Anza-Borrego Plant Index
This is a list of the plants that are referenced in the various pages of our website. This is not a complete list of the plants to be found throughout Anza-Borrego.
ACANTHACEAE, Acanthus Family
ADOXACEAE, Adoxa Family
AGAVACEAE, Agave Family
ALLIACEAE, Onion Family
AMARANTHACEAE, Amaranthus Family
- Iodine Bush (Allenrolfea occidentalis)
- Desert Holly (Atriplex hymenelytra)
- Four-wing Saltbush (Atriplex canescens)
- Big Saltbush (Atriplex lentiformis)
- Many Fruit Saltbush (Atriplex polycarpa)
- White Tumbleweed (Amaranthus albus)
- Prostrate Amaranth (Amaranthus blitoides)
- Fringe Amaranth (Amaranthus fimbriatus)
- Slender Pigweed (Amaranthus hybridus)
- Bush Seepweed (Suaeda nigra)
- Arizona Honeysweet (Tidestromia oblongifolia)
- Russian Thistle (salsola tragus)
ANACARDIACEAE, Sumac or Cashew Family
- Skunkbrush (Rhus trilobata)
- Sugar Bush (Rhus ovata)
APIACEAE, Carrot Family
- Mock Parsley (Apiastrum angustifolium)
- Common Celery (Apium graveolens)
- American Bowlesia (Bowlesia incana)
- Rattlesnake Weed (Daucus pusillus)
- California Sweet-Cicely (Osmorhiza brachypoda)
- Purple Sanicle (Sanicula bipinnatifida)
- Southern Tauschia (Tauschia arguta)
APOCYNACEAE, Dogbane Family
- White-Stemmed or Wax Milkweed (Asclepias albicans)
- California or Round-Hood Milkweed (Asclepias californica)
- Desert Milkweed (Asclepias erosa)
- Rush Milkweed or Ajamete (Asclepias sublata)
- Woollypod Milkweed (Asclepias eriocarpa)
- Utah Cynanchum or Deboltia (Cynanchum utahense)
- Climbing Milkweed (Sarcostemma cynanchoides hartwegii)
- Trailing Townula (Sarcostemma hirtellum)
Plants of the milkweed family are popular in the gardens of desert homes, especially with people who want to attract Monarch Butterflies. Desert hikers with an eye for butterflies and the colorful Milkweed Bug often pause for a close look at Milkweed Family plants.
APODANTHACEAE, Apodanthes Family
ARECACEAE [PALMAE], Palm Family
ASTERACEAE, Sunflower Family
- Desert Goldenhead (Acamptopappus sphaerocephalus)
- San Felipe Dyssodia (Adenophyllum porophylloides)
- White Bursage or Burro Weed (Ambrosia dumosa)
- Cheesebush (Ambrosia salsola var. salsola)
- Scale Bud (Aniscoma acaulis)
- Big Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata)
- Mule Fat or Seep Willow or Water Wally (Baccharis Salicifolia)
- Desert Baccharis (Baccharis sergiloides)
- Short-Ray Desert Marigold (Baileya pauciradiata)
- Rush Sweetbush (Bebbia juncea var. aspera)
- Desert Pincushion (Chaenactic fremontii)
- Yellow Pincushion (Chaenactic glabriuscula)
- Punctate Rabbitbrush or Black-stemmed Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnmus paniculata)
- California Thistle (Cricium occidentale var. californicum)
- Desert Dicoria (Dicoria canescens)
- Acton’s Encelia (Encelia actonii)
- Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa)
- Rayless Encelia (Encelia frutescenes)
- Boundary Goldenbush (Ericameria brachylepis)
- Interior Goldenbush (Ericamerica linearfolia)
- Long-Stem Golden Yarrow (Eriophyllym confertiflorum)
- Wallace’s Woolly Daisy (Eriophyllum wallacei)
- Desert Sunflower (Geraea canescens)
- California Cudweed (Gnaphalium californicum)
- Gray Sunflower (Helianthus niveus ssp. canescens)
- Alkali Goldenbush (Isocoma acradenia)
- Goldfields (Lasthenia gracilis)
- White Layia (Layia glandulosa)
- Tidy Tips (Layia playtyglossa)
- Desert Dandelion (Malacothrix glabrata)
- Desert Star (Monoptilon belliodes)
- Spanish Needles (Palafoxia arida var. arida)
- Chinchweed (Pectic papposa)
- Emory’s Rock Daisy (Perityle emoryi)
- Desert Fir or Pygmy Cedar (Peucephyllum schottii)
- Arrow Leaf (Pleurocoronis plurisetta)
- Arrow Weed (Pluchea sericea)
- Turtleback (Psathyrotes ramosissima)
- Desert Chicory (Rafinesuia neomexicana)
- Common Sow Thistle (Sonchus oleraceus)
- Small Wreath Plant (Stephanomeria exigua ssp. exigua)
- Few-Flower Wreath Plant (Stephanomeria pauciflora)
- Desert Yellowhead (Trichoptilium incisum)
- California Trixis (Trixis californica var. californica)
- Silver Puffs (Uropappus lindleyi)
- Parish’s Goldeneye (Viguiera parishii)
- Orcutt’s Woody Aster (Xylorhiza orcuttii)
When people come to Anza-Borrego from over the western mountains to look for flowers in Spring, one of the first things they are likely to notice is the mountains covered with clusters of Brittlebush, a favorite member of the Sunflower Family.
This is just the first member of the family that visitors usually see. In places where Spring flowers proliferate, such as in the sandy fields near Coyote Creek and along Henderson Canyon Road, you are likely to find yellow plants such as Prairie Sunflower, Desert Dandelion, Desert Sunflower, California Trixis, and Rush Sweetbush, to name just a few.
Not every Sunflower Family member has yellow flowers. Desert Chicory flowers, Desert Star, and Rock Daisies are white. The flowers of Mule Fat, Arrowweed, and tiny Spanish Needles are in the pink to rose range. The lovely Orcutt’s Woody Aster blossoms in blue.
BIGNONIACEAE, Bignonia Family
BORAGINACEAE, Borage Family
- Narrow-Leaf Cryptantha (Cryptantha angustifolia)
- Bearded Cryptantha (Cryptantha barbigera)
- Nievitas Cryptantha (Cryptantha intermedia)
- White-Hair Cryptantha (Cryptantha maritima)
- Purple-Root Cryptantha (Cryptantha micrantha)
- Prickly Cryptantha (Cryptantha muricata)
- Nevada Cryptantha (Cryptantha nevadensis)
- Scented Cryptantha (Cryptantha utahenis)
- Rancher’s Fiddleneck (Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia)
- Rigid Fiddleneck (Amsinckia menziesii var. mneiziesii)
- Checker Fiddleneck (Amsinckia tessellata)
- Chuckwalla Pectocarya (Pectocarya heterocarpa)
- Arizona Popcornflower (Plagiobothrys arizonicus)
- Jones’ Popcornflower (Plagiobothrys jonesii)
The Boraginaceae constitute one of Anza-Borrego’s more common plant families, yet individual species are little known and often difficult to identify.
Many Boraginaceae are toxic. Many are small and are best studied with a magnifying glass or microscope. In addition, many Boraginaceae genera consist of species with differences that are so subtle that positive identification almost has to be made with a reference book.
BRASSICACEAE, Mustard Family
- Sahara/Asian Mustard, Wild Turnip or Tournefort’s Cabbage (Brassica tournefortii)
- Tansy Mustard (Descurainia)
- Spectacle Pod (Dithyrea californica)
- Peppergrass or Pepperwort (Lepidium)
- London Rocket (Sisymbrium irio)
- Long-beak Twist-flower (Streptanthella longorostris)
BURSERACEAE, Torchwood Family
CACTACEAE, Cactus Family
- Teddy Bear Cholla (Cylindropuntia bigelovii)
- Cane or Valley Cholla (Cylindropuntia california var. parkeri)
- Silver Cholla or Golden Cholla (Cylindropuntia echinocarpa)
- Mason Valley Cholla (Cylindropuntia Xfosbergii)
- Gander’s Cholla (Cylindropuntia ganderi)
- Diamond Cholla (Cylindropuntia ramosissima)
- Wolf’s Cholla (Cylindropuntia wolfii)
- Mohave Mound (Echinocactus polycephalus var. polycephalus)
- Engelmann’s Hedgehog cactus (Echinocereus engelmannii)
- California Barrel Cactus (Ferocactus cylindraceus)
- Fish Hook Cactus (Mammillaria dioica)
- Yaqui Mammillaria (Mammillaria tetrancistra)
- Beavertail Cactus (Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris)
- Pancake Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia chlorotica)
- Engelmann’s Prickly Pear (Opuntia engelmannii var. engelmannii)
- Desert Prickly Pear (Opuntia phaecantha)
- Mohave Prickly Pear (Opuntia polyacantha var. erinacea)
CAMPANULACEAE, Bellflower Family
- Not-so Long-flowered Threadplant (Nemacladus longiflorus var. breviflorus)
- Long-flowered Threadplant (Nemacladus longiflorus var. longiflorus)
- Eastern Glandular Threadplant (Nemacladus orientalis)
- Nuttal’s Threadplant (Nemacladus ramosissima)
- Capillary Threadplant (Nemacladus rubescens, Nemacladus tenuis)
CAPPARACEAE, Caper Family
CONVOLVULACEAE, Morning-Glory Family
- Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)
- Rough Chaparral Dodder (Cuscuta californica var. papillosa)
- White Morning Glory (Ipomoea lacunosa)
CRASSULACEAE, Stonecrop Family
CROSSOSOMATACEAE, Crossosoma Family
- Bigelow’s Ragged Rock Flower (Crossosoma bigelovii)
CUCURBITACEAE, Gourd Family
- Calabazilla (Cucurbita foetidissima)
- Coyote Melon (Cucurbita palmata)
- Manroot, Wild Cucumber (Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus)
CUPRESSACEAE, Cypress Family
CUSCUTACEAE, Dodder Family
See CONVOLVULACEAE
EHRETIACEAE, Ehretia Family
EPHEDRACEAE , Ephedra Family
- Boundary Ephedra (Ephedra aspera)
- California Ephedra (Ephedra californica)
- Nevada Ephedra (Ephedra nevadensis)
- Arizona Ephedra (Ephedra fasciculata)
- Clokey’s Ephedra (Ephedra fasciculata var. clokeyi)
ERICACEAE, Heath Family
- Big-Berry Manzanita (Arctostaphylos glauca)
- Pinkbracted Manzanita (Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea)
EUPHORBIACEAE, Spurge Family
- Whitemargin Sandmat or Rattlesnake Weed (Chamaesyce albomarginata)
- Smallseed Sandmat (Chamaesyce polycarpa)
- California Croton (Croton californicus)
- Dove Weed or Turkey Mullein (Croton setigerus)
- Desert Silverbush (Ditaxis lanceolata)
- Beetle Spurge or Desert Pointsettia (Euporbia eriantha)
FABACEAE [LEGUMINOSAE], Legume Family
- Catclaw Acacia (Acacia greggii)
- Parch Locoweed (Astragalus aridus)
- Palmer’s Locoweed (Astragalus palmeri)
- Borrego Milkvetch (Astragalus lentiginosus var. borreganus)
- Desert Bird of Paradise (Hoffmannseggia microphylla or Caesalpinia virgata)
- Blue Palo Verde (Cercidium floridum)
- Soft Prairie Clover (Dalea Molissima)
- San Diego Sweet Pea (Lathyrus vestitus var. alefeldii)
- Haydon’s Lotus (Lotus haydonii)
- Broom Lotus or Desert Sweet Pea (Lotus rigidus)
- Short-Winged Deerweed (Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus)
- Bishop’s Lotus or Strigose Lotus (Lotus Strigosus)
- Arizona Lupine (Lupinus arizonicus)
- Bajada Lupine (Lupinus concinnus)
- Stinging Lupine (Lupinus hirsutissiumus)
- Ironwood (Olneya tesota)
- Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa)
- Dyeweed or White Dalea (Psorothamnus emoryi)
- Indigo Bush (Psorothamnus schottii)
- Smoke Tree (Psorothamnus spinosus)
- Spiny Senna (Senna armata)
- Coues’ Cassia or Cove’s Cassia (Senna covesii)
The Latin word for bean is faba. The scientific name for the Legume Family is Fabaceae.
Legume Family members such as Mesquite and Catclaw are known for their beans.
Legume Family members like Lupine, Indigo Bush, and Smoke Tree are characterized by their pea-like flowers.
The flowers of Spiny Senna (Senna armata) and the rare Coues’ Cassia (Senna covesii) are a golden yellow color. The flowers of the Blue Palo Verde tree (Cercidium floridum ssp. floridum) are a bright yellow.
The flowers of the Ironwood Tree don’t appear until after the end of the desert season and are pink or white.
FAGACEAE, Oak Family
- Interior Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia)
- Desert Scrub Oak (Quercus cornelius-mulleri)
- Engelmann’s/Mesa Blue Oak (Quercus engelmannnii)
- Torrey’s Scrub Oak (Quercus xacutidens)
- Oracle Oak (Quercus smorehus)
FOUQUIERIACEAE, Ocotillo Family
The Ocotillo Family consists of a single genus, Fouquieria. While 11 species comprise this genus, F. splendens ssp. splendens is the only Fouquieria found in California. The Boojum tree, F. columnaris, is another well-known member of the genus. Look for it in Baja California. While the shrubs and trees of the Ocotillo Family have thorns or spines, they are not cacti.
GARRYACEAE, Silk Tassel Family
GERANIACEAE, Geranium Family
- Redstem Filaree or Storksbill (Erodium cicutarium)
- Desert Filaree or Storksbill (Erodium texanum)
GENTIANACEAE, Gentian family
- California Centaury (Zeltnera venusta)
HELIOTROPACEAE, Heliotrope Family
HYDROPHYLLACEAE, Waterleaf Family
- Whispering Bells (Emmenan the penduliflora)
- Hairy Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon trichocalyx var. lanatum)
- Purple Mat (Nama demissum var. demissum)
- Desert Bluebell (Phacelia campanularia ssp. campanularia)
- Notch-Leaf Phacelia (Phacelia crenulata var. ambigua)
- Cleft-Leaf Phacelia (Phacelia crenulata var. minutiflora)
- Wild Heliotrope (Phacelia distans)
- Wild Canterbury Bell (Phacelia minor)
- Specter Phacelia (Phacelia pedicellata)
- Poodle-Dog Bush or Sticky Nama (Turricula parryi)
KRAMERIACEAE, Rhatany Family
LAMIACEAE, Mint Family
LENNOACEAE, Lennoa Family
LILIACEAE, Lily Family
See also: AGAVACEAE, ALLIACEAE, AMARYLLIDACEAE, ASPARAGACEAE, ASPHODELACEAE, CONVALLARIACEAE, HYACINTHACEAE, MELANTHIACEAE, NOLINACEAE, THEMIDACEAE
LINACEAE, Flax Family
LOASACEAE, Loasa Family
MALVACEAE, Mallow Family
- Trailing Mallow (Eremalche exilis)
- Desert Five-Spot (Eremalche rotundifolia)
- Desert Hibiscus or Pale Face (Hibiscus denudatus)
- Checkerbloom (Sidalcea malvaeflora ssp. sparsifolia)
- Desert Globemallow or Apricot Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua var. ambigua)
- Rose Desert Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua var. rosacea)
- Thick-leaf Desert Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua var. rugosa)
- Narrowleaf Globemallow or Copper Globemallow (Sphaeralcea angustifolia)
NOLINACEAE, Nolina Family
- Bigelow’s Bear Grass (Nolina bigelovii)
- Parry’s Bear Grass (Nolina parryi)
NYCTAGINACEAE, Four O'Clock Family
OLEACEAE, Olive Family
ONAGRACEAE, Evening Primrose Family
- Desert Lantern (Camissonia boothii)
- False Mustard or California Suncup (Camissonia californica)
- Heart-Leaved Primrose or Heartleaf Suncup (Camissonia cardiophylla)
- Peirson’s Brown-Eyed Evening Primrose (Camissonia claviformis ssp. peirsonii)
- Pale Yellow Sun Cup (Camissonia pallida ssp. pallida)
- Wine-cup Clarkia or Four-spot Clarkia (Clarkia purpurea ssp. quadrivulnera)
- California Evening Primrose (Oenothera californica)
- Dune Evening Primrose (Oenothera deltoides ssp. deltoides)
- Great Marsh Evening Primrose (Oenothera elata ssp. hirsutissima)
OROBANCHACEAE, Broom-Rape Family
- Desert Indian Paintbrush (Castileja applegatei ssp. martinii)
- Purple Owl’s Clover (Castilleja exserta ssp. exserta)
- Woolly Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja foliolosa)
- California Thread Torch (Castilleja minor ssp. spiralis)
- Desert Broomrape (Orobanche cooperi)
PAPAVERACEAE, Poppy Family
PHRYMACEAE, Lopseed Family
- Jacumba Monkey Flower (Mimulus aurantiacus var. aridus)
- Bush Monkey Flower (Mimulus aurantiacus var. pubescens)
- Bigelow’s Monkey Flower (Mimulus bigelovii var. bigelovii)
- Slope Semiphore (Mimulus brevipes)
- Scarlet Monkey Flower (Mimuus cardinalis)
- Fremont’s Monkey Flower (Mimuus fremontii)
- Seep Monkey Flower (Mimulus guttatus)
PINACEAE, Pine Family
PLANTAGINACEAE, Plantain Family
- Coulter’s Snapdragon (Antirrhinum coulterianum)
- Desert Snapdragon (Antirrhinum filipes)
- Southern Chinese Houses (Collinsia concolor)
- Yellow Bush Penstemon (Keckiella antirrhinoides var. antirrhinoides)
- Desert Bush Penstemon (Keckiella antirrhinoides var. microphylla)
- Ghost Flower (Mohavea confertiflora)
- Scarlet Bugler (Penstemon centranthifolius)
- Cleveland’s Beard Tongue (Penstemon clevelandii var. clevelandii)
- Showy Penstemon (Penstemon spectabilis)
- Desert Plantain (Plantago patagonica)
- Water Speedwell (Veronica anagallis-aquatica)
POACEAE, Grass Family
- Six Weeks Three Awn (Aristida adscensionis)
- Big Galleta (Hilaria rigida)
- Beardless Wild Rye (Leymus triticoides)
- Common Reed or Carrizo (Phragmites australis)
- Ditch Beard Grass (Polypogon interruptus)
- Mediterranean Schismus (Schismus barbatus)
POLEMONIACEAE, Phlox Family
- Chaparral Woolly Star (Eriastrum densifolium ssp. elongatum)
- Desert Woolly Star (Eriastrum eremicum)
- Miniature Woolly Star (Eriastrum diffusum)
- Sapphire Woolly Star (Eriastrum sapphirinum ssp. sapphirinum)
- Broad-Flower Gilia (Gilia latiflora ssp. latiflora)
- Star Gilia (Gilia stellata)
- Bristly Langloisia (Langloisia setosissima ssp. setosissima)
- Lemmon’s Linanthus (Leptosiphon lemmonii)
- Desert Calico and Schott’s Calico (Loeseliastrum matthewsii and Loeseliastrum schotti)
- Farinose Ground Pink (Linanthus dianthiflorus)
- Caraway-Leaf Gilia (Saltugilia caruifolia)
POLYGONACEAE, Buckwheat Family
- Brittle Spinflower (Chorizanthe brevicornu var. brevicornu)
- Corrugate Spineflower (Chorizanthe corrugata)
- Fringed Spineflower or Fringed Chorizanthe (Chorizanthe fimbriata var. fimbriata)
- Rigid Spineflower (Chorizanthe rigida)
- Thurber’s Spineflower (Centrostegia thurberi)
- Buckwheat Species (Eriogonum sp.)
- Desert Skeleton Weed (Eriogonum eflexum var. deflexum)
- Tall Buckwheat (Eriogonum elongatum var. elongatum)
- Mountain Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium)
- Desert Trumpet (Eriogonum inflatum)
- Little Trumpet (Eriogonum trichopes)
- Granny’s Hairnet, G.C.P. (Pterostegia drymarioides)
PORTULACACEAE, Purslane Family
RANUNCULACEAE, Buttercup Family
- Larkspur (Consolida ajacis)
- Intermediate Larkspur (Delphinium parishii)
RHAMNACEAE, Buckthorn Family
ROSACEAE, Rose Family
- Chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum)
- Redshanks or Ribbonwood (Adenostoma sparsifolium)
- Birch-Leaf Mountain Mahogany (Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides)
- Desert Apricot (Prunus fremontii)
- Islay or Holly-Leaf Cherry (Prunus ilicifolia)
These Rose Family members are found in the upper Sonoran life zone, in chaparral, and in transition zones.
RUTACEAE, Rue Family
SALICACEAE, Willow Family
- Black Cottonwood (Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa)
- Fremont Cottonwood (Populus fremontii ssp. fremontii)
- Narrow-Leaf Willow (Salix exigua)
- Gooding’s Black Willow (Salix gooddingii)
SAURURACEAE, Lizard's Tail Family
SCROPHULARIACEAE, Figwort Family
For plants of the Figwort family seen in Anza-Borrego, see:
- Broom-Rape Family (OROBANCHACEAE)
- Hopseed Family (PHRYMACEAE)
- Plantain Family (PLANTAGINACEAE)
SIMAROUBACEAE, Quassia or Simarouba Family
SIMMONDSIACEAE, Jojoba Family
SOLANACEAE, Nightshade Family
- Desert Thorn Apple (Datura discolor)
- Western Jimson Weed (Datura wrightii)
- Waterjacket (Lycium andersonii)
- Common Desert Thorn (Lycium brevipes var. brevipes)
- Coyote Tobacco (Nicotiana attenuata)
- Desert Tobacco (Nicotiana obtusifolia)
- Indian Tobacco (Nicotiana quadrivalvis)
- Greene’s Ground-Cherry (Physalis crassifolia)
- Purple or Chaparral Nightshade (Solanum xanti)
- Evening Nightshade (Circaea lutetiana)
TAMARICACEAE, Tamarisk Family
- Small-Flower Tamarisk/Salt-Cedar (Tamarix parviflora)
- Tamarisk/Salt-Cedar (Tamarix ramosissima)
THERMIDACEAE, Brodiaea Family
VISCACEAE, Mistletoe Family
VITACEAE, Grape Family
ZYGOPHYLLACEAE, Caltrop Family
- California Fagonia (Fagonia laevis)
- Sticky Fagonia (Fagonia pachyacantha)
- California Caltrop (Kallstroemia californica)
- Creosote Bush (Larrea tridentata)
- Puncture Vine (Tribulus terrestris)