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Flora Of The Colorado Plateau And Canyonlands Region
The flora of the Colorado Plateau and Canyonlands region of the Western United States. The flora is generally characterized by plant adaptations to the arid conditions of the region, and a wide variation of plant communities from wide variations in elevation and soil types.Canyon Country Wildflowers, Damian Fagan, 2nd ed., 2012, Morris Bush Publishing, LLC. in cooperation with Canyonlands Natural History Association, The elevation variation results in temperature variation. Differing soil types are largely due to erosion of different sedimentary layers in the canyons, from the layers at lowest point of canyons of the Colorado River network, to the top layers of the plateau. Exceptions to flora adapted to aridity occur in lowland riparian areas, at springs, and in hanging gardens. Plant communities Salt desert shrub community The salt desert shrub is a plant community or vegetation type found in the Colorado Plateau and Canyonlands region. It is characterized by very alkalin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Flora
Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring ( indigenous) native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' gut flora'' or '' skin flora''. Etymology The word "flora" comes from the Latin name of Flora, the goddess of plants, flowers, and fertility in Roman mythology. The technical term "flora" is then derived from a metonymy of this goddess at the end of the sixteenth century. It was first used in poetry to denote the natural vegetation of an area, but soon also assumed the meaning of a work cataloguing such vegetation. Moreover, "Flora" was used to refer to the flowers of an artificial garden in the seventeenth century. The distinction between vegetation (the general appearance of a community) and flora (the taxonomic composition of a community) was first made by Jules Thurmann (1849). Prior to this, the two terms were used indiscriminately.Thurmann, J. (1849). ''Essai ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yucca
''Yucca'' is a genus of perennial shrubs and trees in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae. Its 40–50 species are notable for their rosettes of evergreen, tough, sword-shaped leaves and large terminal panicles of white or whitish flowers. They are native to the hot and dry (arid) parts of the Americas and the Caribbean. Early reports of the species were confused with the cassava (''Manihot esculenta''). Consequently, Linnaeus mistakenly derived the generic name from the Taíno word for the latter, ''yuca''. The Aztecs living in Mexico since before the Spanish arrival, in Nahuatl, call the local yucca species (''Yucca gigantea'') , which gave the Spanish . is also used for ''Yucca filifera''. Distribution The natural distribution range of the genus ''Yucca'' (49 species and 24 subspecies) covers a vast area of the Americas. The genus is represented throughout Mexico and extends into Guatemala ('' Yucca guatemalensis''). It also extends to the north throu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Artemisia Tridentata
''Artemisia tridentata'', commonly called big sagebrush,MacKay, Pam (2013), ''Mojave Desert Wildflowers'', 2nd ed., , p. 264. Great Basin sagebrush or (locally) simply 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''). Big sagebrush and other ''Artemisia'' shrubs are the dominant plant species across large portions of the Great Basin. The range extends northward through British Columbia's southern interior, south into Baja California, and east into the western Great Plains of New Mexico, Colorado, Nebraska, and the Dakotas. Several major threats exist to sagebrush ecosystems, including human settlements, conversion to agricultural land, livestock grazing, in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amelanchier Utahensis
''Amelanchier utahensis'', the Utah serviceberry, is a shrub or small tree native to western North America. This serviceberry grows in varied habitats, from scrubby open slopes to woodlands and forests. Description ''Amelanchier utahensis'' is a spreading plant, reaching a maximum of in height. It is deciduous, bearing rounded or spade-shaped often toothed green leaves and losing them at the end of the season. In April and May the shrub blooms in short inflorescences of white flowers, each with five widely spaced narrow petals. The fruits are pomes. The Utah serviceberry is browsed by desert bighorns, elk, and mule deer, as well as many birds and domesticated livestock. Range For the Utah serviceberry, the core mountainous range is delimited by the Colorado–New Mexico–Wyoming Rocky Mountains in the east, the Front ranges of Utah at the west, and the south in central Arizona-western New Mexico by the Mogollon Rim and White Mountains (Arizona) region of east Ariz ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Quercus Gambelii
''Quercus gambelii'', with the common name Gambel oak, is a deciduous small tree or large shrub that is widespread in the foothills and lower mountains of western North America. It is also regionally called scrub oak, oak brush, and white oak. The common and scientific names, Gambel oak and ''Quercus gambelii'', were named after the American naturalist William Gambel (1821–1849). Description ''Quercus gambelii'' trees differ in size from one location to another. The average mature height is from , but occasionally reaches heights of in some locations. Dwarf stands of plants under tall are common in marginal areas where heavy browsing occurs. The largest trees are found in the southern range of the species along streams. These trees reach up to 100 feet tall. The champion tree is in Arizona at tall. Although the wood is hard and dense, its branches are irregular and crooked, making them flexible enough to bend without breaking when covered with heavy snow. The bark ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ponderosa Pine (plant Community)
In ecology and forestry, yellow pine refers to a number of conifer species that tend to grow in similar plant communities and yield similar strong wood. In the Western United States, yellow pine refers to Jeffrey pine or ponderosa pine. In the Southeastern United States, yellow pine refers to longleaf pine, shortleaf pine, slash pine, or loblolly pine. In the United Kingdom, yellow pine refers to eastern white pine or Scots pine. In New Zealand, it refers to ''Halocarpus biformis''. Western United States The Jeffrey pine and the ponderosa pine are common in drier montane areas of the Sierra Nevada. They are often confused by casual observers. Across the remainder of the American West, Jeffrey pine is absent, with ponderosa pine being the sole yellow pine. Jeffrey pine is more stress tolerant than ponderosa pine in the Sierra Nevada. At higher elevations, on poorer soils, in colder climates, and in drier climates, Jeffrey pine replaces ponderosa as the dominant tree (Jeffrey ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cool Desert Shrub
The flora of the Colorado Plateau and Canyonlands region of the Western United States. The flora is generally characterized by plant adaptations to the arid conditions of the region, and a wide variation of plant communities from wide variations in elevation and soil types.Canyon Country Wildflowers, Damian Fagan, 2nd ed., 2012, Morris Bush Publishing, LLC. in cooperation with Canyonlands Natural History Association, The elevation variation results in temperature variation. Differing soil types are largely due to erosion of different sedimentary layers in the canyons, from the layers at lowest point of canyons of the Colorado River network, to the top layers of the plateau. Exceptions to flora adapted to aridity occur in lowland riparian areas, at springs, and in hanging gardens. Plant communities Salt desert shrub community The salt desert shrub is a plant community or vegetation type found in the Colorado Plateau and Canyonlands region. It is characterized by very alkalin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sand Desert Shrub
The flora of the Colorado Plateau and Canyonlands region of the Western United States. The flora is generally characterized by plant adaptations to the arid conditions of the region, and a wide variation of plant communities from wide variations in elevation and soil types.Canyon Country Wildflowers, Damian Fagan, 2nd ed., 2012, Morris Bush Publishing, LLC. in cooperation with Canyonlands Natural History Association, The elevation variation results in temperature variation. Differing soil types are largely due to erosion of different sedimentary layers in the canyons, from the layers at lowest point of canyons of the Colorado River network, to the top layers of the plateau. Exceptions to flora adapted to aridity occur in lowland riparian areas, at springs, and in hanging gardens. Plant communities Salt desert shrub community The salt desert shrub is a plant community or vegetation type found in the Colorado Plateau and Canyonlands region. It is characterized by very alkalin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cercocarpus Intricatus
''Cercocarpus ledifolius'' var. ''intricatus'' (little-leaf mountain mahogany, narrowleaf mahogany,Canyon Country Wildflowers, Damian Fagan, 2nd ed., 2012, Morris Bush Publishing, LLC. in cooperation with Canyonlands Natural History Association, dwarf mountain mahogany) is a variety of ''Cercocarpus ledifolius'' that is commonly known as little-leaf mountain mahogany. Distribution ''Cercocarpus ledifolius'' var. ''intricatus'' is native to the Southwestern United States, from California to Colorado, where it grows in mostly dry habitat such as deserts. It can be found in rocky places and slopes of mountain brush, pinyon juniper woodland, and ponderosa pine forest vegetation types. Description ''Cercocarpus ledifolius'' var. ''intricatus'' is a thickly branched shrub spreading and growing erect to heights between one and three meters. The many short gray twigs on the branches bear tiny, widely spaced evergreen leaves. Each thick, short leaf is a centimeter long or less, rolled ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coleogyne Ramosissima
''Coleogyne ramosissima'' or blackbrush, is a low lying, dark grayish-green, aromatic,Turner, Raymond M. 1982. Great Basin desertscrub. In: Brown, David E., ed. Biotic communities of the American Southwest--United States and Mexico. Desert Plants. 4(1-4): 145–155. spiny, perennial, soft wooded shrub, native to the deserts of the southwestern United States.Mojave Desert Wildflowers, Pam MacKay, p18, 252Canyon Country Wildflowers, Damian Fagan, p 3, 105 It is called blackbrush because the gray branches darken when wet by rains. It is in the rose family (Rosaceae), and is the only species in the monotypic genus ''Coleogyne''. Growth pattern It has dense, intricate branches ("ramosissima" means "many branched"). Its dense branches form spiny tips. This plant forms vast pure stands across the desert floor and on scrubby slopes, giving the landscape a uniform dark-gray color. Vegetative types in which it dominates or is a codominate are called blackbrush scrub. It drops most of i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Atriplex Canescens
''Atriplex canescens'' (or chamiso, chamiza, four-wing saltbush) is a species of evergreen shrub in the family Amaranthaceae native to the western and midwestern United States. Description ''Atriplex canescens'' has a highly variable form, and readily hybridizes with several other species in the genus ''Atriplex''. The degree of polyploidy also results in variations in form. Its height can vary from 1 foot to 10 feet, but 2 to 4 feet is most common. The leaves are thin and 0.5 to 2 inches long. It is most readily identified by the fruits, which have four wings at roughly 90 degree angles and are densely packed on long stems. This species blooms from April to October. Habitat Fourwing saltbush is most common in early succession areas such as disturbed sites and active sand dunes. It is also found in more mature successions dominated by sagebrush—''Artemisia tridentata'' and shadscale. Uses Among the Zuni people, an infusion of dried root and blossoms or a poultice of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chrysothamnus Nauseosus
''Ericameria nauseosa'' (formerly ''Chrysothamnus nauseosus''), commonly known as Chamisa, rubber rabbitbrush, and gray rabbitbrush, is a shrub in the sunflower family (Aster) found in the arid regions of western North America. Two subspecies have been described, ''consimilis'' (the green form with 8 varieties) and ''nauseosa'' (the gray form with 14 varieties).Completion of ''Ericameria'' (Asteraceae: Astereae): diminution of ''Chrysothamnus'' 1993 Phytologia 75: 74–93, G. L. Nesom, G.I. Baird. Description ''Ericameria nauseosa'' is a perennial shrub growing to .Mojave Desert Wildflowers, Pam MacKay, 2nd Ed. p 198 The leaves, depending on the subspecies, are long and narrow to spatula-shaped. Both the flexible (rubbery) stems and the leaves are greenish-gray with a soft felt-like covering. It blooms from August to October [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
