Differentiation of Desert Plants

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Differentiation of Desert Plants

• Bill Kaufman

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Brittle Bush Triangle Leaf Bursage
Brittle Bush
Triangle Leaf Bursage
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Triangle Leaf Bursage and Brittle Bush Leaves
Triangle Leaf Bursage
Brittle Bush
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Triangle Leaf Bursage and Brittle Bush Leaves
Triangle Leaf Bursage
Brittle Bush
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Triangle Leaf Bursage and Canyon Ragweed Leaves
Triangle Leaf Bursage Ambrosia deltoidea
Canyon Ragweed (Asteraceae) Ambrosia ambrosioides
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Canyon Ragweed Flowers
male
female
fruit (bur)
Imperfect flowers
Later stage
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Brittle Bush with small leaves
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Brittle Bush in bloom (Asteraceae) Encelia
farinosa
Bloom in spring
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Brittle Bush in bloom (Asteraceae) Encelia
farinosa
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Triangle Leaf Bursage in bloom (Asteraceae)
Ambrosia deltoidea
Bloom in spring
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Triangle Leaf Bursage in bloom (Asteraceae)
Ambrosia deltoidea
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Triangle Leaf Bursage in bloom (Asteraceae)
Ambrosia deltoidea
Canyon Ragweed
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Is an Ocotillo a cactus?
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Is an Ocotillo a cactus?
NO!
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What makes a cactus a cactus?

• Only cacti have areoles.
• All cacti are succulents.
• Not all succulents are cacti.
• Most cacti have spines.
• Spines are leaf structures.
• Thorns grow from the stem.

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Ocotillo

• Has spines
• Midrib left when leaf disintegrates.
• Succulent
• No areoles
• Not a cactus

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What are areoles?

• have 2 buds or growing points.
• One produces hairs or spines
• One may produce a flower
• http//www.cssnz.org/cactus-areoles.php

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Areoles on Saguaro and Pincushion cactus
Spines on ribs
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Areoles on Saguaro and Pincushion cactus
Spines on ribs
Spines on tubercles
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Do cacti have leaves?
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Do cacti have leaves?
Leaves on young cholla stems
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Cane Cholla
De Anza trail near Tubac
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Cane Cholla Fruit
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Staghorn Cholla
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Staghorn Cholla Fruit
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Staghorn Cholla Fruit
Cane Cholla Fruit
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Staghorn Cholla (Opuntia versicolor)
Not stressed
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Staghorn Cholla Fruit (Opuntia versicolor)
Not stressed
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Chain Fruit Cholla (Jumping cholla)
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Chain Fruit Cholla fruit
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Teddy Bear Cholla (Jumping Cholla in CA)
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Teddy Bear Cholla (Jumping Cholla in CA)
Like rocky hillsides
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Christmas Cholla
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Christmas Cholla Fruit
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Pencil Cholla
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Pencil Cholla ( with fruit)
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Blue and Foothills Palo Verde
Blue (Parkinsonia florida)
Foothills (Parkinsonia microphyllum)
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Blue Palo Verde in bloom
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Blue Palo Verde in bloom
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Foothills Palo Verde in bloom
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Foothills Palo Verde in bloom
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Foothills Palo Verde in bloom
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Foothills Palo Verde in bloom
Blue
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Palo Verde Pods
Foothills
Blue
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Palo Verde Pods
older
Foothills
Blue
Foothills
Blue
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Mexican Palo Verde (Parkinsonia aculeata)
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Mexican Palo Verde (Parkinsonia aculeata)
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Palo Verde leaves
Mexican
Foothills
Blue
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Acacia thorns and leaves
Cat-claw (claws alternate)
White-thorn
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Acacia thorns
White-thorn
Cat-claw
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White-thorn Acacia and Velvet Mesquite Leaves
Acacia
Mesquite
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Saguaros and Barrels
Saguaros (no hooks on spines)
Fishhook Barrels
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Baby Saguaro and Hedgehog
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Fountain Grass and Buffelgrass
Branches from the base. Larger, fluffier
inflorescence (seed head).
Multiple branching off the stem.
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Fountain Grass and Buffelgrass
Branches from the base. Larger, fluffier
inflorescence (seed head).
Multiple branching off the stem.
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Seedheads
Fountain grass
Buffle grass
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Jojoba
Female
Male
Dioecious
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Jojoba
Male
Female
Female
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Mormon-tea (Ephedra)
Male
Female
Dioecious
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Mormon-tea
Male
Female
cones - gymnosperm
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Turpentine Bush (Asteraceae) Ericameria
laricifolia
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Turpentine Bush (Asteraceae) Ericameria
laricifolia
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Turpentine Bush (Asteraceae) Ericameria
laricifolia
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Burro Weed (Asteraceae) Isocoma tenuisecta
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Burro Weed in bloom (Asteraceae) Isocoma
tenuisecta
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Turpentine Bush and Burro Weed
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Turpentine Bush and Burro Weed
Pinnatifid leaves - not separated into distinct
leaflets - cleft nearly to the midrib
Entire leaves
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Burrobrush (Asteraceae) Hymenoclea salsola
Blooms in spring
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Tree Leaves from the Riparian Area
Goodding Willow
Willow
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Tree Leaves from the Riparian Area
Willow
Rhus Lancia (African Sumac)
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Tree Leaves from the Riparian Area
Willow
Rhus Lancia
Freemont Cottonwood
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Tree Leaves from the Riparian Area
Willow
Rhus Lancia
Hopbush (not riparian)
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Tree Leaves from the Riparian Area
Velvet Ash
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Tree Leaves from the Riparian Area
Velvet Ash
AZ Walnut
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Tree Leaves from the Riparian Area
Velvet Ash
AZ Walnut
AZ Sycamore
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Bark from Trees in Riparian Area
AZ Sycamore
AZ Sycamore
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Bark from Trees in Riparian Area
AZ Walnut
AZ Sycamore
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Bark from Trees in Riparian Area
AZ Walnut
AZ Sycamore
Velvet Ash
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Bark from Trees in Riparian Area
AZ Walnut
AZ Sycamore
Cottonwood
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Bark from Trees in Riparian Area
AZ Walnut
AZ Sycamore
Cottonwood
Velvet Ash
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Bark from Trees in Riparian Area
Cottonwood
Velvet Ash
Gooddings Willow
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Bark from Trees in Riparian Area
Cottonwood
Velvet Ash
Gooddings Willow
African Sumac