii
Wright's amaranth
Ambrosia acanthicarpa
flatspine bur ragweed
Ambrosia confertiflora
weakleaf bur ragweed
Amsinckia menziesii
Menzies' fiddleneck
Amsinckia tessellata
bristly fiddleneck, Amsinckia washintonensis
Amsonia tomentosa
wooley bluestar
Androsace occidentalis
western rockjasmine
Antheropeas wallacei
woolly easterbonnets
Anulocaulis leiosolenus
Southwestern ringstem
Apodanthera undulata
melon-loco
Arabis glabra
tower rockcress
Arabis gracilipes
Flagstaff rockcress
Arabis perennans
perennial rockcress
Argythamnia neomexicana
New Mexico silverbush
Artemisia campestris
field sagewort
Artemisia carruthii
Carruth's sagewort
Artemisia dracunculus
tarragon
Artemisia ludoviciana
white sagebrush
Asclepias involucrata
dwarf milkweed
Asclepias nyctaginifolia
Mojave milkweed
Asphodelus fistulosus
onionweed
Astragalus allochrous
halfmoon milkvetch
Astragalus amphioxys
crescent milkvetch
Astragalus calycosus
Torrey's milkvetch
Astragalus lentiginosus
freckled milkvetch
Astragalus nuttallianus
smallflowered milkvetch
Athysanus pusillus
common sandweed
Atriplex elegans
wheelscale saltbush
Atriplex wrightii
Wright's saltbush
Baileya multiradiata
desert marigold
Baileya pleniradiata
woolly desert marigold
Boerhavia coccinea
scarlet spiderling
Boerhavia coulteri
Coulter's spiderling
Boerhavia erecta
erect spiderling
Boerhavia intermedia
fivewing spiderling
Boerhavia purpurascens
Purple spiderling
Boerhavia spicata
creeping spiderling
Boerhavia wrightii
largebract spiderling
Brickellia atractyloides
spearleaf brickellbush
Brickellia eupatorioides
false boneset
Brickellia microphylla
littleleaf brickellbush
Calandrinia ciliata
fringed redmaids
Calochortus ambiguus
doubting mariposa lily
Calochortus flexuosus
winding mariposa lily
Calochortus kennedyi
desert mariposa lily
Calycoseris parryi
yellow tackstem
Calycoseris wrightii
white tackstem
Camissonia californica
Californica suncup
Camissonia chamaenerioides
longcapsule suncup
Camissonia pallida
paleyellow suncup
Capsella bursa-pastoris
shepherd's purse
Castilleja angustifolia var. dubia
desert Indian paintbrush
Castilleja integra
wholeleaf Indian paintbrush
Centaurea diffusa
diffuse knapweed
Centaurea melitensis
Maltese star-thistle
Centrostegia thurberi
red triangles
Ceratocephala testiculata
curveseed butterwort
Chaenactis fremontii
pincushion flower
Chaenactis stevioides
Esteve's pincushion
Chaetopappa ericoides
rose heath
Chamaesaracha coronopus
greenleaf five eyes
Chamaesyce abramsiana
Abram's sandmat
Chamaesyce albomarginata
whitemargin sandmat
Chamaesyce capitellata
head sandmat
Chamaesyce dioica
royal sandmat
Chamaesyce florida
Chiricahua Mountain sandmat
Chamaesyce glyptosperma
ribseed sandmat
Chamaesyce maculata
spotted sandmat
Chamaesyce melanadenia
red-gland spurge
Chamaesyce micromera
Sonoran sandmat
Chamaesyce parryi
Parry's sandmat
Chamaesyce pediculifera
Carrizo Mountain sandmat
Chamaesyce polycarpa
smallseed sandmat
Chamaesyce prostrata
prostrate sandmat
Chamaesyce serpyllifolia
thymeleaf sandmat
Chenopodium atrovirens
pinyon goosefoot
Chenopodium berlandieri
pitseed goosefoot
Chenopodium desiccatum
aridland goosefoot
Chenopodium fremontii
Fremont's goosefoot
Chenopodium incanum
mealy goosefoot
Chenopodium watsonii
Watson's goosefoot
Chorizanthe brevicornu
brittle spineflower
Chorizanthe rigida
devil's spineflower
Cirsium arizonicum
Arizona thistle
Cirsium arvense
Canada thistle
Cirsium neomexicanum
New Mexico thistle
Cistanthe monandra
common pussypaws
Clarkia purpurea
winecup clarkia
Cleome lutea
yellow spiderflower
Cordylanthus parviflorus
purple bird's-beak
Corispermum americanum
American bugseed
Corydalis curvisiliqua
curvepod fumewort
Crassula connata
sand pygmyweed
Croton lindheimerianus
threeseed croton
Croton texensis
Texas croton
Cryptantha angustifolia
Panamint cryptantha
Cryptantha barbigera
bearded cryptantha
Cryptantha circumscissa
cushion cryptantha
Cryptantha decipiens
gravelbar cryptantha
Cryptantha micrantha
redroot cryptantha
Cryptantha muricata
pointed cryptantha
Cucurbita digitata
fingerleaf gourd
Cucurbita foetidissima
Missouri gourd
Dalea brachystachya
Fort Bowie prairie clover
Dalea nana
dwarf prairie clover
Dalea searlsiae
Searls' prairie clover
Datura wrightii
sacred thorn-apple
Daucus pusillus
American wild carrot
Delphinium scaposum
tall mountain larkspur
Descurainia pinnata
tansymustard
Desmanthus cooleyi
Cooley's bundleflower
Dichelostemma capitatum
bluedicks
Dimorphocarpa wislizeni
touristplant
Draba cuneifolia
wedgeleaf draba
Dudleya collomiae
Gila County liveforever
Emmenanthe penduliflora
whisperingbells
Epilobium brachycarpum
tall annual willowherb
Eremalche exilis
white mallow
Eriastrum diffusum
miniature woollystar
Eriastrum eremicum
desert woollystar
Erigeron colomexicanus
running fleabane
Erigeron divergens
spreading fleabane
Erigeron modestus
plains fleabane
Eriogonum abertianum
Abert's buckwheat
Eriogonum arizonicum
Arizona buckwheat
Eriogonum deflexum
flatcrown buckwheat
Eriogonum fasciculatum
Eastern Mojave buckwheat
Eriogonum inflatum
desert trumpet
Eriogonum maculatum
spotted buckwheat
Eriogonum plumatella
yucca buckwheat
Eriogonum polycladon
sorrel buckwheat
Eriogonum thomasii
Thomas buckwheat
Eriogonum thurberi
Thurber's buckwheat
Eriogonum trichopes
little deserttrumpet
Eriophyllum lanosum
woolly eriophyllum
Eriophyllum multicaule
manystem woolly sunflower
Eriophyllum pringlei
Pringle's woolly sunflower
Erodium texanum
Texas storksbill
Erysimum capitatum
sanddune wallflower
Eschscholzia californica ssp. californica
California poppy
Eschscholzia californica ssp. mexicana
Mexican gold poppy
Eschscholzia glyptosperma
desert poppy
Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia
spotted hideseed
Eucrypta micrantha
dainty desert hideseed
Euphorbia brachycera
horned spurge
Euphorbia eriantha
beetle spurge
Euphorbia exstipulata
squareseed spurge
Euphorbia schizoloba
Mojave spurge
Evolvulus arizonicus
wild dwarf morning-glory
Gaillardia arizonica
Arizona blanketflower
Gaillardia pinnatifida
red dome blanketflower
Galium stellatum
starry bedstraw
Galium wrightii
Wright's bedstraw
Gaura coccinea
scarlet beeblossom
Gilia clokeyi
Clokey's gilia
Gilia flavocincta
lesser yellowthroat gilia
Gilia scopulorum
rock gilia
Gilia sinuata
rosy gilia
Glandularia gooddingii
southwest mock verain
Hedeoma nana
dwarf false pennyroyal
Hedeoma oblongifolia
oblongleaf false pennyroyal
Heliomeris longifolia
longleaf false goldeneye
Herissantia crispa
bladdermallow
Heterotheca subaxillaris
camphorweed
Hoffmannseggia drepanocarpa
sicklepod holdback
Hoffmannseggia glauca
Indian rushpea
Houstonia rubra
red bluet
Hybanthus verticillatus
baby slippers
Hymenothrix wislizeni
Trans-Pecos thimblehead
Hymenoxys cooperi
Cooper's rubberweed
Ipomoea barbatisepala
canyon morning-glory
Ipomopsis longiflora
flaxflowered ipomopsis
Ipomopsis multiflora
manyflowered ipomopsis
Isocoma pluriflora
southern goldenbush
Justicia longii
longflower tube tongue
Kallstroemia californica
California caltrop
Kallstroemia grandiflora
Arizona poppy
Kallstroemia parviflora
warty caltrop
Lactuca ludoviciana
biannual lettuce
Laennecia coulteri
Coulter's horseweed
Langloisia setosissima
Great Basin langloisia
Lasthenia californica
California goldfields
Layia glandulosa
whitedaisy tidytips
Lepidium densiflorum
common pepperweed
Lepidium thurberi
Thurber's pepperweed
Lepidium virginicum
Virginia pepperweed
Leptosiphon aureus
golden linanthus
Lesquerella cinerea
basin bladderpod
Lesquerella gordonii
Gordon's bladderpod
Lessingia lemmonii
Lemmon's lessingia
Linanthus aureus
yellow linanthus
Linanthus bigelovii
Bigelow's linanthus
Linum puberulum
plains flax, yellow flax
Logfia californica
California cottonrose
Lomatium nevadense
Nevada biscuitroot
Lotus humistratus
foothill deervetch
Lotus mearnsii
Mearn's bird's-foot trefoil
Lotus rigidus
shrubby deervetch
Lotus salsuginosus
coastal bird's-foot trefoil
Lotus strigosus
strigose bird's-foot trefoil
Lotus unifoliolatus
American bird's-foot trefoil
Lotus utahensis
Utah bird's-foot trefoil
Lupinus brevicaulis
shortstem lupine
Lupinus concinnus
bajada lupine
Lupinus sparsiflorus
Coulter's lupine
Machaeranthera asteroides
fall tansyaster
Machaeranthera canescens
hoary tansyaster
Machaeranthera tagetina
mesa tansyaster
Machaeranthera tanacetifolia
tansyleaf tansyaster
Malacothrix clevelandii
Cleveland's desertdandelion
Malacothrix fendleri
Fendler's desert dandelion
Malacothrix glabrata
smooth desertdandelion
Malacothrix stebbinsii
Stebbins' desertdandelion
Malvella sagittifolia
arrowleaf mallow
Marah gilensis
Gilia manroot
Marina parryi
Parry's false prairie-clover
Matelea producta
Texas milkvine
Matthiola longipetala
night scented stock
Medicago polymorpha
burclover
Menodora scabra
rough menodora
Mentzelia affinis
yellowcomet
Mentzelia albicaulis
whitestem blazingstar
Mentzelia involucrata
whitebract blazingstar
Mentzelia jonesii
Jones' blazingstar
Mentzelia multiflora
Adonis blazingstar
Mentzelia pumila
dwarf mentzelia
Microseris lindleyi
Lindley's silverpuffs
Minuartia douglasii
Douglas' stitchwort
Mirabilis laevis var. villosa
wishbone-bush
Mirabilis multiflora
Colorado four o'clock
Mirabilis pumila
dwarf four o'clock
Mollugo cerviana
threadstem carpet weed
Mollugo verticillata
green carpetweed
Monardella arizonica
Arizona monardella
Monolepis nuttalliana
Nuttall's povertyweed
Monoptilon bellioides
Mojave desertstar
Myosurus cupulatus
Arizona mousetail
Nama hispidum
bristly nama
Nicotiana attenuata
coyote tobacco
Nicotiana obtusifolia
desert tobacco
Nothoscordum bivalve
crowpoison
Nuttallanthus texanus
Texas toadflax
Oenothera albicaulis
whitest evening primrose
Oenothera caespitosa
tufted evening primrose
Oenothera flava
yellow evening primrose
Oenothera pallida
pale evening primrose
Oenothera primiveris
desert evening primrose
Oenothera speciosa
pinkladies
Oncosiphon piluliferum
stinknet
Orobanche cooperi
desert broomrape
Orobanche ludoviciana
Louisiana broomrape
Oxalis albicans
radishroot woodsorrel
Packera multilobata
lobeleaf groundsel
Parietaria hespera
rillita pellitory
Parietaria pensylvanica
Pennsylvania pellitory
Parthenium incanum
mariola
Pectis angustifolia
lemonscent
Pectis cylindrica
Sonoran chinchweed
Pectis filipes
fivebract chinchweed
Pectis papposa
manybristle chinchweed
Pectis prostrata
spreading chinchweed
Pectis rusbyi
Rusby's chinchweed
Pectocarya heterocarpa
chuckwalla combseed
Pectocarya setosa
moth combseed
Pediomelum megalanthum
Intermountain Indian breadroot
Pediomelum verdiense
Verde Formation breadroot
Penstemon eatonii
firecracker penstemon
Penstemon ophianthus
coiled anther penstemon
Penstemon pseudospectabilis
desert penstemon
Penstemon subulatus
hackberry beardtongue
Perityle emoryi
Emory's rockdaisy
Petradoria pumila
rock goldenrod
Phacelia affinis
limestone phacelia
Phacelia bombycina
Mangas Spring phacelia
Phacelia coerulea
skyblue phacelia
Phacelia crenulata
cleftleaf wildheliotrope
Phacelia cryptantha
hiddenflower phacelia
Phacelia distans
distant phacelia
Phacelia fremontii
Fremont's phacelia
Phacelia lemmonii
Lemmon's phacelia
Phacelia pedicellata
pedicellate phacelia
Phacelia rotundifolia
roundleaf phacelia
Phaseolus filiformis
slimjim bean
Phemeranthus aurantiacus
orange fameflower
Phlox speciosa
showy phlox
Phlox tenuifolia
Santa Catalina Mountain phlox
Physalis crassifolia
yellow nightshade groundcherry
Physalis hederifolia
ivyleaf groundcherry
Physalis heterophylla
clammy groundcherry
Plagiobothrys arizonicus
Arizona popcornflower
Plagiobothrys collinus
Cooper's popcornflower
Plagiobothrys pringlei
Pringle's popcornflower
Plantago ovata
desert Indianwheat
Plantago patagonica
woolly plantain
Plantago rhodosperma
redseed plantain
Polanisia dodecandra
roughseed clammyweed
Polanisia dodecandra ssp. trachysperma
redwhisker clammyweed
Polygonum douglasii
Douglas' knotweed
Portulaca halimoides
silkcotton purslane
Portulaca pilosa
kiss me quick
Proboscidea parviflora
doubleclaw
Psilostrophe cooperi
whitestem paperflower
Pterostegia drymarioides
woodland pterostegia
Rafinesquia californica
California plumeseed
Rafinesquia neomexicana
New Mexico plumeseed
Rhynchosida physocalyx
buffpetal
Rumex hymenosepalus
canaigre dock
Rumex salicifolius
willow dock
Sairocarpus nuttallianus
violet snapdragon
Salvia aethiopis
Mediterranean sage, African Sage
Salvia columbariae
chia
Salvia reflexa
lanceleaf sage
Salvia subincisa
sawtooth sage
Senecio flaccidus var. flaccidus
threadleaf ragwort
Senecio lemmonii
Lemmon's ragwort
Senecio spartioides
broom-like ragwort
Senna bauhinioides
twinleaf senna
Senna covesii
Coues' cassia
Sida abutifolia
spreading fanpetals
Solanum elaeagnifolium
silverleaf nightshade
Solanum heterodoxum
melonleaf nightshade
Solanum triflorum
cutleaf nightshade
Solanum xanti
chaparral nightshade
Solidago canadensis
shorthair goldenrod
Solidago velutina
threenerve goldenrod
Spergularia salina
salt sandspurry
Sphaeralcea ambigua
desert globemallow
Sphaeralcea emoryi
Emory's globemallow
Sphaeralcea fendleri
Fendler's globemallow
Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia
gooseberryleaf globemallow
Sphaeralcea hastulata
spear globemallow
Sphaeralcea laxa
caliche globe mallow
Stanleya pinnata
desert princesplume
Stephanomeria pauciflora
brownplume wirelettuce
Streptanthus cordatus
heartleaf twistflower
Stylocline gnaphalioides
mountain neststraw
Stylocline micropoides
woollyhead neststraw
Suaeda moquinii
Mojave seablite
Symphyotrichum ericoides
white heath aster
Tetraclea coulteri
Coulter's wrinklefruit
Tetraneuris acaulis
stemless four-nerve daisy
Teucrium canadense
Canada germander
Thelesperma megapotamicum
Hopi tea greenthread
Thelypodiopsis ambigua
Long Valley tumblemustard
Thymophylla acerosa
pricklyleaf dogweed
Tidestromia lanuginosa
woolly tidestromia
Tiquilia canescens
woody crinklemat
Townsendia annua
annual Townsend daisy
Townsendia incana
hoary Townsend daisy
Townsendia strigosa
hairy Townsend daisy
Tragia nepetifolia
catnip noseburn
Trifolium bejariense
Bejar clover
Trifolium mucronatum
cusp clover
Verbena plicata
fanleaf vervain
Veronica polita
gray field speedwell
Vicia ludoviciana
Louisiana vetch
Viguiera dentata
toothleaf goldeneye
Viola vallicola
sagebrush violet
Wislizenia refracta
spectacle fruit
Xylorhiza tortifolia
Mojave woodyaster
Zinnia acerosa
desert zinnia
Grasses
Achnatherum lemmonii
Lemmon's needlegrass
Achnatherum speciosum
Barkworth desert needlegrass
Aristida adscensionis
sixweeks threeawn
Aristida arizonica
Arizona threeawn
Aristida schiedeana
single threeawn
Bothriochloa laguroides
silver beardgrass
Bouteloua aristidoides
needle grama
Bouteloua barbata
sixweeks grama
Bouteloua dactyloides
buffalograss
Bromus arizonicus
Arizona brome
Bromus berteroanus
Chilean chess
Bromus marginatus
mountain brome
Bromus rubens
red brome
Cenchrus spinifex
coastal sandbur
Dasyochloa pulchella
low woollygrass
Digitaria californica
Arizona cottontop
Elymus condensatus
giant wildrye
Enneapogon desvauxii
nineawn pappusgrass
Eragrostis mexicana
Mexican lovegrass
Erioneuron pilosum
hairy woollygrass
Festuca californica
California fescue
Hilaria belangeri
curly-mesquite
Lycurus setosus
bristly wolfstail
Muhlenbergia appressa
Devils Canyon muhly
Muhlenbergia dumosa
bamboo muhly
Muhlenbergia fragilis
delicate muhly
Muhlenbergia porteri
bush muhly
Munroa squarrosa
false buffalograss
Pleuraphis mutica
tobosagrass
Pleuraphis rigida
big galleta
Poa annua
annual bluegrass, walkgrass
Poa bigelovii
Bigelow's bluegrass
Schismus barbatus
Mediterranean grass
Schizachyrium cirratum
Texas bluestem
Scleropogon brevifolius
burrograss
Sorghastrum nutans
Indiangrass
Sporobolus contractus
spike dropseed
Sporobolus cryptandrus
sand dropseed
Sporobolus flexuosus
mesa dropseed
Urochloa arizonica
Arizona signalgrass
Vulpia microstachys
small fescue
Vulpia octoflora
sixweeks fescue
Shrubs
Aloysia wrightii
Wright's beebrush
Atriplex canescens
fourwing saltbush
Baccharis brachyphylla
shortleaf baccharis
Baccharis sergiloides
desert baccharis
Calliandra eriophylla
fairyduster
Canotia holacantha
cruxifixion thorn
Dalea formosa
featherplume
Encelia virginensis
Virgin River brittlebush
Ephedra viridis
mormon tea
Ericameria laricifolia
turpentine bush
Eriogonum microthecum
slender buckwheat
Forestiera pubescens
New Mexico olive
Fouquieria splendens
ocotillo
Garrya flavescens
ashy silktassel
Glossopetalon spinescens
spiny greasebush
Krameria erecta
littleleaf ratany
Larrea tridentata
creosote bush
Mahonia haematocarpa
red barberry
Mimosa aculeaticarpa var. biuncifera
catclaw mimosa
Rhus trilobata
skunkbush sumac
Salvia dorrii
purple sage
Simmondsia chinensis
jojoba
Trixis californica
American threefold
Ziziphus obtusifolia
gray thorn
Trees
Acacia greggii
catclaw acacia
Chilopsis linearis
desert willow
Olneya tesota
desert ironwood
Parkinsonia florida
blue paloverde
Parkinsonia microphylla
yellow paloverde
Prosopis glandulosa
honey mesquite
Prosopis pubescens
screwbean mesquite