RANUNCULACEAE -- Buttercup Family - New Mexico Flores

RANUNCULACEAE -- Buttercup Family 

Scientific Name: 

Aconitum columbianum ssp. columbianum 

Size: 

50 - 150 cm 

Description: 

Erect perennial herb, stems mostly glabrous 

below, with short, soft hairs and spreading, 

often gland-tipped hairs above. Leaves 

alternate, on petioles, progressively reduced 

above, deeply, palmately 5-lobed, the lobes 

coarsely toothed or incised; blades 3 - 10 cm 

long, 5 - 15 cm wide. Flowers perfect, on 

stalks, in loose clusters at stem end or from 

upper leaf axils. Sepals 5, usually hairy on the 

outside, the uppermost hood-like, 12 - 20 mm 

high, the 2 laterals oval, 8 - 17 mm long, the 

lower 1 narrow, 7 - 12 mm long. Petals 2, 

small, whitish, inside upper sepal, with a narrow 

base, a drooping blade and a curved or coiled 

spur. Stamens numerous. 

358 

Common Name: 

Monkshood 

Color: 

Purple, rarely white 

Notes: 

Monkshood is a beautiful and remarkable 

flower found in higher altitudes in scattered 

groups. In the Manzanos it occurs often with 

the larkspur, Delphinium sapellonis, and 

fernleaf lousewort, Pedicularis procera. 

Monkshood contains alkaloids which affect the 

heart and central nervous system and is quite 

poisonous. It blooms from mid-July to mid- 

August between 8000 and 10000 ft. 

(See next page for flower detail.) 

New Mexico Native



Aconitum columbianum ssp. columbianum 

(flowers) 

Description: 

See previous page. 

359 

Common Name: 

Monkshood (flowers) 

Notes: 

Monkshood flowers are generally purple, but on 

rare occasions it is possible to see a white one. 

Both are shown below.


Actaea rubra ssp. arguta 

Size: 

50 - 80 cm 


Description: 

Synonym: Actaea arguta. 

Erect perennial herb, stems glabrous below, 

usually finely hairy above. Leaves alternate, on 

petioles 1 - 12 cm long, blades 15 - 35 cm long, 

divided into 3 leaflets, each leaflet 3-lobed or 

divided again into 3 smaller leaflets, the final 

segments ovate to lanceolate or oblong, 

irregularly toothed. Flowers small, perfect, on 

stalks, in a dense cluster at stem end. Sepals 3 - 

5, 2 - 3 mm long, early deciduous. Petals 4 - 10, 

spatulate, 1 - 3 mm long, early deciduous. 

Stamens numerous, much exceeding petals. 

Pistil 1, stigma sessile. Fruit an elliptical red or 

white berry 7 - 13 mm long. 

360 

Common Name: 

Baneberry 

Color: 

White 

Notes: 

The prefix “bane” is derived from an Old High 

German word for “death”. Although not deadly, 

all parts of the baneberry plant are somewhat 

poisonous. However, birds seem to eat the 

berries without harm. The dense white 

“bottlebrush” flower clusters in spring and erect 

red or white berry clusters in the fall make this 

plant easy to spot. They are common in the 

moister areas of the Manzanos. Baneberry 

blooms from mid-May to the end of July 

between 7500 and 10000 ft. 



Anemone canadensis 

Size: 

20 - 60 cm 


Description: 

Erect perennial herb, stems with spreading or 

ascending hairs, often dense above. Leaves 

with hairs lying flat, particularly below; basal 

leaves 8 - 15 cm wide, on petioles 8 - 20 cm 

long, palmately 3- to 5-lobed, each irregularly 

toothed; stem leaves 3 - 10 cm long, whorled, 

sessile, with 3 deep, irregularly and sharply 

toothed lobes. Flowers perfect, on stalks from 

leaf whorls often with a sessile whorl of small 

secondary leaves, solitary or in few-flowered 

clusters. Sepals mostly 5, petaloid, 8 - 20 mm 

long. Petals absent. Stamens numerous. Pistils 

numerous, forming a fruiting head. 

361 

Common Name: 

Meadow anemone, windflower 

Color: 

White 

Notes: 

The genus name Anemone comes from Naaman, 

the Semitic name for the Greek mythological 

figure, Adonis. Legend has it that the crimson 

flowered anemone of the Middle East arose 

from his blood after he was killed by a wild 

boar. The large white sepals and numerous 

stamens of the anemone make it one of the more 

striking summer wildflowers despite its lack of 

petals. Meadow anemone is occasional in the 

Manzanos. It blooms from early June through 

July between 7000 and 8500 ft. 



Anemone cylindrica 

Size: 

30 - 60 cm 


Description: 

Erect perennial herb, stems with short, 

spreading to ascending hairs. Basal leaves with 

short hairs lying flat above and below, on 

petioles 9 - 21 cm long, composed of 3 leaflets; 

end leaflet rhombic, sessile, 3 - 5 cm long, 4 - 

10 cm wide, deeply incised, margins round or 

sharp toothed; lateral leaflets once or twice 

parted, lobes 4 - 10 mm wide. Stem terminated 

by a 2-layered whorl of 3 or more bracts similar 

to but smaller than the basal leaves, on petioles 

1 - 5 cm long. Flowers perfect, on long stalks 

from the bract whorl, in groups of 2 - 7. Sepals 

4 or 5, ovate to elliptic or obovate, 7 - 12 mm 

long, 3 - 6 mm wide, glabrous above, silkyhairy 

below. Petals none. Stamens 50 - 75. 

Fruiting head cylindrical, 2 - 3 cm long. 

362 

Common Name: 

Candle anemone 

Color: 

White 

Notes: 

Candle anemone, like most other anemones, 

does not have petals. Its petal-like sepals are 

certainly visually equivalent. The species name 

cylindrica is in clear reference to the fruiting 

head at the center of the flower. At maturity, 

the head expands into a tangled, cottony mass 

which can persist on the plant through the 

winter. Candle anemone is unusual in the 

Manzanos. It blooms from early June through 

July between 6500 and 9000 ft. 



Aquilegia desertorum 

Size: 

30 - 60 cm 


Description: 

Synonym: Aquilegia triternata. 

Erect perennial herb, stems lightly hairy. 

Leaves glabrous or with short hairs, in groups of 

3, each group once or twice again divided into 

3’s, the ultimate leaflets 1 - 3 cm long, variously 

lobed or round toothed. Basal leaves on long 

petioles. Stem leaves alternate on short petioles, 

becoming smaller, sessile above. Flowers 

perfect, upside down, on long stalks, in fewflowered 

clusters subtended by leaf-like bracts, 

at stem end. Sepals 5, reddish, ovate to 

lanceolate, 7 - 20 mm long 3 - 8 mm wide, 

spreading from floral axis. Petals 5, blades 

yellow, oblong or rounded, 4 - 12 mm long, 

bases extended into red spurs 16 - 32 mm long 

between sepals. 

363 

Common Name: 

Red columbine 

Color: 

Red with yellow 

Notes: 

The delicate flower of the red columbine is one 

of the most fascinating and beautiful of the 

wildflowers of the Manzanos. The name 

columbine comes from the Latin columbinus, 

“dove-like”. It is said that the columbine flower 

resembles a ring of 5 doves, with the long petal 

spurs representing the necks and heads, the 

spreading sepals the wings, and the petal blades 

the tails. Red columbine is common in canyon 

bottoms all over the Manzanos. It blooms from 

June into August between 7000 and 10000 ft. 



Clematis bigelovii 

Size: 

30 - 50 cm 


Description: 

Erect perennial herb, stems with short hairs, 

stem base often woody. Leaves opposite, oddpinnate 

with 7 - 11 leaflets, these again oddpinnate 

into ovate leaflets 1 - 4 cm long, 5 - 15 

mm wide, these irregularly 2 - to several-lobed, 

surfaces glabrous, not heavily wrinkled. 

Flowers solitary, perfect, at stem and branch 

ends, usually upside down, urn- or bell-shaped. 

Sepals 4, lanceolate, 1.5 - 3 cm long, thick, 

leathery, pressed firmly edge to edge at least at 

the base, but not fused, the tips bent backward, 

the margins thin, expanded, woolly-hairy on the 

back. Petals absent. Stamens many, not 

protruding. 

364 

Common Name: 

Leatherflower 

Color: 

Brownish purple to purple 

Notes: 

Leatherflowers are certainly one of the more 

unusual flowers in the Manzanos. The flower 

has no petals. It is formed from 4 thick, leathery 

sepals, modified leaves which normally support 

and protect the petals and other floral parts. The 

flowers hang upside down. New Mexico has 3 

species and a total of 5 varieties of 

leatherflower. C. bigelovii is the only leather 

flower in the Manzanos. Its leaflets are oddly 

lobed, often resembling little mittens. Leather 

flowers bloom from mid-May through July 





Clematis columbiana var. columbiana 

Size: 

Vine 50 - 150 cm 

Description: 

Synonym: Clematis pseudoalpina. 

Clambering or trailing perennial woody vine, 

stems usually several, mostly glabrous. Leaves 

opposite, in groups of 3, each group once or 

twice further divided into 3’s, the ultimate 

leaflets commonly ovate but variable, usually 

lobed or coarsely toothed. Petioles sparsely 

long-hairy or glabrous. Flowers perfect, solitary 

on stalks 3 - 15 cm long at tips of short shoots, 

sometimes upside down. Sepals 4, lanceolate to 

ovate, 1 - 6 cm long, distinct, sparsely hairy on 

the back, with hairy margins. Petals absent. 

Stamens many, sterile staminodes present, both 

with flattened filaments. Mature styles feathery, 

2 - 6 cm long. 

365 

Common Name: 

Rocky Mountain Clematis 

Color: 

Lilac to pink 

Notes: 

This delicate plant with leaves in groups of 

three and its relatively large, wispy, ethereal 

flowers is fairly common in shadier areas in the 

Manzanos. Like other members of the Clematis 

genus, the mature flowers have a cluster of long 

feathery styles. Rocky Mountain clematis 

blooms in May and June between 7000 and 

9000 ft. 



Clematis ligusticifolia 

Size: 

Vine 


Description: 

Trailing or clambering somewhat woody vine, 

stems glabrous to variously hairy. Leaves 

opposite, on petioles, odd-pinnate with 3 - 7 

lanceolate to ovate, coarsely toothed leaflets 3 - 

8 cm long, 1 - 5 cm wide. Flowers 1 - 2.5 cm 

wide, on stalks, unisexual with male and female 

flowers on separate plants, borne in loose, 

branched clusters from leaf axils. Male flowers 

lack pistils. Stamens many. Female flowers 

with sterile stamens, pistils numerous. Sepals 4, 

elliptic to oblanceolate, 5 - 12 mm long. Petals 

absent. Styles of female flowers greatly 

elongating in fruit, 2 - 6 cm long, feathery. 

Seeds hairy. 

366 

Common Name: 

Virgin’s bower 

Color: 

White 

Notes: 

The species name ligusticifolia comes from 

Ligusticum, the genus name of lovage (see 

Ligusticum porteri) and the Latin folia, 

“leaves”. The leaflets of Virgin’s bower 

resemble the leaflets of some species of 

Ligusticum. The plants tend to clamber over 

other vegetation, but do not have tendrils. The 

leaf stalks upon touching something tend to coil 

around it allowing the plants to climb. The 

male and female flowers of this plant are housed 

on totally separate plants (see next page). 

Virgin’s bower blooms from mid-May through 

the end of August between 4000 and 8500 ft. 



Clematis ligusticifolia (flowers) 

Size: 

Vine 

Description (male): 


The male (staminate) flower forms a delicate 

hemisphere of stamens which lasts for a few 

days before withering and disappearing. 

See photograph below. 

367 

Common Name: 

Virgin’s bower (flowers) 

Color: 

White 

Description (female): 

The female (pistillate) flower forms a ragged 

ball of styles which continue to develop and 

greatly lengthen into a wispy plume. 

See photograph below.


Delphinium sapellonis 

Size: 

100 - 200 cm 


Description: 

Erect perennial herb, stems hollow, sparingly 

branched, lower part glabrous, green or 

sometimes red, with short hairs among flowers. 

Leaves alternate, on petioles 5 - 12 cm long, 

blades 8 - 16 cm long, 6 - 10 cm wide, 

palmately 5-lobed, the lobes incised or coarsely 

toothed, glabrous; basal leaves early deciduous. 

Flowers perfect, on stalks with short hairs, in a 

loose, commonly branched cluster at stem end. 

Sepals 5, yellowish or brownish-purple, with 

hairs and gland-tipped hairs, the upper with a 

basal spur 8 - 11 mm long, 2 laterals pointing 

forward, 8 - 12 mm long, 2 lower angling 

downward. Petals 4, the upper pair spurred, 

glabrous, the lower pair 3 - 5 mm long, cleft, 

with long yellow hairs. 

368 

Common Name: 

Sapello Canyon Larkspur, ugly delphinium 

Color: 

Bluish purple with white 

Notes: 

The New Mexico Rare Plant Technical Council 

has identified this as a rare plant. It only grows 

in the Jemez, Sandia, Manzano, and southern 

Sangre de Cristo Mountains. It was discovered 

in 1900 in Sapello Canyon northwest of Las 

Vegas, NM in San Miguel County. In the 

Manzanos it occurs with Monkshood (Aconitum 

columbianum) and fernleaf lousewort 

(Pedicularis procera) in moister areas of the 

higher elevations. Larkspurs contain delphinine 

and other poisonous alkaloids and can be 

harmful to grazing animals. Sapello Canyon 

larkspur blooms in July and August between 

7500 and 10000 ft. 



Delphinium wootonii 

Size: 

20 - 50 cm 


Description: 

Synonym: Delphinium virescens 

Stout, erect perennial herb, stems with short 

hairs, some gland-tipped. At flowering, leaves 

alternate on bottom quarter of stem and basal, 

grayish with short hairs, on petioles 0.5 - 8 cm 

long, blades kidney- or fan-shaped, 15 - 30 mm 

long, 25 - 40 mm wide, palmately deeply 

dissected into 5 - 20 narrow lobes 2 - 6 mm 

wide in basal leaves, 1 - 3 mm wide in stem 

leaves. Flowers perfect, on strongly ascending, 

short-hairy stalks 10 - 20 mm long, in a long, 

loose cluster on upper stem. Sepals 5, the upper 

with an ascending spur 8 - 24 mm long, the 2 

laterals ovate to elliptic, 8 - 18 mm long, bent 

backwards, 2 bottoms similar to laterals, 

spreading. Petals 4, upper 2 spurred into upper 

sepal, lower 2, 6 - 9 mm long, inside lateral 

sepals. 

369 

Common Name: 

Plains larkspur 

Color: 

Bluish purple with white 

Notes: 

The long, narrow, leafless flowering stalks of 

plains larkspur carry up to 30, sometimes as 

many as 50, interesting and intricate flowers. 

The individual flower stalks are pressed against 

the stem. The long purplish spur at the rear of 

the flower is strongly ascending, 30 - 80 degrees 

above horizontal. Purple spots and tinges on the 

petals and sepals give the blossoms a very 

graceful appearance. Larkspurs, however, 

contain delphinine and other poisonous 

alkaloids harmful to grazing animals. Occurring 

in the plains and foothills approaching the 

Manzanos, plains larkspur blooms from mid- 

May through June between 5000 and 7000 ft. 



Pulsatilla patens ssp. multifida 

Size: 

20 -30 cm 


Description: 

Synonym: Anemone patens 

Erect perennial herb, stems usually several. 

Herbage with long, silky hairs. Basal leaves 3- 

to 7-lobed, each lobe further divided into 

narrow segments; stem leaves 2 - 5 cm long, 

sessile, in a single whorl; basal leaves appearing 

after flowers, on petioles 5 - 10 cm long, mostly 

3-lobed, much divided, blades 5 - 10 cm wide. 

Flowers perfect, 4 - 8 cm across, solitary on a 

thick stalk from leaf whorl. Sepals 5 - 7, 

lanceolate to ovate, 2 - 4 cm long, petaloid, 

showy, silky-hairy on the back. Petals absent, 

stamens numerous. Pistils numerous, in a 

spherical cluster, styles feathery, 2 - 4 cm long 

in fruit. 

370 

Common Name: 

Pasqueflower 

Color: 

Lavender to white 

Notes: 

The Pasqueflower is one of the most beautiful 

wildflowers of the Manzanos, although rather 

uncommon. They tend to be found on north 

facing slopes. The basal leaves appear after the 

flowers fade. Pasqueflowers are early 

bloomers, and often missed by hikers since their 

flowering time is close to Easter. Pasque is Old 

French for “Easter”. The Pasqueflower was 

named by the English surgeon/botanist, John 

Gerard (1545-1612). They bloom from late 

March to early May between 7000 and 10000 ft. 



Ranunculus aquatilis var. diffusus 

Size: 

Aquatic vine 


Description: 

Aquatic perennial herb with glabrous stems 

rooting at nodes. Leaves submersed, alternate, 

on petioles 5 - 15 mm long, blades 1 - 3 cm 

long, dissected into thread-like lobes. Flowers 

solitary, perfect, on glabrous stalks 1 - 6 cm 

long from leaf axils. Sepals 5, 2 - 4 mm long, 1 

- 2 mm wide, glabrous, spreading or bent 

backwards, deciduous soon after flowering. 

Petals 5, white, 4 - 7 mm long, 1 - 5 mm wide, 

tapering to a narrow base, often yellow, with an 

attached nectar tube. Stamens 10 - 20 yellow. 

Pistils 30 - 50, in a hemispherical cluster. 

Fruiting stalks noticeably curved. 

371 

Common Name: 

White water-crowfoot 

Color: 

White 

Notes: 

Water-crowfoot is almost always found tangled 

among other plants (commonly watercress, see 

Nasturtium officinale) in running streams. The 

flowers can easily appear to be originating from 

a broad-leafed plant, but the leaves of watercrowfoot 

are fan-shaped and composed of many 

very narrow threadlike segments actually 

resembling fibrous roots. Water-crowfoot 

blooms from mid-May into August between 

5000 and 9000 ft. 



Ranunculus inamoenus 

Size: 

10 - 30 cm 


Description: 

Erect perennial herb, glabrous to slightly hairy, 

stems often solitary, simple or sparingly 

branched, hollow. Basal leaves on petioles 2 - 

10 cm long, the blades 1 - 5 cm long and wide, 

ovate to obovate or round, unlobed to somewhat 

3-lobed, edges round toothed. Stem leaves 

alternate, on short petioles or sessile, deeply 

divided into 3 - 5 linear to oblanceolate lobes. 

Flowers perfect, 1 to several, on stalks 1 - 5 cm 

long, at stem end. Sepals 5, greenish, obovate, 

3 - 6 mm long. Petals 5, elliptic to obovate, 4 - 

8 mm long. Stamens numerous. Pistils 

numerous, arranged in a cylindrical head. 

372 

Common Name: 

Crowfoot, drab buttercup 

Color: 

Yellow 

Notes: 

The species name inamoenus comes from the 

Latin prefix in-, “not” and amoenus, “lovely” or 

“pleasing”. This buttercup has many common 

names, drab buttercup, unlovely buttercup, ugly 

buttercup. It is called crowfoot since its stem 

leaves are narrowly lobed, resembling a bird 

foot. Its petals are shiny and stout and its stem 

leaves are quite different from the basal leaves, 

making it easy to identify. It blooms from late 

April into August between 7000 and 10000 ft. 



Ranunculus macounii 

Size: 

20 - 80 cm 


Description: 

Erect or reclining perennial herb, stems 

sometimes rooting on contact with the ground. 

Herbage with long hairs spreading or lying flat. 

Basal leaves deeply incised into three lobes or 

pinnate with 3 - 5 leaflets, each incised or lobed; 

petioles 5 - 20 cm long, leaf blades 3 - 9 cm 

long. Stem leaves alternate, similar to basal. 

Flowers on stalks 1 - 10 cm long. Sepals 5, 3 - 

8 mm long, bent backwards, with long hairs. 

Petals 5, 3 - 8 mm long, barely if at all 

exceeding sepals. Stamens 10 or more. Fruit an 

almost spherical cluster of 20 - 60 achenes, the 

cluster 7 - 15 mm in diameter, the achenes 2 - 3 

mm long, with a straight beak 1 - 1.5mm long. 

373 

Common Name: 

Macoun’s buttercup 

Color: 

Yellow 

Notes: 

The female part of the flower is composed of 

many separate pistils, a condition associated 

with more primitive plants, which give rise to 

the “ball of seeds” common in the genus 

Ranunculus. In this buttercup, the ball, 

composed of 30 – 50 pointed conical seeds, is 

attached to a long naked stalk creating an 

assembly resembling a medieval battle mace. 

The flowers and leaves strongly resemble those 

of yellow avens (see Geum allepicum), but the 

fruits are very different. Macoun’s buttercup is 

named for one of Canada’s first major botanists, 

John Macoun (1831-1920). It blooms from 




Thalictrum fendleri 

Size: 

30 - 70 cm 


Description: 

Erect perennial herb, stems branched above, 

glabrous. Leaves alternate, on short petioles, in 

groups of 3 with each leaf one or more times 

divided into further groups of 3, the ultimate 

leaflets ovate to obovate or round, 8 - 20 mm 

long, 3-lobed at the apex, the lobes with wavytoothed 

margins, glabrous above, often 

glandular below. Flowers on stalks, in open 

leafy, branched clusters at branch ends or from 

leaf axils. Male and female flowers on separate 

plants. Sepals 4 or 5, green to whitish; in males 

ovate to elliptic, 3 - 5 mm long; in females ovate 

to lanceolate, 1.5 - 2 mm long. Petals absent. 

Stamens 7 - 30, pendant, 6 - 10 mm long. 

Pistils 1 - 16, spreading. 

374 

Common Name: 

Meadow rue 

Color: 

Greenish white 

Notes: 

Meadow rue is very common all over the 

Manzanos. The plants have a spindly character. 

The small, almost round, 3-lobed leaves in 

groups of 3 make it easy to recognize. The male 

flowers (staminate) and the female flowers 

(pistillate) reside on totally separate plants. The 

males hang upside down and look like tiny 

mops. The females resemble a spike ball. (See 

the following page.) Meadow rue blooms from 

mid-June through July between 4000 and 10000 

ft. 



Thalictrum fendleri (flowers) 

Size: 

30 - 70 cm 



The photograph below shows a plant with male 

flowers. The male flowers (staminate) hang 

upside down and look like tiny mops. 

(See previous page.) 

375 

Common Name: 

Meadow rue (flowers) 

Color: 



The photograph below shows a female plant. 

The female flowers (pistillate) resemble a 

spiked ball. 

(See previous page.)


Ceanothus fendleri 

Size: 

50 - 100 cm 

RHAMNACEAE -- Buckthorn Family 

Description: 

Low, heavily branched shrub, branches grayishwhite 

with fine, short hairs. Branches usually 

spine-tipped. Leaves alternate, on short 

petioles, narrowly elliptic to oblong, 10 - 25 mm 

long, 2 - 10 mm wide, mostly glabrous above, 

densely short-hairy below, edges smooth or 

minutely toothed, with 3 prominent veins 

running the length of the leaf. Flowers perfect, 

on stalks, in dense clusters at stem and branch 

ends. Sepals 5, about 1 mm long, united at the 

base, curving inward. Petals 5, 1 - 2 mm long, 

the blade cup-shaped tapering to a very narrow 

base. Stamens 5, opposite petals. Style 3lobed. 

376 

Common Name: 

Buckbrush, mountain lilac 

Color: 

White 

Notes: 

The spiney branches of buckbrush can be 

uncomfortable for a misplaced hand, but they 

don’t stop deer from browsing it. The flowers 

and fruits of many species of Ceanothus contain 

saponin, a poisonous modified sugar which has 

the capability to produce a soapy lather. 

Buckbrush is occasional throughout the 

Manzanos. It blooms from April to the end of 

September between 5000 and 9000ft. 



Agrimonia striata 

Size: 

50 - 100 cm 

ROSACEAE -- Rose Family 

Description: 

Erect perennial herb, stems with long spreading 

hairs below, with shorter, sometimes glandular 

hairs above. Leaves alternate, odd-pinnate with 

5 - 13 principal leaflets 4 - 8 cm long, coarsely 

toothed, glabrous to sparsely hairy above, with 

short hairs and gland dots below. Principal 

leaflets interspersed with much smaller ones. 

Stipules ovate, 1 - 2 cm long. Flowers perfect, 

on short stalks, in a slender, linear cluster along 

stem end, the central axis with short and long 

hairs. Floral cup 5-lobed, with hooked bristles, 

the cup hardening, 10-grooved in fruit. Petals 5, 

2 - 5 mm long. Stamens 5 - 15. Pistils 2. Fruit 

of 1 or 2 seeds in the hardened floral cup. 

377 

Common Name: 

Agrimony 

Color: 

Yellow 

Notes: 

The leaves of agrimony are unusual. The leaves 

are pinnate, having pairs of opposite leaflets, but 

often between the large pairs of principal 

leaflets there are pairs of very small, miniature 

leaflets. The fruit is also unusual. The 

hardened, grooved floral cup is crowned with 

numerous hooked bristles. Agrimony is unusual 

in the Manzanos. It blooms from June through 




Amelanchier utahensis 

Size: 

50 - 200 cm 


Description: 

Synonym: Amelanchier oreophila. 

Much branched shrub, younger bark reddish, 

older gray. Leaves alternate, with petioles 2 - 

10 mm long, ovate or obovate to almost round, 

10 - 30 mm long, 8 - 25 mm wide, toothed on 

the upper half of the margin, hairy on one or 

both surfaces. Stipules linear, early deciduous. 

Flowers perfect, on woolly stalks, in clusters of 

3 - 6. Floral cup and sepals woolly. Sepals 5, 

lanceolate, 1 - 4 mm long, bent backwards. 

Petals 5, oblanceolate, 5 - 10 mm long, 2 - 4 

mm wide. Stamens 15 - 20, filaments white, 

anthers yellow, turning brown. Pistil 1, styles 2 

or 3. Fruit a round to pear-shaped pome, 

reddish to purplish, 5 - 10 mm long. 

378 

Common Name: 

Juneberry, serviceberry 

Color: 

White 

Notes: 

Juneberry is an early bloomer. Its fruit ripens in 

June, hence the name. In early nineteenth 

century New England, the plants were called 

serviceberry since they bloomed in April when 

religious services were getting back to normal 

after interruption by the snowy roads of winter. 

The fruit looks like a berry, but is actually more 

like a tiny apple. Juneberry blooms in April and 

May between 6000 and 9500 ft. 



Cercocarpus montanus 

Size: 

100 - 300 cm 


Description: 

Deciduous shrub, younger bark reddish, older 

gray-brown. Leaves in bundles on short lateral 

branches, on short petioles, obovate or 

oblanceolate to round 12 - 30 mm long, 8 - 20 

mm wide, with toothed edges, hairs spreading or 

lying flat above, white-woolly below. Flowers 

perfect, on short stalks, solitary or in bundles of 

2 or 3 in axils of spur branches. Floral tube 

narrowly trumpet-shaped, 6 - 12 mm long, 

longer in fruit, crested by the 5-lobed calyx, 

bell-shaped 3 - 8 mm high. Petals absent. 

Stamens 12 - 40, anthers hairy. Pistil 1, with 

style from tip, style lengthening at maturity, 3 - 

10 cm long, curly, feather-like. 

379 

Common Name: 

Mountain mahogany 

Color: 

Reddish 

Notes: 

The genus name Cercocarpus comes form the 

Greek cerkos, “tail” and carpus, “fruit”. The 

long, curled, persistent, feather-like styles 

attached to the fruits are quite distinctive. The 

plants are slow-growing, with hard, dark wood. 

Leaves and twigs provide excellent browse for 

deer. Mountain mahogany blooms in May and 

June between 6000 and 9000 ft. 



Fallugia paradoxa 

Size: 

50 - 150 cm 


Description: 

Deciduous, much-branched shrub, young 

branches pale brown with white woolly hairs, 

older branches light gray with peeling bark. 

Leaves alternate, in bundles on short lateral 

branches, 7 - 15 mm long, pinnately 3- to 5lobed, 

thick, leathery, with edges curled, with 

dense, yellow, woolly hairs below. Flowers 1 - 

3 at branch ends. Floral cup hemispheric, 2 - 4 

mm deep, woolly-hairy within, topped by 5 

ovate sepals 4 - 7 mm long, ridged near tip, 

sepals subtended by 5 narrow bractlets. Petals 

5, almost round, 9 - 16 mm long. Stamens 

numerous, filaments whitish, anthers yellow. 

Pistils numerous, tipped by a style elongating to 

2 - 5 cm long in fruit, feathery, twisted. 

380 

Common Name: 

Apache plume 

Color: 

White 

Notes: 

The genus Fallugia is named for Virgilio 

Fallugi, an obscure seventeenth century abbot. 

The genus contains only one species, Apache 

plume. Early botanical explorers of the 

Southwest had many trials and tribulations. 

One of the worst was the distinctly unfriendly 

Apache tribe. The mature flowers of this plant 

were thought to resemble the war bonnets of the 

Apache. Apache plume blooms from May into 

September between 5000 and 7500 ft. 



Fragaria vesca 

Size: 

5 - 20 cm 


Description: 

Synonym: Fragaria americana 

Perennial herb, with long spreading hairs, 

stemless except for horizontal rooting stems. 

Leaves basal, on petioles 3 - 15 cm long, oddpinnate 

with 3 elliptic to oblong or obovate 

leaflets 3 - 6 cm long, 20 - 45 mm wide, 

essentially sessile, with coarsely toothed 

margins, with long hairs, sparse above, denser 

below especially on veins. Flowers on stalks in 

loose clusters of 3 - 10 subtended by a bract, 

each cluster on a leafless stalk taller than the 

leaves. Floral cup flattened, topped by 5 

lanceolate sepals subtended by 5 sepal-like 

bractlets. All parts silky-hairy. Petals 5, 

obovate, 5 - 8 mm long. Stamens 20. Pistils 

many. Fruit of many small seeds on the surface 

of a fleshy receptacle. 

381 

Common Name: 

Wild strawberry 

Color: 

White 

Notes: 

The genus name Fragaria comes from the Latin 

fraga, “strawberry”, but as a scent rather than a 

fruit type. The common name strawberry 

comes from the Old English Streawberige. The 

root streaw means “strew” or “scatter” in 

reference to the way the plants scatter 

themselves by rooting horizontal runners. Wild 

strawberries bloom from May through July 




Geum aleppicum 

Size: 

40 - 100 cm 


Description: 

Erect perennial herb, stems 1 to several, 

unbranched. Stems and petioles with coarse, 

stiff hairs. Basal leaves obovate in outline, 15 - 

24 cm long, odd-pinnately divided into 5 - 9 

irregularly toothed leaflets, the terminal one 3- 

to 5-lobed and larger. Stem leaves alternate, 

with 3 - 5 leaflets and leaflet-like stipules. 

Flowers perfect, on long stalks in loose clusters 

of 2 to several at stem ends. Floral cup 

flattened, topped with 5 ovate sepals 3 - 7 mm 

long, alternating with 5 narrow bractlets, the 

sepals bending backwards. Petals 5, obovate to 

round, 4 - 7 mm long. Stamens numerous. 

Pistils numerous, hairy, forming a fruiting 

sphere, bristly with the long styles with green 

bent tips. 

382 

Common Name: 

Yellow avens 

Color: 

Yellow 

Notes: 

The flowers (and leaves) of yellow avens 

distinctly resemble those of the Macoun’s 

buttercup (see Ranunculus macounii), but the 

fruiting sphere is quite different. Each of the 

more than 200 seeds of the avens is tipped by a 

long strangely bent style, forming an intricate, 

bristly ball. The species name aleppicum 

derives from the fact that one of the first 

specimens likely came from the area of Aleppo, 

Syria. The common name avens comes from 

the Medieval Latin avencia, a name for a kind 

of clover. Yellow avens blooms from May into 




Holodiscus dumosus 

Size: 

50 - 150 cm 


Description: 

Densely branched shrub. Leaves on spur 

branches, alternate, on short petioles, obovate to 

oblanceolate, 1 - 3 cm long, 5 - 20 mm wide, 

coarsely toothed or lobed from the middle to the 

apex, with shaggy hairs or almost glabrous 

above and below. Flowers small, perfect, 

numerous, subtended by bractlets, in branched 

clusters at branch ends. Floral cup shallow, 

about 2 mm across, lined with a smooth-edged 

disk. Sepals 5, ovate, 1 - 2 mm long. Petals 5, 

spatulate, about 2 mm long. Stamens 20. Pistils 

5. 

383 

Common Name: 

Mountain spray, ocean spray 

Color: 

Cream to pinkish 

Notes: 

The genus name Holodiscus comes form the 

Greek holos, “whole”, and diskos, disk, 

describing a smooth-edged disk inside the floral 

cup. The species name dumosus is Latin for 

bushy. Some think the numerous, tiny, creamy 

flowers in branched clusters resemble the spray 

off of ocean waves. Mountain spray blooms 

from June into August between 6500 and 10000 

ft. 



Physocarpus monogynus 

Size: 

40 - 100 cm 


Description: 

Deciduous shrub, stems reclining to spreading, 

much branched, with peeling bark; young twigs 

reddish-brown, with star-shaped hairs or 

glabrous. Leaves alternate, on petioles 3 - 15 

mm long, ovate to almost round, 2 - 4 cm long, 

palmately 3- to 5-lobed, edges coarsely toothed, 

glabrous to somewhat hairy, especially below. 

Flowers perfect, on stalks 8 - 15 mm long, in 

dense, rounded clusters at branch ends. Floral 

cup with star-shaped hairs, hemispheric, about 3 

mm across, topped by 5 ovate sepals 2 - 3 mm 

long. Petals 5, almost round, 2 - 4 mm long. 

Stamens 20 - 40 on a disk in the floral cup. 

Pistils 1 - 5. Fruits paired, fused to the middle, 

with star-shaped hairs. 

384 

Common Name: 

Ninebark 

Color: 

White 

Notes: 

The bark of this plant is in several shreddy, 

peeling layers giving rise to the name ninebark. 

The genus name Physocarpus comes from the 

Greek physo, “bladder”, and carpos, “fruit”, 

referring to the somewhat inflated fruits. The 

species name monogynus means “with one 

ovary”, but the flowers actually have up to 5. 

The leaves of ninebark strongly resemble the 

leaves of currants (see Ribes). Ninebark blooms 

in June and July between 7000 and 10000 ft. 



Potentilla gracilis var. pulcherrima 

Size: 

25 - 75 cm 


Description: 

Ascending to erect perennial herb, stems with 

hairs lying flat or spreading. Leaves mostly 

basal, on petioles 4 - 18 cm long, compound 

with 5 - 9 oblanceolate to obovate leaflets 

originating from a common point, 2.5 - 5 cm 

long, coarsely toothed or incised, greenish, 

almost glabrous above, white hairy below. 

Stem leaves few, alternate, reduced upward. 

Flowers perfect, on stalks in several-flowered 

branched, open clusters subtended by bracts. 

Floral cup shallow, topped with 5 lanceolate 

sepals 4 - 6 mm long, alternating with 5 

lanceolate bractlets. Petals 5, obovate, 5 - 8 mm 

long, often notched. Stamens 20. Pistils 

numerous, styles threadlike, about 2 mm long, 

attached slightly below pistil apex. 

385 

Common Name: 

Pretty cinquefoil 

Color: 

Yellow 

Notes: 

The genus name Potentilla is the diminutive of 

the Latin potens, “powerful”. Cinquefoils have 

long been thought to have powerful medicinal 

properties. The common name cinquefoil 

comes from the Middle French cincfoille, 

meaning “5-leaved”. The compound leaves 

often have 5 leaflets, but can certainly have 

more or fewer. Pretty cinquefoil is known to 

hybridize with woolly cinquefoil (see next 

page). Pretty cinquefoil blooms from late June 

into September between 7500 and 10000 ft. 



Potentilla hippiana 

Size: 

10 - 50 cm 


Description: 

Ascending to erect perennial herb, stems 

branched, with silky hairs. Basal leaves 

crowded, 3 - 18 cm long, on long petioles, oddpinnate 

with 7 - 11 silky-hairy oblanceolate to 

oblong leaflets 10 - 40 mm long, with additional 

short, woolly hairs below, edges deeply toothed. 

Stem leaves alternate, few, similar to basal. 

Flowers perfect, on stalks, in few-flowered, 

branched, loose clusters subtended by bracts. 

Floral cup shallow, topped with 5 lanceolate 

sepals 4 - 6 mm long, alternating with 5 narrow 

bractlets. Petals 5, obovate, slightly longer than 

the sepals. Stamens about 20. Pistils numerous, 

styles threadlike, about 2 mm long, attached 

slightly below pistil apex. 

386 

Common Name: 

Woolly cinquefoil, Hipp’s cinquefoil 

Color: 

Yellow 

Notes: 

This species was first described in 1830 by the 

noted German botanist and Potentilla expert 

Johann Georg Christian Lehmann (1792 -1860), 

director of the botanical garden in Hamburg. 

Lehmann named the species for his close friend, 

Charles Friedrich Hipp. Woolly cinquefoil is 

known to hybridize with pretty cinquefoil (see 

previous page). Woolly cinquefoil blooms from 




Prunus americana 

Size: 

1 - 5 m 


Description: 

Thicket forming shrub, branches mostly 

glabrous. Leaves alternate, on petioles 8 - 20 

mm long, elliptic to ovate or lanceolate, 3 - 8 

cm long, margins sharply toothed and curving to 

a sharp tip, glabrous above, sometimes hairy on 

veins below. Flowers perfect, on stalks 7 - 20 

mm long, in bundles of 2 - 5, originating at a 

common point, usually appearing before leaves. 

Floral cup goblet-shaped, about 3 mm long, 

topped by 5 lanceolate sepals, spreading or bent 

backwards. Petals 5, oblanceolate to spatulate, 

8 - 12 mm long, narrowed to the base. Stamens 

20 - 30, filaments long, white, anthers yellow. 

Pistil 1, style 1. Fruit a plum 2 - 3 cm in 

diameter. 

387 

Common Name: 

Wild plum 

Color: 

White 

Notes: 

Wild plum is indigenous to the United States. 

The flowers have a strong, curious fragrance 

rather like a corn tortilla. The fruit is edible, 

although small. The plants are sometimes 

cultivated. The root stock spreads below 

ground often resulting in thickets. Wild plums 

flower before the leaves appear, often before the 

last frost, so fruit is unusual except in warmer 

areas. They bloom in April and early May 




Prunus virginiana var. melanocarpa 

Size: 

2 - 8 m 


Description: 

Shrub or small tree, younger branches reddish, 

older bark ashy gray. Leaves alternate, ovate to 

elliptic, 4 - 10 cm long, 2 - 5 cm wide, edges 

finely toothed and curving to a sharp tip, green 

above, paler below, mostly glabrous. Petioles 

with 2 red glands near leaf base. Flowers 

perfect, on stalks 3 - 7 mm long, in dense 

clusters 5 - 15 cm long at branch ends. Floral 

cup bell-shaped, 2 - 3 mm long, topped by 5 

triangular to round sepals, bent backwards, with 

glandular hairs and rough edges. Petals 5, ovate 

to round 3 - 5 mm long. Stamens 20 - 30, with 

filaments 2 - 5 mm long. Pistil 1, style 1. Fruit 

a small cherry almost black when ripe, 6 - 8 mm 

across. 

388 

Common Name: 

Chokecherry 

Color: 

White 

Notes: 

This chokecherry is native to the United States 

and common in the Manzanos. The plants are 

browsed by deer and elk. The fruit is consumed 

by birds and bears and often made into jelly, 

syrup or wine by people patient enough to deal 

with the pits. The fruit is extremely sour and 

can make a person gag, giving rise to the 

common name. The genus Prunus is important 

for ornamental and agricultural use including 

peaches, apricots, plums, cherries, and almonds. 

Chokecherry blooms from late April into June 




Rosa woodsii 

Size: 

40 - 150 cm 


Description: 

Much-branched shrub forming thickets, stems 

armed with prickles, with 1 or 2 below the 

stipules larger and different from those between 

nodes. Leaves alternate, odd-pinnate, with 5 - 9 

elliptic to ovate or obovate leaflets 2 - 4 cm 

long, with toothed edges, glabrous above, 

sometimes hairy or glandular below. Flowers 

perfect, on stalks, in loose few-flowered clusters 

at the ends of new branches. Floral cup 

glabrous, urn-shaped, 3 - 5 mm across, tipped 

with 5 sepals 1 - 2 cm long, 2 - 3.5 mm wide at 

base, persistent. Petals 5, obovate, 15 - 25 mm 

long. Stamens numerous. Pistils more or less 

numerous. Fruit of 15 - 35 seeds contained in 

the mature floral cup (hip). 

389 

Common Name: 

Wild rose, Wood’s rose 

Color: 

Pink (rarely white) 

Notes: 

This wild rose is named for Joseph Woods 

(1776-1864), an English botanist for whom the 

fern genus Woodsia is also named. Wild roses 

are prone to hybridization and are difficult 

taxonomically. The cup supporting the flower 

matures, enclosing the seeds forming a longlasting, 

edible fruiting body known as a hip, 

long cherished by herbalists. Wild roses bloom 

from June into August between 6000 and 9000 

ft. 



Rubus idaeus ssp. strigosus 

Size: 

30 – 120 cm 


Description: 

Synonym: Rubus strigosus. 

Sprawling shrub, older stems with numerous 

prickles and peeling bark, younger stems prickly 

and glandular-hairy. Leaves alternate, on 

petioles 2 - 4.5 cm long, odd-pinnate with 3 - 5 

lanceolate to ovate leaflets 3 - 5 cm long, 

margins toothed, mostly glabrous above, with 

short grayish hairs below and prickly veins. 

Flowers perfect, on prickly, glandular stalks, in 

loose few-flowered clusters or 1 or 2 from leaf 

axils. Floral cup small, prickly, glandular, 

topped with 5 lanceolate sepals 6 - 12 mm long. 

Petals 5, oblanceolate to spatulate 3 - 7 mm 

long. Stamens numerous. Pistils numerous. 

Fruiting body of numerous small, red, fleshy 

fruits, each containing a small pit. 

390 

Common Name: 

Red raspberry 

Color: 

White 

Notes: 

Rubus idaeus was listed by Carl Linnaeus 

(1707-1778), the great Swedish botanist and 

father of the binomial nomenclature of modern 

botany, in his first major botanical treatise 

Species Plantarum (1753). The species name 

idaeaus means “from Mount Ida (Syria)”. Red 

raspberries are common in the Manzanos. The 

ripe fruit is quite tasty, although the small plants 

rarely bear heavily. Raspberries bloom from 

late May into July between 7000 and 10000 ft. 



Rubus parviflorus 

Size: 

50 - 150 cm 


Description: 

Erect shrub without prickles, bark gray, 

shreddy, stems and petioles with stalked glands. 

Leaves alternate, on petioles 2 - 10 cm long, 

palmately 5-lobed, 10 - 18 cm long and wide, 

irregularly toothed, green above, pale beneath, 

glabrous to somewhat hairy. Flowers perfect, 

on glandular stalks, in loose clusters of 2 - 4 at 

branch ends. Floral cup small, topped with 5 

ovate sepals 8 - 18 mm long, with gland-tipped 

hairs. Petals 5, ovate to obovate, 8 - 20 mm 

long. Stamens numerous, anthers about 1 mm 

long. Pistils numerous, each with 1 glabrous 

style 1 - 1.5 mm long. Fruiting body of 

numerous small, pink, fleshy fruits, each 

containing a small pit. 

391 

Common Name: 

Thimbleberry 

Color: 

White 

Notes: 

The species name parviflorus means “smallflowered”, 

a curious choice since the flowers of 

thimble berries are large and showy. The genus 

name Rubus is Latin for “bramble”, or “thicket”, 

which is descriptive of both thimbleberries and 

raspberries. Thimble berries are composed of 

numerous small fruits attached together and to a 

dome-shaped structure in the flower. When 

ripe, the whole unit separates from the dome, 

forming a hollow fruit shaped like a thimble. 

They are edible and delicious. Thimbleberries 

bloom from late May into July between 7000 

and 9500 ft. Berries ripen in late July. 



Galium aparine 

Size: 

Vining 20 - 100 cm 

RUBIACEAE -- Madder Family 

Description: 

Reclining annual herb, stem 4-angled, edges 

with stiff, downward pointing hairs. Leaves 

linear to linear oblong, 1 - 5 cm long, 2 - 6 mm 

wide, single-veined, in whorls of 6 to 8, 

unlobed, with hairs along edges, upper surface 

with hooked hairs. Flowers perfect, borne on 

stalks terminated by a partial to complete whorl 

of small leaves from which originate 1 - 5 (often 

3) straight flowering stalks with individual 

flowers. Calyx vestigial or lacking. Corolla 

tubular, the 4 lobes much longer than the short 

tube. Stamens 4. Styles 2, stigmas head-like. 

Fruit with two dry lobes, borne closely together 

but not fused, covered with hooked bristles. 

392 

Common Name: 

Cleavers, goosegrass 

Color: 

Whitish 

Notes: 

The hooked hairs on the leaves and stems of this 

plant assure that it will stick firmly to clothing 

or fur, giving rise to the common name, 

“cleavers”. The plants tend to drape themselves 

over logs and other plants, and with their whorls 

of 6 to 8 leaves are distinctive. The similar 

native perennial G. mexicanum with 4 – 6 leaves 

per whorl is also present in the Manzanos. G. 

aparine blooms from late June into September 


Introduced*


Galium boreale 

Size: 

20 - 80 cm 


Description: 

Erect perennial herb, stems 4-angled, mostly 

glabrous, edges rough or smooth. Leaves 

narrowly lanceolate to linear, 1 - 6 cm long, 2 - 

12 mm wide, with smooth edges, in whorls of 4, 

sessile, with 3 nerves, mostly glabrous. Flowers 

3 - 7 mm in diameter, perfect, numerous, borne 

on stalks in loose clusters at stem ends. Calyx 

vestigial or lacking. Corolla tubular, the 4 lobes 

much longer than the short tube. Stamens 4. 

Styles 2, stigma head-like. Fruit with two dry 

lobes, borne closely together but not fused, with 

short straight or curved (but not hooked) hairs. 

393 

Common Name: 

Northern bedstraw 

Color: 

White 

Notes: 

The genus Galium occurs in the Northern 

hemisphere. Plants often have hooked hairs 

which attach to fur, cloth, etc. The stems even 

stick to each other so that the dried plants resist 

compaction. European species, more aromatic, 

have been used as mattress stuffing, hence the 

name bedstraw. Relatives of bedstraw in the 

Madder family include coffee (Coffea arabica) 

and the Gardenia. Northern bedstraw blooms 

from mid-June into September between 6000 

and 10000 ft. 



Houstonia rubra 

Size: 

5 - 10 cm 


Description: 

Synonym: Hedyotis rubra. 

Small perennial herb with taproot and woody 

root crown, stems short, several, much 

branched, forming a mound. Leaves opposite, 

crowded, linear, with edges rolled under, 1 - 3 

cm long, 1 - 3 mm wide. Flowers perfect, 

almost sessile in leaf axils. Calyx with 4 green 

lobes 2 - 4 mm long, tapering to a point. 

Corolla trumpet-shaped, tube narrow, 1 - 3 cm 

long, with 4 lobes 5 - 9 mm long. Stamens 4, 

attached near top of tube. Style slender, 2lobed, 

longer or shorter than stamens. Fruit a 

dry capsule. Seeds black. 

394 

Common Name: 

Desert innocence 

Color: 

Pink 

Notes: 

The genus name Houstonia honors William 

Houston (1695-1733), Scottish physician and 

botanist who collected in Mexico and the 

Caribbean. This tiny plant occurs in the dry 

plains approaching the Manzanos. It is hard to 

see, but worth the effort. Its thin, long, pink, 

tubular flowers are delicate and beautiful. It 

blooms from May into August between 4500 

and 6500 ft. 



Ptelea trifoliata 

Size: 

100 - 200 cm 

RUTACEAE -- Rue Family 

Description: 

Large aromatic shrub or small tree, petioles, 

flower stalks, and young twigs finely hairy. 

Leaves alternate, with 3 ovate to broadly 

elliptic, sessile leaflets 3 - 7 cm long, 

originating from a common point at the tip of 

the petiole, margins finely wavy toothed or 

smooth, dotted with translucent glands above 

and below. Flowers unisexual (sometimes 

perfect) with parts of one sex reduced, with 

male flowers and female flowers on separate 

plants, on stalks in branched clusters near 

branch ends. Stamens as many as and alternate 

with petals, filaments hairy. Pistil 1, style 1, 

stigma lobed. Fruit one-seeded, round, thin flat, 

with a broad papery margin. 

395 

Common Name: 

Hoptree 

Color: 


Notes: 

The genus name Ptelea is Greek for “elm”. The 

seeds of the hoptree strongly resemble the seeds 

of the ubiquitous Siberian elm. Hoptree flowers 

are fragrant. The leaves, when crushed, give off 

a strong, not always pleasant aroma. The seeds 

have been used in place of hops ( see Humulus 

lupulus) as a bittering agent in beer making, 

hence the designation hoptree. Hoptrees bloom 

from late April into June between 5000 and 

8500 ft. 



Salix exigua 

Size: 

1 – 3 m 

SALICACEAE -- Willow Family 

Description: 

Colonial shrub, often forming dense thickets. 

Leaves alternate, on petioles 1 – 5 mm long, 

linear to linear-lanceolate, 3 – 14 cm long, 2 – 

12 mm wide, edges smooth to vaguely toothed, 

upper surface somewhat shiny, with long hairs 

lying flat or almost glabrous, lower surface 

somewhat waxy, with long hairs lying flat. 

Male and female flowers on separate plants, 

without sepals and petals, but each flower 

subtended by a hooded, deciduous, yellowish 

bract (scale). Flower borne in dense cylindrical 

clusters (catkins) appearing with or after the 

leaves (see next page for catkin descriptions.) 

396 

Common Name: 

Coyote willow, sandbar willow 

Color: 

Greenish 

Notes: 

The species name exigua is Latin for “weak” or 

“feeble”. Coyote willows have slender stems 

and generally remain shrubby, rarely developing 

a significant trunk or a tree-like character. The 

plants spread vegetatively by means of creeping 

roots forming extensive colonies. The leaves of 

coyote willows are very long and narrow, 

generally 8 – 20 times longer than wide. The 

catkins appear in May. Coyote willow grows 

near water supplies between 3500 and 7500 ft. 



Salix exigua (flowers) 

Size: 

See previous page and descriptions below. 


Staminate catkins 1 – 6 cm long, many 

flowered, each flower with 2 stamens, 

filaments hairy, anthers yellow. 

(See photograph below.) 


397 

Common Name: 

Coyote willow, sandbar willow 

Color: 

Greenish 


Pistillate catkins 2 – 8 cm long, many but 

loosely flowered, each flower with a single 

pistil, ovary glabrous to somewhat silky, 

stigma 4-lobed. Capsules on short stalks 

0.5 – 1.0 mm long, glabrous, 4 – 5 mm 

long. (See photograph below.)


Salix irrorata 

Size: 

1 - 4 m 


Description: 

Thicket-forming shrub along streams and 

drainages, stems numerous, with a whitish 

removable coating. Leaves alternate, on 

petioles, broadly linear to lanceolate or 

oblanceolate, 5 - 12 cm long, 8 - 22 mm wide, 

glabrous, sometimes waxy, dark green, shiny 

above, lighter below, margins mostly smooth. 


without sepals or petals, but each subtended by 

a hooded, long-hairy bract, in dense, manyflowered, 

cylindrical clusters (catkins) 

appearing before the leaves (see next page for 

description). Fruit of glabrous capsules 3 - 4 

mm long. 

398 

Common Name: 

Bluestem willow 

Color: 

Greenish 

Notes: 

The species name irrorata comes from Latin 

and means “spotted with dew”. This 

presumably relates to the whitish coating on the 

twigs which can easily be rubbed off like a light 

layer of dew. Willow flowers are tiny, stalkless, 

and densely concentrated in clusters called 

aments or catkins, with males and females on 

completely separate plants. Individual flowers 

have undergone considerable reduction, 

eliminating the traditionally recognizable flower 

parts, the sepals and petals, forming a “bare 

bones” flower with only the sexual parts. 

Bluestem willows bloom in April between 5000 

and 8500 ft. 



Salix irrorata (flowers) 

Size: 




Staminate catkin 1.5 - 3 cm long. Floral bracts 

1 per flower, dark, hooded, with long hairs. 

Stamens 2, filaments glabrous, anthers yellow, 

protruding beyond bract at maturity. 

(See photograph below). 

399 

Common Name: 

Bluestem willow 

Color: 

Greenish 


Pistillate catkin 2 - 4 cm long. Floral bracts 1 

per flower, dark, hooded. Ovary glabrous. 

(See photograph below.)


Salix lucida ssp. lasiandra 

Size: 

2 – 5 m 


Description: 

Shrub or small tree, twigs glabrous, shiny, 

yellowish to reddish-brown. Leaves alternate, 

lanceolate to narrowly elliptical or oblanceolate, 

5 – 15 cm long, 1 – 3 cm wide, gradually 

tapering to a long point, glabrous, dark green 

and very shiny above, with a whitish, waxy 

coating below, edges finely toothed, with 

yellow glands at base of blade. Petioles 5 – 15 

mm long, with yellow glands near the top. 

Stipules often well developed, broadly rounded. 


without sepals or petals, but each flower 

subtended by a deciduous yellow bract (scale). 

Flowers borne in dense cylindrical clusters 

(catkins) appearing with the leaves (see next 

page for catkin descriptions). 

400 

Common Name: 

Pacific willow, shining willow 

Color: 

Greenish 

Notes: 

The species name lucida is Latin for shining. 

The twigs and upper leaf surfaces of this willow 

are very shiny. The subspecies name lasiandra 

comes from the Greek lasios, “woolly” and 

andros, “male” in reference to the hairy stamens 

of the male flowers. Shining willows can 

develop substantial trunks 10 – 20 cm in 

diameter. Mature leaves often have yellowish 

glands at the base of stalk. Shining willows 

flower from late April through May between 

5500 and 9500 ft. 



Salix lucida (flowers) 

Size: 




Staminate catkins 2 – 10 cm long, many 

flowered, each flower with 3 – 7 stamens, 

filaments hairy, anthers yellow. 

(See photograph below). 

401 

Common Name: 

Pacific willow, shining willow 

Color: 

Greenish 


Pistillate catkins 2 – 10 cm long, many 

flowered, each flower with a single pistil, ovary 

glabrous, stigma 4-lobed. Capsules on short 

stalks 0.5 – 1.5 mm long, glabrous, 4 – 8 mm 

long, with a long neck. 

(See photograph below).


Comandra umbellata ssp. pallida 

Size: 

10 - 30 cm 

SANTALACEAE -- Sandalwood Family 

Description: 

Glabrous, green, erect perennial root-parasite, 

stems clustered. Leaves alternate, with short 

petioles or sessile, linear to narrowly elliptic or 

lanceolate, 1 - 4 cm long, thick, waxy. Flowers 

perfect, in dense clusters near stem end 

subtended by bracts. Floral cup stalked or 

sessile, subtended by a bractlet, funnel-shaped, 

topped by 5 oblong to lanceolate sepals 2.5 - 5 

mm long, with hairs inside sticking to stamens. 

Petals absent. Stamens 5, opposite sepals, 

filaments 1 mm long. Pistil 1, style 1. Fruit 

round, fleshy, containing one hard seed. 

402 

Common Name: 

Bastard toadflax 

Color: 

Yellow 

Notes: 

The genus name Comandra comes from the 

Greek come, “hair”, and andros, “man”. The 

flowers of bastard toadflax actually have no 

petals. What appear to be petals are actually the 

sepals which normally support the petals. The 

sepals have hairs on the inside which stick to the 

stamens. The leaves and growth habit (but not 

the flowers) of bastard toadflax resemble 

toadflax (Linaria vulgaris), hence the 

designation bastard, meaning “imitation”. 

Bastard toad flax blooms from early May 

through June between 4000 and 9000 ft.

RANUNCULACEAE -- Buttercup Family - New Mexico Flores

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