Riparian
A riparian area is a land and water interface. In the Southwest, riparian areas may have above-ground or below-ground flows of water. Above ground flows usually occur during the wet seasons of winter and the summer monsoons. Ephemeral or intermittent streams are the dominant stream type. Riparian areas are found at all elevation levels. The transition between riparian and arid regions are often abrupt transitions.
Forbs and Subshrubs
Acalypha neomexicana
New Mexico copperleaf
Achillea millefolium
common yarrow
Aconitum columbianum
Columbian monkshood
Agastache pallidiflora
Bill Williams Mountain giant hyssop
Ageratina herbacea
fragrant snakeroot
Agoseris aurantiaca
orange agoseris
Agoseris heterophylla
annual agoseris
Agrimonia striata
roadside agrimony
Aletes macdougalii
MacDougal's Indian parsley
Alisma subcordatum
American water plantain
Alisma triviale
northern water plantain
Allium bisceptrum
twincrest onion
Allium cernuum
nodding onion
Allophyllum gilioides
dense false gilyflower
Amaranthus blitoides
mat amaranth
Amaranthus hybridus
slim amaranth
Amaranthus palmeri
carelessweed
Amaranthus powellii
Powell's amaranth
Amaranthus retroflexus
redroot amaranth
Amaranthus wrightii
Wright's amaranth
Ambrosia acanthicarpa
flatspine bur ragweed
Ambrosia confertiflora
weakleaf bur ragweed
Ambrosia psilostachya
western ragweed
Ambrosia trifida
great ragweed
Amsonia palmeri
Palmer's bluestar
Androsace occidentalis
western rockjasmine
Androsace septentrionalis
pygmy rockjasmine
Anemone tuberosa
tuber anemone
Anemopsis californica
yerba mansa
Anoda cristata
crested anoda
Antennaria marginata
whitemargin pussytoes
Anthemis cotula
stinking chamomile
Apium graveolens
wild celery
Apocynum cannabinum
Indianhemp
Aquilegia chrysantha
golden columbine
Arabis glabra
tower rockcress
Artemisia campestris
field sagewort
Artemisia dracunculus
tarragon
Asclepias engelmanniana
Engelmann's milkweed
Asclepias nyctaginifolia
Mojave milkweed
Asclepias tuberosa
butterfly milkweed
Asparagus officinalis
garden asparagus
Astragalus wootonii
halfmoon milkvetch
Athysanus pusillus
common sandweed
Atriplex rosea
tumbling saltweed
Berula erecta
cutleaf waterparsnip
Bidens ferulifolia
Apache beggarticks
Bidens frondosa
devil's beggartick
Bidens laevis
smooth beggartick
Bidens leptocephala
fewflower beggartick
Bidens pilosa
hairy beggarticks
Boerhavia coulteri
Coulter's spiderling
Boerhavia erecta
erect spiderling
Boerhavia spicata
creeping spiderling
Brickellia betonicifolia
betonyleaf brickellbush
Brickellia floribunda
Chihuahuan brickellbush
Calibrachoa parviflora
seaside petunia
Calycoseris parryi
yellow tackstem
Calycoseris wrightii
white tackstem
Cannabis sativa
marijuana
Capsella bursa-pastoris
shepherd's purse
Castilleja minor
lesser Indian paintbrush
Centaurea diffusa
diffuse knapweed
Centaurea melitensis
Maltese star-thistle
Centaurium arizonicum
Arizona centaury
Ceratophyllum demersum
coon's tail
Chamaesyce dioica
royal sandmat
Chamaesyce florida
Chiricahua Mountain sandmat
Chamaesyce hyssopifolia
hyssopleaf sandmat
Chamaesyce prostrata
prostrate sandmat
Chamaesyce serpyllifolia
thymeleaf sandmat
Chamaesyce vermiculata
wormseed sandmat
Chenopodium desiccatum
aridland goosefoot
Chenopodium fremontii
Fremont's goosefoot
Chenopodium incanum
mealy goosefoot
Chloracantha spinosa
spiny chloracantha
Cicuta douglasii
western water hemlock
Cirsium vulgare
bull thistle
Cistanthe monandra
common pussypaws
Clarkia purpurea
winecup clarkia
Claytonia perfoliata
miner's lettuce
Claytonia rosea
western springbeauty
Cleome lutea
yellow spiderflower
Cleome serrulata
Rocky Mountain beeplant
Collinsia parviflora
maiden blue eyed Mary
Conium maculatum
poison hemlock
Coreopsis tinctoria
golden tickseed
Corispermum americanum
American bugseed
Corydalis aurea ssp. occidentalis
curvepod fumewort
Cryptantha muricata
pointed cryptantha
Cryptantha pterocarya
wingnut cryptantha
Cuscuta gronovii
scaldweed
Cuscuta indecora
bigseed alfalfa dodder
Cuscuta pentagona
fiveangled dodder
Dalea brachystachya
Fort Bowie prairie clover
Dalea leporina
foxtail prairie clover
Datura discolor
desert thorn-apple
Daucus pusillus
American wild carrot
Descurainia obtusa
blunt tansymustard
Descurainia pinnata
tansymustard
Desmodium metcalfei
Metcalfe's ticktrefoil
Dracocephalum parviflorum
American dragonhead
Dysphania ambrosioides
Mexican tea
Dysphania botrys
Jerusalem oak goosefoot
Eclipta prostrata
false daisy
Elatine rubella
southwestern waterwort
Elodea canadensis
Canadian waterweed
Emmenanthe penduliflora
whisperingbells
Epilobium canum
hummingbird trumpet
Epilobium ciliatum
fringed willowherb
Epilobium hornemanni
Hornemann's willowherb
Epipactis gigantea
stream orchid
Erigeron divergens
spreading fleabane
Erigeron flagellaris
trailing fleabane
Erigeron speciosus
aspen fleabane
Eucrypta micrantha
dainty desert hideseed
Euphorbia bilobata
blackseed spurge
Euphorbia brachycera
horned spurge
Euphorbia schizoloba
Mojave spurge
Eustoma exaltatum
catchfly prairie gentian
Euthamia occidentalis
western goldentop
Flaveria trinervia
clustered yellowtops
Fragaria virginiana
Virginia strawberry
Frasera speciosa
elkweed
Funastrum cynanchoides
fringed twinevine
Galium aparine
bedstraw
Galium microphyllum
bracted bedstraw
Galium proliferum
limestone bedstraw
Galium triflorum
fragrant bedstraw
Gayophytum racemosum
blackfoot groundsmoke
Geum aleppicum
yellow avens
Gilia flavocincta
lesser yellowthroat gilia
Glycyrrhiza lepidota
American licorice
Gnaphalium palustre
western marsh cudweed
Grindelia laciniata
cutleaf gumweed
Grindelia squarrosa
curlycup gumweed
Hedeoma drummondii
Drummond's false pennyroyal
Helenium autumnale
common sneezeweed
Helianthus annuus
common sunflower
Helianthus nuttallii
Nuttall's sunflower
Heliotropium curassavicum
salt heliotrope
Heteranthera dubia
grassleaf mudplantain
Heterotheca fulcrata
rockyscree false goldenaster
Heuchera eastwoodiae
Senator Mine alumroot
Hieracium fendleri
yellow hawkweed
Humulus lupulus
common hop
Hybanthus verticillatus
baby slippers
Hydrocotyle prolifera
whorled marshpennywort
Hydrocotyle verticillata
whorled marshpennywort
Hymenothrix wrightii
Wright's thimblehead
Hypericum scouleri
Scouler's St. Johnswort
Ipomoea cristulata
Transpecos morning-glory
Ipomoea purpurea
tall morningglory
Iris missouriensis
Rocky Mountain iris
Isocoma pluriflora
southern goldenbush
Ivesia multifoliolata
manyleaf mousetail
Lactuca ludoviciana
biannual lettuce
Laennecia coulteri
Coulter's horseweed
Lamium amplexicaule
henbit deadnettle
Lemna gibba
swollen duckweed
Lemna minuta
least duckweed
Lemna turionifera
turion duckweed
Lepidium densiflorum
common pepperweed
Lepidium lasiocarpum
shaggyfruit pepperweed
Lepidium montanum
mountain pepperwort
Ligusticum porteri
Porter's licorice-root
Lobelia anatina
Apache lobelia
Lobelia cardinalis
cardinalflower
Logfia californica
California cottonrose
Lotus corniculatus
birdsfoot trefoil
Lotus unifoliolatus
American bird's-foot trefoil
Ludwigia peploides
floating primrose-willow
Lupinus latifolius
broadleaf lupine
Lythrum californicum
purple loosestrife
Machaeranthera tagetina
mesa tansyaster
Machaeranthera tanacetifolia
tansyleaf tansyaster
Malacothrix stebbinsii
Stebbins' desertdandelion
Malvella sagittifolia
arrowleaf mallow
Marah gilensis
Gilia manroot
Margaranthus solanaceus
netted globecherry
Matthiola longipetala
night scented stock
Medicago polymorpha
burclover
Medicago sativa
alfalfa
Melilotus officinalis
sweetclover
Mentha arvensis
wild mint
Mentha spicata
spearmint
Mentha x piperita
peppermint
Mentzelia multiflora
Adonis blazingstar
Mentzelia pumila
dwarf mentzelia
Microsteris gracilis
slender phlox
Mimetanthe pilosa
false monkeyflower
Mimulus cardinalis
scarlet monkeyflower
Mimulus guttatus
seep monkeyflower
Mimulus rubellus
little redstem monkeyflower
Mirabilis longiflora
sweet four o'clock
Mollugo verticillata
green carpetweed
Monarda fistulosa
wild bergamot
Monnina wrightii
blue pygmyflower
Monolepis nuttalliana
Nuttall's povertyweed
Montia chamissoi
water minerslettuce
Myosurus cupulatus
Arizona mousetail
Myosurus minimus
tiny mousetail
Nasturtium officinale
watercress
Navarretia intertexta
needleleaf navarretia
Nemacladus glanduliferus
glandular threadplant
Nepeta cataria
catmint
Nicotiana attenuata
coyote tobacco
Nothoscordum texanum
Texas false garlic
Nuttallanthus texanus
Texas toadflax
Nymphaea mexicana
yellow waterlily
Nymphaea odorata
American white waterlily
Oenothera curtiflora
velvetweed
Oenothera elata
Hooker's evening primrose
Oenothera flava
yellow evening primrose
Oenothera parviflora
velvetweed
Oenothera pubescens
South American evening primrose
Oenothera villosa
hairy evening primrose
Oncosiphon piluliferum
stinknet
Orthocarpus luteus
yellow owl's clover
Oxalis albicans
radishroot woodsorrel
Oxalis alpina
Alpine woodsorrel
Oxalis caerulea
blue woodsorrel
Oxalis decaphylla
tenleaf woodsorrel
Packera hartiana
Hart's ragwort
Parietaria hespera
rillita pellitory
Pastinaca sativa
wild parsnip
Pectis cylindrica
Sonoran chinchweed
Pectocarya platycarpa
broadfruit combseed
Pediomelum verdiense
Verde Formation breadroot
Pennellia longifolia
longleaf mock thelypody
Phacelia affinis
limestone phacelia
Phacelia alba
white phacelia, white scorpion weed
Phacelia bombycina
Mangas Spring phacelia
Phacelia egena
Kaweah River phacelia
Phacelia heterophylla
varileaf phacelia
Phacelia lemmonii
Lemmon's phacelia
Phemeranthus aurantiacus
orange fameflower
Phyla cuneifolia
wedgeleaf
Physalis pubescens
husk tomato
Phytolacca americana
American pokeweed
Plantago major
common plantain
Polanisia dodecandra ssp. trachysperma
redwhisker clammyweed
Polygonum amphibium
water knotweed
Polygonum lapathifolium
curlytop knotweed
Polygonum pensylvanicum
Pennsylvania smartweed
Polygonum persicaria
spotted ladysthumb
Polygonum punctatum
dotted smartweed
Polygonum ramosissimum
bushy knotweed
Portulaca suffrutescens
shrubby purslane
Portulaca umbraticola
wingpod purslane
Potamogeton crispus
curly pondweed
Potamogeton foliosus
leafy pondweed
Potamogeton gramineus
variableleaf pondweed
Potamogeton illinoensis
Illinois pondweed
Potamogeton natans
floating pondweed
Potamogeton nodosus
longleaf pondweed
Potentilla rivalis
brook cinquefoil
Potentilla thurberi
scarlet cinquefoil
Psilactis asteroides
New Mexico tansyaster
Ranunculus aquatilis
white water crowfoot
Ranunculus cymbalaria
alkali buttercup
Ranunculus pensylvanicus
Pennsylvania buttercup
Rhynchosida physocalyx
buffpetal
Ricinus communis
castorbean
Rorippa microtitis
Chihuahuan yellowcress
Rudbeckia laciniata
cutleaf coneflower
Rumex acetosella
common sheep sorrel
Rumex crispus
curly dock
Rumex hymenosepalus
canaigre dock
Rumex obtusifolius
bitter dock
Rumex salicifolius
willow dock
Sagina saginoides
arctic pearlwort
Samolus valerandi
seaside brookweed
Saponaria officinalis
bouncingbet
Scrophularia parviflora
pineland figwort
Scutellaria lateriflora
blue skullcap
Scutellaria potosina ssp. platyphylla
Mexican skullcap
Sedum cockerellii
Cockerll's stonecrop
Senecio eremophilus
desert ragwort
Senecio spartioides
broom-like ragwort
Senecio wootonii
Wooton's ragwort
Sicyos ampelophyllus
streamside bur cucumber
Sidalcea neomexicana
salt spring checkerbloom
Sisyrinchium demissum
stiff blue-eyed grass
Solanum americanum
American black nightshade
Solanum douglasii
greenspot nightshade
Solanum heterodoxum
melonleaf nightshade
Solanum triflorum
cutleaf nightshade
Solidago missouriensis
Missouri goldenrod
Solidago velutina
threenerve goldenrod
Sophora nuttalliana
silky sophora
Stachys coccinea
scarlet hedgenettle
Stuckenia pectinata
sago pondweed
Suaeda moquinii
Mojave seablite
Symphyotrichum divaricatum
southern saltmarsh aster
Symphyotrichum expansum
Southwestern annual saltmarsh
Symphyotrichum falcatum
white prairie aster
Symphyotrichum lanceolatum
white panicle aster
Taraxacum officinale
common dandelion
Teucrium canadense
Canada germander
Thalictrum fendleri
Fendler's meadow-rue
Thelypodium wrightii
Wright's thelypody
Thysanocarpus curvipes
sand fringepod
Tidestromia lanuginosa
woolly tidestromia
Tradescantia occidentalis
prairie spiderwort
Tradescantia pinetorum
pinewoods spiderwort
Trianthema portulacastrum
desert horsepurslane
Trifolium gracilentum
pinpoint clover
Trifolium mucronatum
cusp clover
Trifolium variegatum
whitetip clover
Trifolium wormskioldii
cows clover
Typha domingensis
southern cattail
Typha latifolia
Broadleaf cattail
Urtica dioica
California nettle
Valeriana arizonica
Arizona valerian
Valeriana edulis
tobacco root
Verbena bracteata
bigbract verbena
Verbena hastata
swamp verbena
Verbena neomexicana
hillside vervain, New Mexico verbena
Verbena scabra
sandpaper vervain
Verbesina encelioides
golden crownbeard
Veronica americana
American speedwell
Veronica anagallis-aquatica
water speedwell
Veronica peregrina
neckweed
Vicia ludoviciana
Louisiana vetch
Viola canadensis
Canadian white violet
Viola nephrophylla
northern bog violet
Wislizenia refracta
spectacle fruit
Xanthium spinosum
spiny cocklebur
Xanthium strumarium
rough cocklebur
Zannichellia palustris
horned pondweed
Grasses
Agrostis exarata
spike bentgrass
Agrostis gigantea
redtop
Agrostis idahoensis
Idaho bentgrass
Agrostis scabra
rough bentgrass
Agrostis stolonifera
creeping bentgrass
Alopecurus aequalis
shortawn foxtail
Alopecurus geniculatus
water foxtail
Aristida adscensionis
sixweeks threeawn
Arrhenatherum elatius
tall oatgrass
Bromus ciliatus
fringed brome
Bromus marginatus
mountain brome
Digitaria sanguinalis
hairy crabgrass
Distichlis spicata
saltgrass
Echinochloa colona
jungle rice
Echinochloa crus-pavonis
gulf cockspur grass
Elymus canadensis
Canada wildrye
Elymus trachycaulus
slender wheatgrass
Elymus virginicus
Virginia wildrye
Eragrostis mexicana
Mexican lovegrass
Eragrostis pectinacea
tufted lovegrass
Eriochloa acuminata
tapertip cupgrass
Festuca arundinacea
tall fescue
Festuca californica
California fescue
Hordeum brachyantherum
meadow barley
Hordeum jubatum
foxtail barley
Hordeum marinum
seaside barley
Hordeum murinum
mouse barley
Imperata brevifolia
California satintail
Leptochloa panicea
mucronate sprangletop
Leymus cinereus
basin wildrye
Leymus triticoides
beardless wildrye
Melica porteri
Porter's melicgrass
Muhlenbergia asperifolia
scratchgrass
Muhlenbergia mexicana
Mexican muhly
Muhlenbergia richardsonis
mat muhly
Muhlenbergia rigens
deergrass
Muhlenbergia sinuosa
marshland muhly
Panicum bulbosum
bulb panicgrass
Panicum capillare
witchgrass
Panicum obtusum
vine mesquite
Panicum virgatum
switchgrass
Paspalum distichum
knotgrass
Pennisetum glaucum
pearl millet
Phalaris caroliniana
Carolina canarygrass
Phleum pratense
Timothy
Phragmites australis
common reed
Piptatheropsis micrantha
littleseed ricegrass
Poa compressa
Canada bluegrass
Poa pratensis
Kentucky bluegrass
Polypogon interruptus
ditch rabbitsfoot grass
Polypogon monspeliensis
annual rabbitsfoot grass
Polypogon viridis
beardless rabbitsfoot grass
Puccinellia parishii
bog alkaligrass
Sorghastrum nutans
Indiangrass
Sphenopholis obtusata
prairie wedgescale
Sporobolus giganteus
giant dropseed
Sporobolus wrightii
big sacaton
Thinopyrum ponticum
tall wheatgrass
Shrubs
Amelanchier utahensis
Utah serviceberry
Amorpha fruticosa
false indigo bush
Baccharis emoryi
Emory's baccharis
Baccharis salicifolia
water wally
Baccharis sarothroides
desertbroom
Baccharis sergiloides
desert baccharis
Cercocarpus montanus
alderleaf mountain mahogany
Fallugia paradoxa
apache plume
Forestiera pubescens
New Mexico olive
Frangula californica
California buckthorn
Lycium pallidum
rabbit thorn
Rhus trilobata
skunkbush sumac
Ribes aureum
golden currant
Rosa woodsii var. ultramontana
Woods' rose
Rosa woodsii var. woodsii
Woods' rose
Rubus neomexicanus
New Mexico raspberry
Sambucus nigra ssp. cerulea
blue elderberry
Simmondsia chinensis
jojoba
Toxicodendron rydbergii
western poison ivy
Ziziphus obtusifolia
gray thorn
Trees
Acacia greggii
catclaw acacia
Acer negundo
boxelder
Ailanthus altissima
tree of heaven
Alnus oblongifolia
Arizona alder
Catalpa bignonioides
southern catalpa
Celtis reticulata
netleaf hackberry
Chilopsis linearis
desert willow
Cupressus arizonica
Arizona cypress
Elaeagnus angustifolia
Russian olive
Fraxinus velutina
velvet ash
Juglans major
Arizona walnut
Juniperus deppeana
alligator juniper
Juniperus osteosperma
Utah juniper
Morus microphylla
Texas mulberry
Olneya tesota
desert ironwood
Pinus ponderosa
ponderosa pine
Platanus wrightii
Arizona sycamore
Populus angustifolia
narrowleaf cottonwood
Populus fremontii
Fremont cottonwood
Populus tremuloides
quaking aspen
Prosopis glandulosa
honey mesquite
Prosopis pubescens
screwbean mesquite
Prunus serotina
black cherry
Quercus chrysolepis
canyon live oak
Quercus emoryi
Emory oak
Rhus glabra
smooth sumac
Salix exigua
coyote willow
Salix gooddingii
Goodding willow
Salix laevigata
red willow
Sambucus nigra
black elderberry
Sapindus saponaria
western soapberry
Tamarix chinensis
five-stamen tamarisk
Ulmus pumila
Siberian elm
Vines
Clematis ligusticifolia
white virgin's bower
Parthenocissus vitacea
Virginia creeper
Vitis arizonica
canyon grape