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Frequently snowbirding in the Mesquite area, and being a bit compulsive, I've prepared this list to help in understanding the plants along the trails where we ride. These are the herbaceous plants of the Mojave area where we ride and is based upon the book Native Plants of Southern Nevada: an Ethnobotany by David Rhode.


Herbaceous Plants:




Yerba Mansa (Anemopsis californica) [S Paiute: "chew-pahn-iv," tcupani, "ch'ponip"]:

Yerba Mansa, Anemopsis californica



Annual Turtleback (Psathyrotes annua) [S Paiute: sebu magoonobu]:

Annual Turtleback, Psathyrotes annua



Velvet Turtleback (Psathyrotes ramosissima) [S Paiute: sebu magoonobu]:

Velvet Turtleback, Psathyrotes ramosissima



Desert Trumpet (Eriogonum inflatum) [S Paiute: "papa karum(p)"]:

Desert Trumpet, Eriogonum inflatum

Also known as "Desert Spoon," it is very distinctive and fairly prevalent in the Mojave Desert. It grows 8 - 32 inches tall, has rounded silver-green leaves at the base and several bare, green, tubular stems with bulbous segments. After flowering with tiny yellow spring and fall flowers, the stem becomes red-brown, hard and brittle. It prefers calcareous soils in creosote, blackbrush, saltbush and sagebrush.

Fresh and young stems were eaten raw, roots and seeds needed preparation. Dried stems were used to smoke tobacco and as children's toys. Tiny black seed-like insect droppings found on the plant reportedly were "hallucinogenic."



Transmontane Sand Verbena (Abronia turbinata) [S Paiute: "ayaho"]:

Transmontane Sand Verbena, Abronia turbinata



Desert Sand Verbena (Abronia villosa) [S Paiute: "ayaho"]:

Desert Sand Verbena, Abronia villosa



Evening Primrose (Oenothera) [S Paiute: "nac-a-go-av"]:

Evening Primrose, Oenothera



Thornapple (Datura wrightii) [S Paiute: momomp, momompi, mimip, "main-pph-weep"]:

Thornapple , Datura wrightii



Desert Tobacco (Nicotiana obtusifolia) [S Paiute: sagwog-woapi, "sawak wape," ko-a-pe"]:

Desert Tobacco, Nicotiana obtusifolia



Coyote Tobacco (Nicotiana attenuata) [S Paiute: sagwog-woapi, "sawak wape," ko-a-pe"]:

Coyote Tobacco, Nicotiana attenuata



Desert Milkweed (Asclepias erosa) [Paiute: "wishe-veu-eup," "kuts-a-hon-i-pea"]:

Desert Milkweed, Asclepias erosa



Mexican Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias fuscicularis) [S Paiute: "wishe-veu-eup," "kuts-a-hon-i-pea"]:

Mexican Whorled Milkweed, Asclepias fuscicularis



Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) [S Paiute: "wishe-veu-eup," "kuts-a-hon-i-pea"]:

Showy Milkweed, Asclepias speciosa



Indian Hemp (Apocynum cannabinum) [S Paiute: w'ivi, wo iv]:

Indian Hemp, Apocynum cannabinum



Wooly Bluestar (Amsonia tomentosa) [S Paiute: wiciva]:

Wooly Bluestar, Amsonia tomentosa



Entireleaved Theolypody (Thelypodium intergrifolium)[S Paiute: nambitu, "na-bita"]:

Entireleaved Theolypody, Thelypodium intergrifolium



Desert Rockcress (Arabis pulchra)[S Paiute: ak, akh]:

Desert Rockcress, Arabis pulchra



Tansy Mustard (Descurainia pinnata)[S Paiute: ku'u, akh'; ak, aka vu; akive]:

Tansy Mustard, Descurainia pinnata



Heartleaf Twistflower (Streptanthus cordatus):

Heartleaf Twistflower, Streptanthus cordatus



Chia (Salvia columbariae) [S Paiute: pasiits]:

Chia, Salvia columbariae



Whitestem Blazingstar (Mentzelia albicaulis) [S Paiute: "ko-ka"]:

Whitestem Blazingstar, Mentzelia albicaulis



Bristly Fiddleneck (Amsinckia tessellata) [S Paiute: "tho-wa-wi-ve"]:

Bristly Fiddleneck, Amsinckia tessellata



Desert Larkspur (Delphinium parishii) [Paiute: "coh-hava"]:

Desert Larkspur, Delphinium parishii



Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja angustifolia) [S Paiute: anabimotoymup, "inip-ma-tho-rup"]:

Indian Paintbrush, Castilleja angustifolia



Desert Broomrape (Orobanche cooperi) [S Paiute: tu'u, du'u]:

Desert Broomrape, Orobanche cooperi



Clustered Broomrape (Orobanche fasciculata) [S Paiute: tu'u, du'u]:

Clustered Broomrape, Orobanche fasciculata



Mojave Woodyaster (Xylorhiza tortifolia):

Mojave Woodyaster, Xylorhiza tortifolia



New Mexico Thistle (Cirsium neomexicanum) [S Paiute: "chuva," "chia wugu"]:

New Mexico Thistle, Cirsium neomexicanum



Mojave Thistle (Cirsium mohavense) [S Paiute: "chuva," "chia wugu"]:

Mojave Thistle, Cirsium mohavense



Mojave Prickly Poppy (Argenmone corymbosa) [S Paiute: "tu-ve-kai-ve"]:

Mojave Prickly Poppy, Argenmone corymbosa



Flatbud Prickly Poppy (Argemone munita) [S Paiute: "tu-ve-kai-ve"]:

Flatbud Prickly Poppy, Argemone munita



Whitemargin Sandmat (Chamaesyce albomarginata) [S Paiute: axghaiv, tuvikaxghaiv, "tubicai"]:

Whitemargin Sandmat, Chamaesyce albomarginata



Prairie Flax (Linum lewisii) [Paiute: "poohi natesua"]:

Prairie Flax, Linum lewisii



Goosefoot (Chenopodium) [S Paiute: "koar," "war," kovi, wara]:

Goosefoot, Chenopodium



Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) [Paiute: "te-na-e-nupe"]:

Stinging Nettle, Urtica dioica



Willow Dock (Rumex salicifolius) [S Paiute: nambitu, kwivavi]:

Willow Dock, Rumex salicifolius



Palmer's Penstemon (Penstemon palmeri) [S Paiute: toxo'awatsip, toxopui'bimp]:

Palmer's Penstemon, Penstemon palmeri



Firecracker Penstemon (Penstemon eatonii) [S Paiute: toxo'awatsip, toxopui'bimp]:

Firecracker Penstemon, Penstemon eatonii



Skyrocket Gilia (Ipomopsis aggregata) [S Paiute: "shovia navayuna," anka'si'nti]:

Skyrocket Gilia, Ipomopsis aggregata



Longleaf Phlox (Phlox longifolia) [Paiute: "paga gibe"]:

Longleaf Phlox, Phlox longifolia



Crimson Columbine (AQuilegia formosa) [S Paiute: pawihani sinkadi, toha'ama'abi]:

Crimson Columbine, AQuilegia formosa







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