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Transcript
Sonora Desert Plant Guide for the Desert Exhibit Sonora Desert Plant Guide for the Desert Exhibit The Desert exhibit at the NC Zoo displays plants and animals superbly adapted to this fascinating environment. The word desert makes one think of intense heat and sand, but deserts are richly diverse environments. These plants have many different adaptions to this harsh environment. Tall, columnar Saguaro cactuses are commonly associated with the Sonoran Desert, but many other species of cactus grow there; such as Organ Pipe, Barrel and Cholla cactuses. Gila woodpeckers, owls and many reptiles find protection among cactus spines. These long spines help shade cactuses from intense summer heat, while helping channel rainwater down to the roots. Most cactuses have root systems close to the soil surface so they absorb rainfall immediately. Most trees and shrubs have smaller leaves which help conserve water. During extreme drought, leaves and smaller limbs may drop, as seen with the Palo Verde and Creosote Bush. Even well rooted plants may look dead most of the year in order to conserve as much water as possible. Other plants have adapted their color to help conserve water. Both the Brittlebush and the Desert Mallow have lighter colored leaves, which reflect the sun’s heat. The Sonoran Desert is crossed by many rivers and receives around 10 inches of rain a year, more than any other desert in the world. This makes it the most lush and biologically abundant desert in the world. 2 Sonora Desert Plant Guide for the Desert Exhibit 1. MESCAL AGAVE Agave parryi Family: Asparagaceae Origin: Arizona, New Mexico & Mexico A most useful plant Agave (uh-gah-vay) is a plant that can provide fiber, food, drink, soap, weapons or medicine. These plants may have helped the western Apache to thrive in the Sonora region. 2. BRITTLEBUSH Encelia farnosa Family: Asteraceae Origin: Southern Arizona A store of goods Leaves on this shrub are covered with soft white hairs which help it cope with desert life; the more arid the conditions, the smaller and whiter the leaves produced. Stems have an aromatic gum that people chew or use for incense. Native Americans heated the resin and used it as a glue. And in the old days cowboys used brittlebush stems as toothbrushes. 3. CREOSOTE Larrea tridentata Family: Zygophyllaceae Origin: Southern Arizona A bush by any other name would still smell Creosote bush is one of the most common plant species found in North America deserts. Its leaves have a shiny coating that reflects sunlight. This helps keep the plant from losing water from evaporation. The Creosote bush gets its name from the strong smell it gives off after a rain. In Spanish, the Cresosote bush is called hediondilla; which means “little stinker.” 3 Sonora Desert Plant Guide for the Desert Exhibit 4. VELVET MESQUITE Prosopsis velutina Family: Fabaceae Origin: Southwest US and Mexico Putting down roots Mesquite (mess-keet) is one of the most common and useful trees in the Sonoran region. It provides shade, shelter, and food for wildlife. Humans eat Mesquite fruits while the wood is important for construction and charcoal. The Mesquite’s roots can go as deep as sixty feet and there is often more wood underground than there is above. 5. JOJOBA Simmondsia chinensis Family: Simmondsiaceae Origin: Southern Arizona, Sonora Wax fruit? The fruit of the Jojoba (ho-ho-ba) is about fifty percent liquid wax. This substance is quite useful as it does not wear out easily. Jojoba “oil” goes into a variety of products like cosmetics, cooking oils, car wax and lubricants. The pressed fruit is useful as livestock feed. 6. DESERT GLOBE MALLOW Sphaeralcea ambigua Family: Malvaceae Origin: Southern Arizona and Mexico A spring show This wildflower makes a nice mass along the flats and mountainous uplands of the desert. Most of the dry season it is a clump of dry twigs, but with the rainy season come flowers and new growth. The leaves are fuzzy; grayish green and it is covered in flowers ranging from pink, red, and orange. 4 Sonora Desert Plant Guide for the Desert Exhibit 7. CHOCOLATE FLOWER Berlandiera lyrata Family: Asteraceae Origin: Texas, SE Arizona, northern Mexico Non-edible candy This native perennial forms an open rosette and reseeds readily. During flowering, it is covered with small yellow daisy-like flowers which have the unmistakable smell of chocolate, thus the common name. The Native Americans call it green-eyes referring to the small green buds before they open to yellow flowers. 8. MORMON TEA Ephedra nevadensis Family: Ephedraceae Origin: Most of the southwest Green and tea but not green tea Native Americans brewed a beverage from the stems of this plant. Early Mormon settlers likely borrowed this practice giving this plant its common name. The seeds of Mormon Tea can be ground into flour and also used as a coffee-like beverage. Mormon tea is valued for its green color in a somewhat dull sagebrush environment. 9. FAIRY DUSTER Calliandra eriophylla Family: Fabaceae Origin: Southern Arizona, northern Mexico A seasonal show Fairy Duster is a small inconspicuous shrub for most of the year. In spring the plant makes a showy transformation when it blooms. The fluffy flowers provide nectar for butterflies and hummingbirds; while quail eat the seeds. 5 Sonora Desert Plant Guide for the Desert Exhibit 10. HOARY YUCCA Yucca x schottii Family: Asparagaceae Origin: Southwest New Mexico, southeast Arizona, north Mexico Mountainous tree yucca A natural occurring hybrid, the Hoary Yucca can grow as much as 1015 feet tall with 3 feet long bluish-green leaves. Each leaf has a sharp spine at the tip. The plant produces creamy white flowers on a stalk about 3 feet tall. This yucca’s range extends to much higher altitudes than other tree yuccas. 11. COW HORN AGAVE Agave bovicornuta Family: Asparagaceae Origin: Arizona, northern Mexico Eye catching thorns This medium sized plant has bright green leaves with bright red spines along the edge and tip. The common name comes from the curved thorns which look like a bull’s horn. After many years, a large flower stalk is produced, bearing yellow flowers. The plant then dies unlike most agave which produce vegetative offshoots, known as pups, the Cow Horn rarely does. 12. DESERT SPOON Dasylirion wheeleri Family: Asparagaceae Origin: Arizona Many uses for a “spoon” Desert Spoon has strap-like, bluish leaves which resemble stiff grass. Native people make a beverage known as sotol by roasting and fermenting the flower stalks. The tough leaves make good thatching, mats and baskets. The Desert Spoon makes a good ornamental plant that can survive in North Carolina landscapes. 6 Sonora Desert Plant Guide for the Desert Exhibit 13. SAGUARO Carnegiea gigantea Family: Cactaceae Origin: Southern Arizona Nature’s water tower Saguaro (sa-WAH-ro) are huge tree-like cacti found only in the Sonora Desert. They may reach 40-60 feet tall and live over a hundred years. White flowers bloom in the spring but only open at night. The Saguaro is pleated, and these expand with water after a rain. The pleats contract as the cactus uses the stored water during dry periods. 14. TEDDYBEAR CHOLLA Opuntia bigelovii Family: Cactaceae Origin: California, Nevada, and Arizona & NW Mexico Deceiving looks Teddybear cholla (choy-YA) may look fuzzy and soft but this cactus is far from cuddly. The barbed spines detach easily and stick into the skin of passing animals. Pliers or other tools may be necessary to remove them from human skin. Some desert pack rats place the spines around their burrow entrances as a defense against predators. 15. PRICKLY PEAR Opuntia phaeacantha Family: Cactaceae Origin: Arizona, Utah, Texas, New Mexico, & Mexico Tuna from a cactus? There are several different types of Prickly Pear cactus. They vary greatly in height and spine length. Flower color can range from white to yellow to purple to red. Prickly Pear produces large numbers of red or purplish fruits, called “tunas”. These fruits are a valuable food source for many desert animals and people. 7 Sonora Desert Plant Guide for the Desert Exhibit 16. FISHHOOK BARREL CACTUS Ferocactus wislizeni Family: Cactaceae Origin: Southern Arizona Cactus pointers This cactus gets its name from both its spines and its shape. The thick, hook shaped spines were used by native people for fishing. Massive stems of this plant stand anywhere from six inches to six feet tall when mature. The shaded side of the cactus (which is usually the north) grows faster than the exposed side. Thus, the cactus often leans or points south, earning it the local name “compass cactus”. 17. QUEEN AGAVE Agave victoriae-reginae Family: Asparagaceae Origin: Northern Mexico Fit for a queen? This small, slow growing native of northern Mexico, is named for the English Queen Victoria. It is usually found on rocky canyon slopes. This striking solitary plant is armed with a sharp spine at the end of each leaf. It may take as many as 40 years or more before a 10-15 feet bloom stalk forms with green to cream-colored flowers; after which the plant will die. Unfortunately, it has become an endangered species because of collection for commercial use in ornamental trade. 18. ELEPHANT TREE Bursera microphylla Family: Burseraceae Origin: Southwestern Arizona, northern Mexico A desert plant fit for bonsai This tree has a nice shape with striped bark. It gets the common name from the short stout trunk which grows slowly over many years. It will eventually make a six to eight foot tall tree with an interesting branching pattern and nice tiny leaves. 8 Sonora Desert Plant Guide for the Desert Exhibit 19. IRONWOOD Olneya tesota Family: Fabaceae Origin: Arizona, Sonora Weighing heavily Ironwood gets its name from its extremely heavy and hard wood. It is one of the heaviest native woods in North America weighing about 66 pounds to the cubic foot. Ironwood is so hard that typical hand tools can barely scratch it. Native Americans made arrowheads from ironwood, but no one is sure how they did it. 20. FIRE BARREL Ferocactus acanthodes syn. Ferocactus cylindraceus ssp. cylindraceus Family: Cactaceae Origin: Arizona, California, north Mexico Is that barrel burning? This slow growing solitaire cactus will reach up to 8 feet tall. Young plants tend to have deep red spines giving the appearance of a very spiky ribbed barrel that is perhaps on fire. Those red spines will turn lighter after a few decades. The Fire Barrel cactus favors rocky locations, especially the sides of canyons. Blooming occurs on the top of the cactus with yellow flowers. 21. MESCAL BEAN Sophora secundiflora Family: Fabaceae Origin: Texas, New Mexico, northern Mexico Grape soda-scented Mescal Bean is a slow growing, large evergreen shrub that prefers rocky limestone soil. In the spring, it forms showy clusters of purple flowers that are highly fragrant and have been said to favor grape soda. Native people valued the brilliant (yet poisonous) red seeds for ornamental and ceremonial use. 9 Sonora Desert Plant Guide for the Desert Exhibit 22. OCOTILLO Fouquieria splendens Family: Fouquieriaceae Origin: Southern Arizona Natural barbed wire Ocotillo (o-ko-TEE-yo) is unique to the deserts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Its stems have heavy thorns that make an almost impenetrable barrier. Travel is very difficult across areas where this plant is abundant. Octillo plants growing close together make an excellent living fence. 23. BLUE PALO VERDE Cercidium floridum Family: Fabaceae Origin: Arizona, California, northern Mexico Life without leaves Palo Verde (pa-lo VER-day) is Spanish for “green stick”. That is what this plant looks like because Palo Verde do not have leaves during dry periods. Their green branches and twigs contain chlorophyll so the plant can convert sunlight and nutrients into food without leaves. 24. CORAL TREE Erythrina flabelliformis Family: Fabaceae Origin: Arizona, northern Mexico Beauty without leaves Coral tree is a unique medium-sized shrub with arching stems. During rainy times it is covered with bright green diamond shaped leaves. The plant’s really showy part is early in spring before the leaves emerge. The bare stems are covered with long spikes of red tubular shaped flowers. Hummingbirds and butterflies cannot get enough of this plant. 10 Sonora Desert Plant Guide for the Desert Exhibit 25. SOUTHERN MAIDENHAIR FERN Adiantum capillus-veneris Family: Pteridaceae Origin: Temperate and tropical regions worldwide A fern in the desert, REALLY? Yes, the Southern Maidenhair fern can be found in the desert growing in shaded limestone cliff seeps and other wet areas away from direct sunlight. This fern is found worldwide. 26. CRIMSON MONKEY FLOWER Mimulus cardinalis Family: Phrymaceae Origin: West Coast and southwestern US Hummingbird’s favorite This perennial plant with bright red-orange flowers is usually found near seeps or stream banks. Hummingbirds are attracted to the nectar-rich flowers and aid in pollination by carrying pollen between flowers on their forehead. 11