Asteraceae (sunflower family)
Ambrosia ambrosioides (Cav.) PayneNative, perennial shrubs, growing to >1 m tall, in washes to 4500' elevation. Many-branched, herbage glandular and fragrant, oily on crushing or pressing; leaves long-triangular, coarsely round-toothed to sinuous-margined. Plants monoecious, flowers greenish, apetalous in terminal spikes, flowering March-May; pistillate flowers producing an oblong, barbed fruit to 12 mm long. Plants observed in few washes in eastern foothills of Sawtooth Mountains at ~1700' elevation, growing densely together and under trees.
Ambrosia confertiflora (DC.) Rydb.
Native, biennial herbs, growth to few dm tall, generally at 1000-6500' elevation. Plants monoecious, flowers greenish, apetalous in terminal spikes, flowering April-October; pistillate flowers producing a barbed, ovoid fruit 2-4 mm long. Basal rosette of bipinnatifid leaves produced in late spring, inflorescence produced in summer, caulescent while rosette dies back, producing spiny fruits. Observed along washes on sandy flats and eastern bajada, ~1620' elevation.
Ambrosia deltoidea (Torr.) Payne
"triangle-leaf bur-sage"
Native, perennial, shrubs to <1 m tall, growing abundantly on plains at 1000-3000' elevation. Plants many-branched with stems ascending; leaves distinctly long-triangular, petioled, serrate, gray-green, canescent beneath. Plant monoecious, flowers greenish, apetalous in terminal spikes, flowering December-April; pistillate flowers producing a barbed, turbinate fruit 6 mm long. Plants ubiquitous on sandy and alluvial flats, bajada, and washes; less common but present on slopes, generally <1750' elevation.
Ambrosia dumosa (Gray) Payne
"white bur-sage"
Native, low, perennial shrub; growth to 2' on dry plains below 3000' elevation. Gray-green, pubescent leaves, deeply pinnately divided with compound lobes, alternate. Plants monoecious, flowers greenish, apetalous in terminal spikes, blooming March-November; pistillate flowers producing a globose fruit, 4-6 mm long, with straight (not hooked) spines. Plants observed on sandy flats south of Wildcat Peak, ~1620' elevation.
Baccharis salicifolia (R. & P.) Pers.
"seep willow"
Native, perennial shrub to 12' tall, growing along washes and streams, usually much below 5500' elevation. Leaves dark green, shiny, lanceolate and serrate or serrulate/dentate. Plants dioecious; flowers white, rayless, in terminal inflorescences, blooming March-December. Two individuals observed growing on edge of Greene Wash, ~1570' elevation.
"desert broom"
Native, perennial shrub, growing on slopes and flats at 1000-5500' elevation. Stems and branches ascending, herbage yellow-green; leaves linear-spatulate, sessile, close to stem. Plants dioecious, blooming September-February; flowers white, rayless, in terminal inflorescences, pistillate pappus elongate in fruit and surpassing the styles. Individuals observed on bajada and along Greene Wash, to ~1600' elevation.
Baileya multiradiata Harv. & Gray
"desert marigold"
Native, annual to 20 cm tall, growing on sandy plains below 5000' elevation. Plant scapose, herbage floccose-woolly; alternate leaves in basal rosette, pinnatisect. Rays 20-50, bright yellow, persistent; disks yellow, achenes striate and without pappus. Few plants observed on sandy flats south of Wildcat Peak, ~1620' elevation.
Brickellia coulteri Gray
Native, perennials to <1 m tall, in washes and dry, rocky slopes below 4500' elevation. Diffuse shrubs, stems minutely scabrous, leaves opposite, deltoid, toothed. Heads in loose panicles, slender-peduncled, discoid, flowering March-November; corollas whitish or purplish, heads ~17-flowered, achene with pappus of capillary bristles. Plants uncommon, growing along washes on the eastern bajada, ~1700' elevation.
Calycoseris parryi Gray
"yellow tackstem"
See C. wrightii. This species with pale yellow corollas, not purple-streaked. One individual observed and photographed on alluvial surface, ~1640' elevation, south of Wildcat Peak.
Calycoseris wrightii Gray
"white tackstem"
Native, annual herb, growth to 12"; grows in sandy soil on plains and slopes, 500-4000' elevation. Leaves narrow, few, gray-green; plant scapose. Flowers all ligulate, white with pink-purple streaks on undersides of petals, petals square-tipped, 5-toothed at apex; blooms March-May. Observed uncommonly on south slope of Wildcat Peak, ~1650' elevation.
Centaurea melitensis L.
"Malta star thistle"
Non-native, annual to few dm tall, growing in disturbed and rocky areas. Stems simple with few inflorescence branches, leaves entire to pinnatifid, dentate or toothed, herbage thinly tomentose. Heads multiple, terminal, flowering May-July; phyllaries spine-tipped, spines purplish near base; achene obliquely attached, pappus in multiple series of short (stout) and long (capillary) bristles. Few plants observed on Greene Wash floodplain, ~1570' elevation.
Chaenactis fremontii Gray
"Fremont's pincushion"
Native, annual herbs growing to several centimeters tall, on plains at 1000-3500' elevation. Stems simple, leaves pinnatifid with linear lobes. Involucre 8-10 mm high, not exceeding the corollas; heads generally discoid but with outer corollas enlarged, receptacle naked, pappus of 4 equal paleae, blooming March-June. Plants observed on sandy flats and eastern bajada, ~1620' elevation.
Encelia farinosa Gray
"brittlebush"
Native, perennial shrub to 4' tall; growing on slopes, along washes, and in rocky areas below 3000' elevation. Herbage greenish-gray, leaves ovate to deltoid with short pubescence, alternate; stems with exuded resin. Inflorescences stalked above foliage, deep yellow ray and disc flowers, rays occasionally absent, blooming November-May. Growing commonly on rocky slopes and outcrops, also along washes and on sandy flats, to at least 2100' elevation.
Encelia frutescens Gray
"rayless encelia"
Native, perennial shrub to dm tall, growing on rocky slopes below 4000' elevation. Herbage dark green, leaves ovate to deltoid, alternate; stems strigose, leaves, especially undersides, strigose-puberulent. Inflorescences stalked above foliage, flowers not observed; plant blooms March-September. Few plants observed along sandy wash on flats southwest of Wildcat Peak, ~1620' elevation.
Eriophyllum lanosum Gray
"woolly daisy"
Native, annual herb; growth to 3" tall on dry, gravelly slopes and flats at 1000-3000' elevation. Stems and leaves pubescent; leaves linear, alternate. Disc flowers yellow, ray flowers white, head to 1/2" across, blooming February-May. Observed on sandy flats and bajada on south and east sides of Sawtooth Mountains, generally where other herbs are not dense, generally below 1650' elevation.
Filago californica Nutt.
Native, annual herbs growing at 500-7000' elevation. Stems diffuse, ascending, minutely to densely tomentose between nodes; leaves alternate, linear, tomentose, not surpassing heads. Heads small, in terminal clusters; corollas filiform, outer flowers fertile, subtended by boat-shaped, woolly, hyaline-tipped pales; 12-20 inner flowers on naked receptacle surrounded by glabrous phyllaries; achenes rugose, with capillary bristles. Plants common in foothills, growing with the very similar Stylocline micropoides, ~1700' elevation.
Gaillardia arizonica Gray
"yellow blanket flower"
Native, annual herbs growing on plains at 1000-4000' elevation. Plants scapose, leaves oblanceolate, apically toothed. Head terminal, peduncle minutely hispid; rays deeply 3-lobed, yellow with purplish nerves, several; disks yellow, achenes 5-ribbed with pappus of 5-10 paleae. Plants uncommon, growing along washes on sandy flats south of Wildcat Peak, ~1620' elevation.
Geraea canescens Torr. & Gray
"desert sunflower"
Native, annual herb to few dm, growing in sandy soil below 3000' elevation. Plant scapose or branching with leaves mostly basal, herbage strigose, leaves ovate with apically toothed margins. Heads terminal, phyllaries white-ciliate, receptacle paleaceous; rays yellow and sterile, disks bright yellow; achene compressed, ciliate, with two strong awns. Flowering January-June. Plants growing on sandy flats south of Wildcat Peak, ~1620' elevation, in scattered patches.
“common sunflower”
Annual, ubiquitous throughout Arizona in irrigated and disturbed areas below 7000’ elevation. Stems erect, 1-3 m tall, herbage hispid or scabrous throughout; leaves alternate, deltoid, palmately veined, serrate or entire. Heads terminal, solitary, on long peduncles; rays dark yellow, disks brownish or purplish, phyllaries broad and acutely acuminate, achenes with two awns. Plants growing scattered along Greene Wash, but commonly along irrigation ditches east of the Sawtooth Mountains, generally below 1600’ elevation.
Heterotheca subaxillaris (Lam.) Britt. & Rusby
"telegraph plant"
Native, annual or biennial herb to a few dm tall, growing at 1000-5000' elevation. Plants erect, caulescent, herbage hispid; leaves elliptic-lanceolate, alternate, sessile. Heads terminal and axillary, blooming March-November; involucre graduated, rays and disks dark yellow. Ray achenes glabrous; disk achenes densely papillose with two series, long and short, of capillary bristles. Plants observed infrequently on bank of Greene Wash, ~1570' elevation.
Isocoma coronopifolia (Gray) Greene
(I. tenuisecta) Native, perennial shrub <1 m tall, growing on plains at 2000-5500' elevation. Branches ascending, flattened, herbage puberulent, stems gray, bare between nodes; leaves 1-nerved, pinnatifid with lobes linear, sessile and somewhat sheathing at base. Inflorescence cymose-paniculate, flowering August-October; heads discoid, involucre narrow, pappus of brownish capillary bristles. Plants growing on lower eastern bajada and on sandy flats south of Wildcat Peak, ~1600-1650' elevation.
Lasthenia chrysostoma (Fisch. & Meyer) Greene
"goldfields"
Native, annual herb, growing on plains at 1500-4500' elevation. Plants scapose or branching, glabrous, hairy at nodes; leaves linear or divided with linear lobes, opposite but nodes close together. Heads terminal, receptacle domed-conical; rays and disks both yellow and fertile, achenes linear with 2-5 lanceolate awns. Plants small, uncommon, observed on Greene Wash floodplain, ~1570' elevation.
Machaeranthera canescens (Pursh) Gray
"hoary aster"
Native, annual or perennial herbs to <20 cm tall, in variable habitats. Many-branched from near base, leaves dentate or pinnately toothed, teeth with spines, herbage glandular-puberulent. Heads terminal and on axillary peduncles; phyllaries graduated, with glandular trichomes, rays lavender, disks yellow. Achenes weakly curved and somewhat flattened, 5-7 ribbed, with capillary bristles. Plants observed on sandy flats south of Wildcat Peak, common in open areas lacking other vegetation, ~1620' elevation.
Machaeranthera pinnatifida (Hook.) Shinners
"spiny daisy"
Native, perennial to 60 cm tall, growing below 5000' elevation. Stems leafy, leaves simple, pinnately lobed or merely toothed, diminishing upward, teeth terminating in spines. Heads solitary on long branches, to 12 mm wide, rays and disks yellow, blooming March-October; phyllaries graduated, lance-linear, spine-tipped, glandular; pappus of numerous, unequal, tan bristles. Plants growing scattered on sandy flats south of Wildcat Peak, ~1620' elevation.
Malacothrix coulteri Gray
"snakes head"
Native, annual herbs <30 cm tall, growing at 500-3500' elevation. Stems erect, simple or many-branching from base, glabrous, stiff; leaves pinnatifid, sessile to sheathing, large at base and diminishing upward. Heads terminal, solitary or a few to a stem; involucre 12-15 mm high, strongly graduated, phyllaries 3-4 mm wide with purple midline and hyaline margins, grading in several series from suborbicular to lanceolate. Head of white rays, all fertile, receptacle naked; achenes columnar, truncate, ribbed, pappus of capillary bristles and ring of short teeth. Plants uncommon, growing on Greene Wash floodplain and lower eastern bajada, ~1570-1600' elevation.
Malacothrix glabrata Gray
"desert dandelion"
Native, annual herbs growing, often abundantly, on plains below 7000' elevation. Plants scapose, leaves basal, pinnatisect with filiform lobes. Heads radiate, yellow, terminal; phyllaries lanceolate-linear with scarious margin, achene with ring of teeth and a fugacious series of capillary bristles. Small plants uncommon on sandy flats south of Wildcat Peak, ~1620' elevation.
Malacothrix stebbinsii Davis & Raven
Native, annual, to <40 cm tall, growing along washes at 2500-4500' elevation. Stems slender, glabrous, leaves mostly basal and diminishing on stem. Inflorescence a diffuse panicle, heads <1 cm wide; involucre of a few series, one series long, receptacle naked, achenes 15-ribbed with pappus of long capillary bristles and outer ring of short teeth. Plants uncommon, growing along washes on the eastern bajada, ~1700' elevation among other shrubs including Brickellia coulteri.
Matricaria matricarioides (Less.) Porter
"pineapple weed"
Native, annual herbs to <30 cm tall, growing in disturbed areas and river bottoms below 2500' elevation. Plants fragrant, herbage glabrous; leaves 2-3 times pinnatisect into filiform divisions, sessile. Heads terminal and axillary, discoid, receptacle conical, corollas greenish. Achenes minute, oblong, obliquely attached, ribbed on inner side, pappus a low, asymmetrical crown. Plants uncommon, observed on bank of Greene Wash, ~1570' elevation.
Monoptilon bellioides (Gray) Hall
Native, winter annual herb, growing on sandy or stony flats and slopes at 200-3500' elevation. Plants dwarf, low, spreading, herbage hispid-hirsute; leaves linear-spatulate, closely subtending heads. Phyllaries subequal, uniseriate; heads solitary, terminal. Rays white and drying bluish, disks yellow; achene with pappus of unequal bristles. Plants observed commonly but ephemeral on stony flats south of Wildcat Peak and on mid-upper bajada, ~1600-1650' elevation.
Pectis cylindrica (Fern.) Rydb.
Native, annual herb, growing on sandy or gravelly plains at 1500-5000' elevation. Plants low, prostrate, dichotomously branching; leaves opposite, with pellucid glands throughout and spreading, hispid hairs near the base. Heads axillary, terminal, flowering May-September; phyllaries 3, erect, enclosing and persistent about the mature achenes. Rays and disks yellow, rays 3, disks several; achenes dark, linear, minutely white-pubescent, with pappus of 3-5 awns. Plants growing on sandy wash bank and roadsides south of Wildcat Peak, ~1600' elevation.
Pectis papposa Harv. & Gray
"cinchweed"
Native, annual herb, growing on sandy plains below 6000' elevation, particularly after summer rains. Leaves opposite, linear, with pellucid glands throughout and short bristles near base. Phyllaries 8-10, uniseriate; heads small, terminal on axial peduncles. Rays and disks dark yellow; achene with pappus of 12-18 bristles. Observed growing in washes on eastern bajada, ~1600-1650' elevation, and prolifically on sandy flats and the eastern Tat Momoli valley, ~1640' elevation, in late summer.
Perityle ciliata (Dewey) Macbr.
"rock daisy"
Native, clump-forming, suffruticose perennials to 25 cm tall, growing on rocky slopes at 3000-7500' elevation. Leaves alternate but may be so closely so as to appear opposite, punctate beneath, ovate-deltoid, coarsely toothed. Heads multiple, terminal, blooming May-November; rays white, several, disks yellow, many; achenes ciliate on margins and 2-awned. Plants growing on steep, rocky slope in eastern foothills of Sawtooth Mountains, ~1800' elevation.
Perityle emoryi Torr.
Native, annual herbs to few dm tall, growing on rocky slopes below 3000' elevation. Long-stemmed, mostly erect; leaves opposite below, alternate above. Rays short, white, disks yellow; achenes compressed, ciliate, pappus squamellose with a slender awn. Growing abundantly on rocky slopes in the foothills, ~1700' elevation.
Porophyllum gracile Benth.
"odora"
Native, perennial, suffrutescent herb, growing to few dm, on rocky slopes below 4000' elevation. Herbage glabrous, bluish; leaves linear, alternate, with oil glands. Heads terminal, to 2 cm long, rayless; phyllaries few, with conspicuous, linear oil glands, pappus of many capillary bristles. Plant uncommon, observed on upper bajada, east side of Sawtooth Mountains, ~1700' elevation.
Psilostrophe cooperi (Gray) Greene
"paper daisy"
Native, perennial, shrubby herb to several dm tall, growing on plains at 2000-5000' elevation. Herbage tomentose, gray-green; leaves linear, sessile. Flowers solitary, terminal, blooming year-round; rays and disks yellow, rays persistent, pappus of several short, paleaceous awns. Several plants observed on sandy flats south of Wildcat Peak, ~1620' elevation.
Rafinesquia neomexicana Gray
"desert chicory"
Native, annual, weak-stemmed herbs to 20" tall, typically growing under and intertwined with small shrubs, grows on desert flats at 200-3000' elevation. Dark green, pinnatifid leaves with linear lobes; flowers white, rays only, blooming February-July. Common but short-lived on sandy flats south of Wildcat Peak and on the bajada on the east side of the Sawtooth Mountains, usually growing in Lycium and Larrea, also among Ambrosia deltoidea, ~1620-1650' elevation.
"annual sow thistle"
Non-native, annual herb to >1 m tall, growing in disturbed areas at 150-7000' elevation. Leaves shiny green, broadly lanceolate, deeply pinnately cleft or divided, margins irregularly dentate, bases strongly clasping. Heads terminal, multiple, blooming February-November; involucre graduated, cylindrical, heads radiate, yellow; achenes striate with numerous white, capillary bristles. Few plants observed growing along Greene Wash, ~1570' elevation.
Stephanomeria pauciflora (Torr.) A. Nels.
Native, perennial to <1 m tall, growing on dry plains and slopes at 150-7000' elevation. Inflorescence compound-paniculate, heads small, 3-9 flowered; involucre <10 mm long, phyllaries about equal, bractlets shorter. Rays only, corollas pink, 5-toothed; achene with pappus of plumose bristles, bristles naked or scabrous toward base. Shrub observed on coarse middle bajada east of Sawtooth Mountains, ~1640' elevation, apparently uncommon.
Stylocline micropoides Gray
Native, annual herbs, growing in southern Arizona (including Pinal county) at 500-4000' elevation. Stems erect, simple or many-branching near base, turning brownish; leaves linear, alternate, herbage sparsely tomentose. Heads small, in terminal clusters, flowering March-May; outer flowers subtended by boat-shaped, woolly pale and achenes epappose, inner flowers infertile. Plants common in foothills, growing with the very similar Filago californica, ~1700' elevation.
Trixis californica Kellogg
"trixis"
Native, perennial shrub to 3-1/2' tall, growing on rocky slopes and along washes with other shrubs, below 5000' elevation. Leaves dark green, shiny, lanceolate, entire or with minute serrations. Heads with double involucre; flowers all discs, corollas tubular, lobes zygomorphic (bilabiate), blooming February-October. Seeds achenes with dense bristles. Three individuals observed on rocky knoll south of Wildcat Peak, ~1640' elevation; numerous individuals observed on a rocky slope in an eastern foothills valley, ~1850-1900' elevation.
Uropappus linearifolia (DC.) Schultz Bip.
"silver puffs"
Native, annual herbs to 12" tall, growing on plains and in foothills below 5000' elevation. Leaves linear or pinnately lobed with linear lobes, basal. Flowers solitary, long-pediceled, yellow, all rays; head subtended by long bracts, blooming March-May. Observed growing with or under shrubs on sandy flats south of Wildcat Peak, ~1620' elevation.
