Plants of Lone Mesa State Park

Equisetum arvense, the field horsetail or common horsetail, is a herbaceous perennial plant, native throughout the arctic and temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. It has separate sterile non-reproductive and fertile spore-bearing stems, growing from a perennial underground rhizomatous stem system. The fertile stems are produced in early spring and are non-photosynthetic, while the green sterile stems start to grow after the fertile stems have wilted, and persist through the summer until the first autumn frosts. less ↑

Equisetum laevigatum is a species of horsetail known by the common names smooth scouring rush and smooth horsetail. This plant is native to much of North America except for northern Canada and southern Mexico. It is usually found in moist areas in sandy and gravelly substrates. It may be annual or perennial. It grows narrow green stems sometimes reaching heights exceeding 1.5 meters. The leaves at the nodes are small, scale-like brownish sheaths and there are... less ↑

Pinus ponderosa, commonly known as the ponderosa pine, bull pine, blackjack pine, or western yellow pine, is a very large pine tree of variable habit native to western North America, but widespread throughout the temperate world. It was first described by David Douglas in 1826, from eastern Washington state near present-day Spokane. It is the official state tree of Montana. less ↑

Abies concolor, commonly known as the white fir, is a fir native to the mountains of western North America, occurring at elevations of 900–3,400 m (2,952–11,154 ft). It is a medium to large evergreen coniferous tree growing to 25–60 m (80–197 ft) tall and with a trunk diameter of up to 2 m (6.5 ft). It is popular as an ornamental landscaping tree and as a Christmas tree. It is sometimes known as concolor fir. less ↑

The blue spruce, green spruce, white spruce, Colorado spruce, or Colorado blue spruce, with the scientific name Picea pungens, is a species of spruce tree. It is native to the Rocky Mountains of the United States. Its natural range extends from northern New Mexico through Colorado and Utah to Wyoming and into far southwest Montana, but it has been widely introduced elsewhere and is used as an ornamental tree in many places far beyond its native... less ↑

Alfalfa /ælˈfælfə/, Medicago sativa, also called lucerne, is a perennial flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae cultivated as an important forage crop in many countries around the world. The English name alfalfa is widely used, particularly in North America and Australia. But in the UK, South Africa and New Zealand, the more commonly used name is lucerne. It superficially resembles clover, with clusters of small purple flowers followed by fruits spiralled in 2 to 3... less ↑

Medicago lupulina (black medic, sometimes spelled medick or meddick; also known as black hay, black nonsuch, blackweed, etc.) is a summer annual or perennial plant usually considered a weed. It has a tap root. Like other legumes, it has three leaflets; its center leaflet is on a separate petiole. As with other legumes, nitrogen-fixing bacteria, known as rhizobia, are found in nodules on the roots. less ↑

Lupinus argenteus is a species of lupine known by the common name silvery lupine. It is native to much of western North America from the southwestern Canadian provinces to the southwestern and midwestern United States, where it grows in several types of habitat, including sagebrush, grassland, and forests. This is a perennial herb growing erect to heights anywhere between 10 centimeters and 1.5 meters. It is sometimes silvery-hairy in texture and sometimes nearly hairless. Each palmate... less ↑

Vicia americana is a species of legume in the vetch genus known by the common names American vetch and purple vetch. It includes a subspecies known as mat vetch. It is a climbing perennial forb that grows from both taproot and rhizome. The leaves are each made up of oblong leaflets and have tendrils for climbing. It bears showy pea-like flowers in shades of lavender and fuchsia. The fruit is a hairless pod about 3 centimeters... less ↑

Hedysarum boreale is a species of flowering plant in the Fabaceae, or legume family, and is known by the common names Utah sweetvetch,boreal sweet-vetch,northern sweetvetch, and plains sweet-broom. It is native to North America, where it is widespread in northern and western regions of Canada and the United States. The ssp. mackenziei can even be found in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. less ↑

Dasiphora fruticosa (shrubby cinquefoil; syn. Potentilla fruticosa L., Pentaphylloides fruticosa (L.) O.Schwarz) is a species of hardy deciduous flowering shrub in the genus Dasiphora (formerly Potentilla) of the family Rosaceae, native to the cool temperate and subarctic regions of the northern hemisphere, often growing at high altitudes in mountains. less ↑

Argentina anserina is a synonym of Potentilla anserina L., the accepted name of a perennial flowering plant in the rose family, Rosaceae. It is known by the common names "silverweed", common silverweed or silver cinquefoil. It is native throughout the temperate Northern Hemisphere, often on river shores and in grassy habitats such as meadows and road-sides. The plant was originally placed in the genus Potentilla by Carl Linnaeus in his Species plan less ↑

Rubus strigosus, the American red raspberry or American raspberry, is a species of Rubus native to much of North America. It has often been treated as a variety or subspecies of the closely related Eurasian Rubus idaeus (raspberry or European raspberry), but currently is more commonly treated as a distinct species. Many of the commercial raspberry cultivars grown for their fruit derive from hybrids between R. strigosus and R. idaeus; see Raspberry for more details. less ↑

Amelanchier alnifolia, the saskatoon, Pacific serviceberry, western serviceberry, alder-leaf shadbush, dwarf shadbush, chuckley pear, or western juneberry, is a shrub with edible berry-like fruit, native to North America from Alaska across most of western Canada and in the western and north central United States. Historically it was also called "pigeon berry". It grows from sea level in the north of the range, up to 2,600 m (8,530 ft) elevation in California and 3,400 m (11,200 ft) in the Rocky Mountains. less ↑

Prunus virginiana, commonly called bitter-berry, chokecherry, Virginia bird cherry and western chokecherry (also black chokecherry for P. virginiana var. demissa), is a species of bird cherry (Prunus subgenus Padus) native to North America; the natural historic range of P. virginiana includes most of Canada (including Northwest Territories but excluding Yukon, Nunavut, and Labrador), most of the United States (inc less ↑

Humulus lupulus (common hop or hop) is a species of flowering plant in the Cannabaceae family, native to Europe, western Asia and North America. It is a dioecious, perennial, herbaceous climbing plant which sends up new shoots in early spring and dies back to a cold-hardy rhizome in autumn. Strictly speaking it is a bine rather than a vine, using its own shoots to act as supports for new growth. less ↑

Pterospora, commonly known as pinedrops, wooodland pinedrops, Albany beechdrops, or giant bird's nest is a North American genus in the subfamily Monotropoidiae of the blueberry family, and includes only the species Pterospora andromedea. It grows in coniferous or mixed forests. It is widespread across much of Canada as well as the western and northeastern United States to and northern Mexico (Sonora, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León). Along wit less ↑

Androsace septentrionalis (pygmyflower rockjasmine, pygmy-flower rock-jasmine, northern rockjasmine,Northern fairy candelabra,Chinese: bei dian di mei) is a species of annual herbaceous plant in the Primrose family (Primulaceae), native to North America,Asia, and Europe. It is a small plant with a rosette of leaves and umbels of small white flowers held on multiple stems. less ↑

Ipomopsis congesta is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common name ballhead ipomopsis. It is native to much of western North America where it grows in many habitats from alpine peaks to low-elevation scrub. This is a perennial herb which varies in appearance, especially across subspecies and climates. It may take the form of a squat patch with stems under 10 centimeters in height or a more erect form up... less ↑

Collomia linearis is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common names tiny trumpet and slenderleaf collomia. This tiny wildflower is native to North America where it is fairly widespread across the north and west. It is an annual herb with a velvety erect stem bearing long, narrow green leaves. Atop the stem is a cluster of up to 20 white or light pink flowers, each about a centimeter across. Each... less ↑

Apocynum cannabinum (Dogbane, Amy Root, Hemp Dogbane, Indian Hemp, Rheumatism Root, or Wild Cotton) is a perennial herbaceous plant that grows throughout much of North America - in the southern half of Canada and throughout the United States. It is a poisonous plant: Apocynum means "poisonous to dogs". All parts of the plant are poisonous and can cause cardiac arrest if ingested. The cannabinum in the scientific name and the common names Hemp Dogbane and Indian... less ↑

Frasera albomarginata (syn. Swertia albomarginata) is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common name desert green gentian, or desert frasera. It is native to the southwestern United States from eastern California to Colorado and New Mexico, where it grows in open, dry areas, such as desert woodlands. It is a perennial herb producing one or more stems up to 30 to 60 centimeters tall. The leaves are green with distinct... less ↑

Frasera speciosa is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common names monument plant, elkweed, and deer's ears. It is native to the western United States, where it grows in mountain forests, woodlands, and meadows. It is a perennial herb growing from a woody base surrounded by rosettes of large leaves that measure up to 50 centimeters long by 15 wide. It produces a single erect stem which can reach two... less ↑

Polygonum arenastrum (Common knotweed) is a summer annual weed that is native to Europe and can be found on most continents as an introduced species and a common noxious weed. Known by many other names, such as mat grass, oval-leaf knotweed, stone grass, wiregrass, and door weed, as well as many others, knotweed was first seen in North America in 1809 and is now seen throughout all of the United States and Canada. less ↑

Eriogonum umbellatum is a species of wild buckwheat known by the common name sulphurflower buckwheat, or simply sulphur flower. It is native to western North America from California to Colorado to central Canada, where it is abundant and found in many habitats. This is an extremely variable plant and hard to identify because individuals can look very different from one another. Also, there are a great many varieties. It may be a perennial herb forming a... less ↑

Paxistima myrsinites (Oregon boxleaf, Oregon boxwood, mountain lover, box, or hedge, false box, myrtle box leaf; syn. Pachistima myrsinites) is a species of shrub in the bittersweet family. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to northern Mexico to the Rocky Mountains, where it grows in forests, often in the understory. It is a low prostrate or spreading evergreen shrub growing to a meter in maximum height. The stems have many four-angled branches... less ↑

Cirsium scariosum is a species of thistle known by the common names meadow thistle, elk thistle and dwarf thistle. It is native to much of western North America from Canada to Mexico, where it grows in a variety of habitat types. This is a variable species made up of several geographic races, most of which have been previously classified as species. The races intergrade but their morphologies can also be quite different. This is generally a... less ↑

Common chicory, Cichorium intybus, is a somewhat woody, perennial herbaceous plant usually with bright blue flowers, rarely white or pink. Various varieties are cultivated for salad leaves, chicons (blanched buds), or for roots (var. sativum), which are baked, ground, and used as a coffee substitute and additive. It is also grown as a forage crop for livestock. It lives as a wild plant on roadsides in its native Europe, and in North America and Australia, where... less ↑

Crepis runcinata is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family known by the common name fiddleleaf hawksbeard. It is native to western and central North America, where it grows in many types of habitat. It is a variable species with many subspecies. In general it is a perennial herb growing an erect, hairless, mostly leafless, unbranching stem up to about 80 centimeters tall from a taproot. The hairless leaves are arranged about the base... less ↑

Sonchus arvensis, the field milk thistle, field sowthistle, perennial sow-thistle, corn sow thistle, dindle, gutweed, swine thistle, or tree sow thistle, is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family Asteraceae. S. arvensis often occurs in annual crops in the northern parts of Europe and may cause substantial yield losses. less ↑

Lactuca serriola, also called prickly lettuce,milk thistle (not to be confused with Silybum marianum, also called milk thistle) compass plant, and scarole, is an annual or biennial plant, slightly foetid, that is commonly considered a weed of orchards, roadsides and field crops. The closest wild relative of cultivated lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). The leaves grow along a spiny stem and get progressively smaller as they reach its top. They emit latex when cut. Many flowers are... less ↑

Agoseris aurantiaca is a liguliferous species in the Asteraceae or sunflower family, and is commonly called orange agoseris or mountain dandelion. It is widespread and common in western North America from Alaska and western Canada southward to California, Arizona, and New Mexico. It also occurs disjunctly in the Chic-Choc (Gaspe Peninsula) and Otish Mountains (Laurentian Plateau) of Quebec. This is primarily a species of mountainous regions and may be found in wet to dry habitats. It... less ↑

Tragopogon dubius (western salsify, western goat's-beard, wild oysterplant, yellow salsify, yellow goat's beard, goat's beard, goatsbeard, common salsify, salsify) is a species of Salsify native to southern and central Europe and western Asia and found as far north and west as northern France. Although it has been reported from Kashmir and India, recent evidence suggests that specimens from these areas may be a different species. Western Salsify has been introduced into North America where it has... less ↑

Antennaria dimorpha is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family known by the common name low pussytoes. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to California to Nebraska, where it is generally found in dry areas. This is a small mat-forming perennial herb growing in a flat patch from a thick, branching caudex. The spoon-shaped leaves are up to about a centimeter long and green but coated with long, gray hairs.... less ↑

Antennaria microphylla (Littleleaf pussytoes, Rosy pussytoes, Pink pussytoes, Small pussytoes, Dwarf everlasting) is a stoloniferous perennial forb in the Aster family (Asteraceae). It grows from 1.2 to 12 inches (3.0 to 30 cm) with spoon shaped or oblong leaves; it blossoms from late May to July. Native to North America, this plant occurs from Alaska to Ontario and south to California, New Mexico, Colorado, and Nebraska. It can be found growing in plains, hills, dry meadow, and open wood... less ↑

Tarragon, (Artemisia dracunculus) is a species of perennial herb in the family Asteraceae. One sub-species, Artemisia dracunculus var. sativa, is cultivated for use of the leaves as an aromatic culinary herb. In some other sub-species, the characteristic aroma is largely absent. The species is polymorphic. Informal names for distinguishing the variations include "French tarragon" (best for culinary use), "Russian tarragon" (typically better than wild tarragon but not as good as so-called French tarragon for culinary use),... less ↑

Artemisia frigida is a species of flowering plant in the aster family known by the common names fringed sagebrush, prairie sagewort, arctic sage and pasture sage (however it is not closely related to the true sages Salvia). It is native to Europe, Asia, and much of North America, in Canada and the western United States. In parts of the north-central eastern United States it is an introduced species. less ↑

Artemisia tridentata ("big sagebrush" or "sagebrush") is an aromatic shrub from the family Asteraceae, which grows in arid and semi-arid conditions, throughout a range of cold desert, steppe, and mountain habitats in the Intermountain West of North America. The vernacular name "sagebrush" is also used for several related members of the genus Artemisia, such as California Sagebrush (Artemisia californica). less ↑

Achillea millefolium, commonly known as yarrow /ˈjæroʊ/ or common yarrow, is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere in Asia, Europe, and North America. It has been introduced as a feed for livestock in places like New Zealand and Australia. However, it is a weed in those places and sometimes also in its native regions. less ↑

Gutierrezia sarothrae is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family known by the common names broom snakeweed, broomweed, snakeweed, and matchweed. It is a subshrub native to much of the western half of North America, from western Canada to central Mexico, and can be found in a number of arid, grassland, and mountain habitats. It can be toxic to livestock in large quantities, due mainly to the presence of saponins. less ↑

Chrysothamnus depressus called Long-flowered rabbitbrush, is a North American species of flowering plants in the aster tribe within the sunflower family. It is native to the southwestern United States, the States of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado. It grows dry canyons, rocky crevices and similar habitats in the Mohave Desert, the Colorado Plateau, etc. less ↑