SPECIES CONTENT - Sorted by Botanical Names
#	Common Name	Botanical Name	Comments	Other Common Names
1	Sand Verbena	Abronia villosa	This is a low, trailing, spreading plant, with low foliage, and ascending flower stalks, topped with showy roundish clusters of small pinkish flowers, trailing to 3' long; plant to 12" high.  The many-flowered clusters with 15-35 individual pink-purple tubular flowers, clusters to 3” wide.  The finely haired, sticky, dark-green ovate or elliptic leaves, to 1½" long.  Watch for the showy pink-purple flowerhead clusters, and check the foliage for ID clues.  Arizona has five Abronia species.  Native.  Herb.  Annual.  Elev: 0-1500'.	PLANTS db. - desert sand verbena.
2	Pelotazo	Abutilon incanum	This plant to about 40” tall, rarely taller.  Flowers with 5 yellow to pink petals, with a dark reddish-brown center, petals curved outward 90 degrees, solitary or on small stalks (flowering bottom to top), petals to nearly ¼” long, flower about 3/8” wide.  Leaves ovate, irregularly serrated margins, dense light hairs, to 2 ½” long (often smaller).  Fruit short, round, with up to 7 segments.  Watch for the distinctive red-brown centered flower, segmented fruit, and leaves for ID clues.  Native.  Subshrub/Herb.  Perennial.  Elev: 1000-4000'.	Hoary Abutilon; PLANTS db. - Indian mallow.
3	Superstition Mallow	Abutilon palmeri	A plant of rocky slopes with good drainage, with erect stems, a little branching, grayish-green leaves, orangish-yellow flowers; plant to 5' tall.  Stems softly hairy (star-shaped meaning forked or branched; and simple hairs), modest branching.  Leaves stalked, softly hairy, broadly ovate (frequently nearly as broad as long), roughly heart-shaped to roundish; toothed 90 degrees to margin; softly hairy; blade to 3" long.  Flowering solitary in leaf axils or leafless terminal panicles.  Flower calyx (sepals together) ⅜-⅝" long; petals to 1" long; fuzed-filament staminal column 3/16" long, hairless; styles 10, flower to 1½" wide; followed by a 10-chambered fruit (schizocarp) with seeds.  Watch for the light-foliage, orangish-yellow flowers, characteristic foliage, and 10 chambered capsules for helpful identification clues.  Ten Abutilon species in Arizona.  Native.  Subshrub/Shrub.  Perennial.  Elev: 1000-3000'.	PLANTS db: Palmer's Indian mallow.
4	Dwarf Indian Mallow	Abutilon parvulum	Likes arid slopes and dry plains.  Grows from a woody root, with many-branched, lightly-hairy trailing stems, with heart-shaped or oval leaves, orange, mostly solitary or auxiliary flowers; plant to 16" tall.  Leaves lightly hairy with little star-shaped hairs (actually hairs branched or otherwise divided into 2 or more parts), leaves to 2" long.  Flowers orangish, stamens united into a tube, petals-5, to ½" wide; followed by a 5-chambered schizocarp (type of fruit), with 5 (occasionally 6) mericarps (seed chambers).   Watch for the trailing form, stems many, small orangish flowers, and especially look for 5 chambered schizocarps.  Ten Abutilon species in Arizona.  Native.  Subshrub/Herb.  Perennial.  Elev: 2500-5000'.	PLANTS db: dwarf Indian mallow.
5	White-Thorn Acacia	Acacia constricta	This plant gets to be a large shrub or small tree, with bark reddish-maroon, to 20’ tall, with the same spread.  The minute flowers are aromatic, yellow, and densely packed into ½” diameter “fuzzballs;” followed by a reddish brown pod, strongly constricted between seeds, to ¼” wide, 2” long.  The light green leaves are alternate, even-pinnately compound; to 1” wide, 2” long; with 3-9 pairs of primary leaflets, and 4-16 pairs of secondary leaflets, to 1/32” wide, to 5/32” long.  Pairs of white spines, to 2” long, are found on branches (new growth).  Watch for the yellow fuzzball flowers, check the leaves and the thorns for ID clues.  Older plants not being grazed will not produce thorns; in this case use the flowers, leaves, and maroon bark for identification.  Arizona has about a half dozen Acacia species.  Native.  Tree/Shrub.  Perennial.  Elev: 2500-5000'.	PLANTS db. - whitethorn acacia.
6	Sweet Acacia	Acacia farnesiana (Acacia smallii)	Likes a variety of soils, often on poorly drained, deep, sandy or clay lowlands, multi-trunked tree or shrub, general form an upside-down cone, branchlets spiny, with pale, straight, paired, pin-like spines; with finely divided leaves; plant reaches 15-20' in height.  Leaves bipinnately compound, gray-green and ferny, divisions 8-16; each division with 10-20 pairs of small leaflets; leaf to 4" long; division to ¼" long, leaflet to 1/32" long.  Flowers fragrant, orange-yellow, protruding stamens many, spherical puffy cluster; flower to ⅜" diameter; followed by a reddish brown to black woody pod, appearing slightly inflated, slightly curved, round cross section, barely constricted between seeds, tapered at both ends; to 1½-3" long.  Watch for the reverse cone plant outline, spherical yellow flowers, spine pairs, characteristic leaves, and the woody pod for helpful identification characteristics.  Six Acacia species in Arizona.  Native, Tree/Shrub.  Perennial.  Elev: 2500-4000'.	PLANTS db: sweet acacia.
7	Catclaw Acacia	Acacia greggii	This plant can become a large shrub or small tree, to 23' tall, with a trunk to 8" in diameter.  The grey-green leaves are drought deciduous (fall off when conditions unfavorable), and bipinnately compound, divided into 1-3 pairs of primary leaf divisions, each primary leaf division with 10-18 very small leaflets.  The flowers are produced in dense cylindrical spikes, each flower with five tiny yellow petals and numerous tiny yellow stamens. The fruit is a flat, twisted flat pod to 6" long, containing several hard, dark brown seeds.  The seed pod is constricted between seeds.  Being drought deciduous, Catclaw will lack leaves in this area much of the year.  Branches have ¼" long sharp cat claw-like hooked thorns that will tear clothing or skin.  We try very hard not to brush against these bushes.  The flower spike, constricted seed pod, and the recurved spines (cat's claws) provide helpful identification clues.  About a half dozen Acacia species in Arizona.  Native.  Tree/Shrub.  Perennial.  Elev: 350-4500'.	Cat's claw, devil's claw and other names; PLANTS db. - catclaw acacia.
8	Western Yarrow	Achillea millefolium	Of meadows, pastures, roadsides and forests; a very distinctive plant, at least locally, with dark-green, lacy-leaves, and large white flower clusters; plant 4-80" tall; more like 24" in our area.  At the same time, a variable species that over time has been considered a single species with varieties, or multiple species; such that 58 or more names have been used for specimens from across North America.  Flowering area heads 10-100, comprising simple, broad, flat-top clusters (corymbs).  Flower ray florets usually 3-8, white or light pink to purple; disk flowers 15-40, white to grayish-white with yellow center parts; flowers to ⅛" wide; followed by small one-seeded nutlets.  Leaves alternate, strongly scented, 3-pinnately divided very finely, hairy, reduced upward, higher leaves clasping; leaves near the base to 8" long.  Watch for the large flower clusters and very finely divided leaves for helpful identification clues.  One Achillea species in Arizona.  Introduced/Native.  Herb.  Perennial.  Elev: 5500-11500'.	PLANTS db: common yarrow.
9	Desert Holly	Acourtia nana	This broadleaved little plant, found singly or in patches, has woolly stems at the base, and grows to 8" tall.  One flowerhead contains 15-25, 2-lipped tubular lavendar-pink flowers, to 1" high from tip of stalk, to roughly ¼" wide, bracts show a little maroon, followed by a small brown fruit to ½" long.  Leaves are holly-shaped, stiff, alternate, spine-toothed, oval to round, to 2" long.  The distinctive flower and holly-like leaves provide helpful identification clues.  Native.  Herb.  Perennial.  Elev: 0-5700'.	PLANTS db. - dwarf desertpeony.
10	Perezia	Acourtia wrightii	This plant is a little woody at the base, stems topped in loosely branched, showy terminal clusters, of pinkish-white flowers, plant to 3’ tall.  The 8-12 pinkish lavender flowers, two-lipped, circling the periphery of the flowerhead, to ¾" wide; followed by numerous tawny bristles.  Leaves dark green, alternate, wrinkly, leathery, oblong-lanceolate or oval or oblong, spiny toothed margins, stalkless and clasping, to 5" long.  Watch for these showy pinkish-white flowerheads and wrinkly, spiny leaves for ID clues.  Arizona has three Acourtia species.  Native.  Herb.  Perennial.  Elev: 1300-4600'.	Desert Holly, Pink Perezia; PLANTS db. - brownfoot.
11	Russian Knapweed	Acroptilon repens	Exotic Wildflower.  Sometimes found on disturbed ground, roadsides and fields; rhizomatous plants, stems erect, often openly branched, with purple somewhat thistle-like flowers (in appearance); to 24" tall.  Flowering area is terminal, roughly circular, flat-topped cluster, or panicle-like leafy cluster, or a single flower; flowers on a plant about 1-30, often much less.  Flower heads spineless, bracts rounded, with whitish/silvery papery margins; flowers pink or lavender, flower to ¾" wide, followed by a seed pod.  Lower leaves deeply lobed, 2-4" long; upper leaf edges smooth (entire) or serrated; narrow-oblong, base stalkless, reduced.  Watch for the spineless whitish/silvery margined bracts, purple flowers, and characteristic foliage for helpful identification clues.  One Acroptilon species in Arizona.  Introduced.  Herb.  Perennial.  Elev: 0-7500'.	PLANTS db: hardheads.
12	San Felipe Dyssodia	Adenophyllum porophylloides	This plant is erect with stems-many, many-branched, with yellowish-orange flowers, with a strong odor when in bloom and when herbage crushed, to 2’ tall.  The flowerheads with 8-10 ray flowers, yellow to red-orange; disk flowers many, yellow-orange; bracts many dark gland-dotted; flowerheads to ½" wide, 3/16" long.  The dark green leaves opposite below, and alternate above; to 1½" long; pinnately divided, 3-5 narrow lobes, gland-dot at base, sharply serrated edges;  lobes ⅞" wide, to 1" long.  Watch for the mostly yellow-orange flowerheads with many conspicuous dark gland-dots on the bracts, and check the foliage for ID clues.  Not to be confused with Odora which has noticeably more narrow flowerheads and far less conspicuous bracts; these two species are often found together or nearly so.  Arizona has four Adenophyllum species.  Native.  Subshrub.  Perennial.  Elev: 600-4800'.	San Felipe Foetid Marigold, San Felipe dogweed; PLANTS db. - San Felipe dogweed.
13	Golden-Flowered Agave	Agave chrysantha	This plant develops a crowded basal cluster of upright bluish green leaves, then after a few years, sends up a tall branched flowerstalk, with dense flower clusters, then following blooming, it dies.  Flowers are yellow (only – no tinting with other colors), in dense clusters carrying hundreds of flowers.  The stout upright basal leaves are evergreen, thick, with ⅜” long prickles on the margins, ending in a sharp point, to about 3’ long, basal cluster to 40” or so wide.  Flowerstalk to 20’ tall.  Watch for the tall flowerstalk, prickly margin leaves, and the yellow (only) flowers for ID clues.  Native.  Subshrub/Shrub/Herb.  Perennial.  Elev: 3000-6000'.	PLANTS db. - goldenflower century plant.
14	Parry's Agave	Agave parryi	This plant is impressive in flower; stalk to 20' tall; 20-30 side branches, each with a flattish flower cluster; each cluster with hundreds of flowers; and surrounded at the base by large, spines grayish-green leaves.  Flower buds reddish; flowers face upwards, bright yellow, petal-like parts-6; flower to 2½" long.  Basal rosette 24" tall, 36" wide.  Leaves grayish-green, margins have hooked spines, somewhat oval, smooth and rigid, roughly ½-¾" thick, tipped with a sharp terminal dark spine; leaves 10-16" long, 3-5" wide.  Sends up its stalk after about 25 years; flowers, then dies.  Watch for the tall agave with reddish buds, and bright yellow flowers, and check the foliage characteristics for helpful identification clues.  Twelve Agave species in Arizona.  Native.  Shrub/Subshrub/Herb.  Elev: 4500-8000'.	Mescal Agave.  PLANTS db: Parry's agave.
15	Tourney's Century Plant	Agave Tourneyana	Found in chaparral, desert scrub, and pinon-juniper woodlands; a tall stemmed plant with small basal leaves, scale-like stem leaves, densely flowered higher in flowering area; plant to 7' tall.  Basal leaf rosettes, 4-20" tall; 6-24" across; in dense tuft; stalkless or appearing so; leaves several to numerous; photographed specimens, over 100 leaves (A. tourneyana var. bella); linear to linear-lance-shape, straight, slender curved-shape, tapering to sharp tip, fairly rigid, light- to yellowish- to dark-green, bud-imprinted high and low; fine brown margin with white threadlike fibers, sometimes serrated or toothed down leaf to base; spine to ¾" long, leaves to 3¼-18¼" long, ¼-1" wide;.  Flowering area upper portion of leafless, slender, green or red stalk.  Flowers usually pairs on short stalks, ½-1" long; flower curved downward, tepals subequal, cream to light chartreuse green, to ⅜" long, clasping white filaments, to ⅜" long; yellow-cream anthers ¼-½" long, yellow-cream; style ¾-1" long when receptive; floral tube cream-green; flower to 1" long, about ⅜" wide; flower followed by short-beaked capsule, to ⅝" long, ⅜" wide.  Watch for the basal rosettes, tall slender green or red flowering stalks, and 1" long flowers usually in pairs for helpful identification clues.  A dozen Agave species in Arizona.  Native.  Subshrub/Shrub/Herb.  Perennial.  Elev: 2000-5000'.	PLANTS db: Tourney's century plant.
16	Ageratina	Ageratina herbacea	These are typically seen as perennials or low shrubs, with woody crowns (and rhizomes - below the ground stems), topped with terminal panicled clusters of white, dome-shaped clusters, each to ⅜" wide, comprised of rayless, 5-lobed starlike flowers each to 1/16" wide, each with a long white stamen protruding.  Leaves are opposite and prominantely veined, leaf stems to 1" long, yellow-green to grayish, toothed to serrate-toothed, blades triangular to lancelate-ovate to ovate, 1¾" wide to 3" long.  Watch for the green to yellow or grayish leaves and clusters of rayless flowers with prominantely protruding stamens for helpful identification clues.  Botanists also watch for the below ground stems, bract characteristics like granular-hairy bracts, seed characteristics and more, especially when looking for species varieties.  Six Ageratina species in Arizona.  Native.  Subshrub/Herb.  Perennial.  Elev: 5000-9000'.	PLANTS db: fragrant snakeroot.
17	Trailing Four O'Clock	Allionia incarnata	This is a low growing trailing plant, leaves reducing in size along the stem, that may reach 10’ in length.  The plant has sticky, often reddish stems, and the leaves appear to be dirty.  Three of its odd-shaped deep pink to purple flowers bloom close together, the result appearing to be one flower, to 1” wide.  The hairy, sticky, oval, entire (smooth edge) or wavy margined leaves, green above, and silvery below, to 2” long.  Watch for the little deep pink to purple ‘windmills,’ sticky stems, and the dirty leaves for ID clues.  Two Allionia species in Arizona.  Native. Herb. Annual/Perennial.  Elev: 0-6000'.	Pink three-flower, trailing windmills and other names; PLANTS db. - trailing windmills.
18	Aspen Onion	Allium bisceptrum	More likely seen in meadows and aspen groves, less likely on open slopes. Leaves green at time of flowering, blade solid, flat, basaly sheathing the stem just a little above the soil surface, blades channeled broadly, to 12" long. Solitary or clustered scape(s) (leafless flower stem) from 4-16" tall.  Flower umbel, 15-40 flowered, spherical, loose, erect.  Spathe bracts 2-4 veined, about equal.  Flowers starlike, lilac to white, 7/16" wide, tepals (petals and sepals hard to tell apart) spreading, anthers purple, pollen yellow; ovary cresting conspicuous.  Watch for the umbel of flowers, lilac to white flowers, and onion leaves for helpful identification clues.  Twelve Allium species in Arizona.  Native.  Herb.  Perennial.  Elev: 3300-9000'.	PLANTS db: Twincrest onion.
19	Largeflower Onion	Allium macropetalum	Found in desert hills and plains, plant to 14" tall, usually much less.  Leaves, persistent, dark-green at time of flowering, grass-like, sheathing; solid blade, channeled, margins entire, semi-circular in cross-section; 3⅛-8" long, to ⅛" wide.  Scape (leafless flowering stem) persistent, solitary, erect, circular in cross-section (or roughly 4-angled); to 14" tall, to ⅛" wide.  Umbel persistent, erect, compact to loose, 10-20-flowered, hemispheric to spherical.  Flowers bell-shaped, to ¾" wide, tepals spreading, pink with deeper pink or reddish midveins, lance-shaped; anthers yellow or purple; pollen yellow; ovary usually conspicuously crested.  Watch for the attractive flowers and grass-like leaves, and onion smell of disturbed foliage for helpful identification clues.  Over a dozen Allium species in Arizona.  Native.  Herb.  Perennial.  Elev: 1000-7000'.	PLANTS db: largeflower onion.
20	Lemon Verbena	Aloysia wrightii	A shrub not ordinarily noticed, until in flower, when the sweet fragrance can first be noticed from maybe 50' away.  Stems finely whitish-hairy on young stems; shrub to 6½' tall.  Calyx (sepals collectively) tubular, bell-shaped, deeply 4-lobed, long soft hair; petals small, whitish or bluish, 2-lipped, on lateral or terminal spikes.  Leaves opposite, shallowly toothed with blunt wide teeth, ovate or nearly circular, wrinkled and bright green above, whitish underneath, to ½" long.  Watch for that fragrance, the little whitish or bluish flowers, and the foliage characteristics for helpful identification clues.  Two Aloysia species in Arizona.  Native.  Shrub.  Perennial.  Elev: 1500-6000'.	PLANTS db: Wight's beebrush.
21	Careless Weed	Amaranthus palmeri	A tall, erect, weedy summer annual, with central stem to 6½' tall.  Leaves alternate, to 8" long, to 2½" wide; prominent white veins beneath.  Lower leaves obovate (reverse-egg shape), rhombic-obvate, to elliptic, higher may be lance-shaped, entire (smooth edge), on hairless, relatively long stalks longer than the leaves.  Flowers green, tiny and inconspicuous, produced in dense, compact, terminal panicles, ½-1½' long.  Smaller lateral panicles in leaf axils.  Male and female flowers on separate plants.  Each terminal panicle contains many densely packed branched spikes, with bracts to ¼" long.  Palmer amaranth may be confused with similar pigweed species, but is the only one with terminal panicles reaching 1½' in length.  Watch for relatively tall plants with dense terminal panicles to 1½' long, alternate leaves, and stalks longer than the leaves.  Seventeen Amaranthus species in Arizona.  Native.  Herb.  Annual.  Elev: 0-5500'.	Pigweed.  PLANTS db: carelessweed.
22	Pig Weed	Amaranthus retroflexus	A hairy tap-rooted weed; erect stem, reddish near base, branched higher up, very leafy; to 6½' tall.  Leaves green, flat or slightly wavy, stalked, margins entire, ovate to diamond shape; taper to a sharp point; ¾-4" long.  Terminal flowering area generally densely crowded, green to silvery green, often with reddish or yellow tint, branched, usually short and thick; with additional dense clusters in upper leaf axils.  Flowers tiny; followed by bladder-like, one seeded fruits, with tiny seeds.  Watch for the dense flowering areas at stem top plus in leaf axils, and characteristic foliage, for helpful identification clues.  Twenty Amaranthus species in Arizona.  Introduced.  Herb.  Annual.  Elev: 5000-7000'.	rough pigweed.  PLANTS db: redroot amaranth.
23	Wild Chrysanthemum	Amauriopsis dissecta (Bahia dissecta)	This is a glandular, erect plant, typically 1-stem, openly branched above, with 2-3 palmately divided leaves, with flowers-many, distribution panicle-like (branched cluster), plant to 4’ tall.  The yellow flowers daisy-like, 10-20 rays, darker yellow ray flowers, to ¾” wide. The green, alternate, basal leaves; where twice-palmately divided, have 3-major leaflets, these divided into 3-minor linear to oblong segments, bristles or short hairs, to 3” long.  Watch for these daisy-like flowers and very distinctive divided leaves for ID clues.  Not recorded for Maricopa County, but is recorded in some adjacent counties.  Arizona has one Amauriopsis species.  Native.  Herb.  Annual/Biennial/Perennial.  Elev: 5200-9500'.	PLANTS db. - ragleaf bahia
24	Canyon Ragweed	Ambrosia ambrosioides	Canyon Ragweed is a sprawling bush, to 40" tall, developing smooth and shiny red - brown bark.  Stems are red - brown, with fine white hairs, stout, brittle, and with narrow leaf scars.  The tiny flowers, to ⅜" wide, are a dull yellow-green, packed in small clusters, on a spike, followed by slender spined cocklebur-like fruits, to 1" long, in clusters.  Leaves are alternate, evergreen, and elongated triangular to lance-shaped, coarsely serrate or toothed, green above and below, and hairy.  Ragweed pollen is dreaded by hayfever sufferers.  The flower cluster geometry and colors, leaf detail/appearance and fruits provide helpful identification clues.  Numerous species in Arizona.  Native.  Subshrub/Shrub.  Perennial.  Elev: 350-3500'.	Ragweed, Ambrosia Leaf, Burr Ragweed, Giant Bursage, and more; PLANTS db. - Ambrosia leaf bur ragweed.
25	Sonoran Bursage	Ambrosia cordifolia	Another member of the genus best known for severe and widespread allergies caused by its pollen; an erect plant, with green leaves (light beneath), odd-shaped flowers, and burs; plant 12-20" tall.  Leaves mostly alternate; stalks ⅛-1⅜" long; blades roughly triangular-shaped, lobed-3, leaf ⅜-1⅜" long, ⅜-1 3/16" wide; bases heart-shaped to cut-off; margins coarsely toothed; top faces densely hairy (including veins), bottom faces minutely to coarsely hairy and gland-dotted (and white).  Staminate heads terminal on stems; florets 8-30.  Pistillate heads clustered in leaf axils further below staminate heads; florets-2; followed by spiny burs with seeds.  Watch for the flowerheads burs and foliage, and in particular for the white leaf-bottoms.  Fourteen Ambrosia species in Arizona.  Native.  Subshrub/Shrub.  Perennial.  Elev: 2300-4000'.	PLANTS db: Tucson bur ragweed.