Camissonia's CA Native Plant Life List

I"ve been an amateur botanist since circa 1997 with a special interest in California native plants. A corollary passion of mine is birding and, like many fellow birders, I keep a Life List of all the bird species that I've observed in my lifetime. So I thought, why not also create a life list for plants I've seen in the field? In addition to California natives, I've also included a smaller list of plants that I've observed and photographed in their native habitats outside of the U.S.

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Larrea tridentata (Creosote Bush)

9/23/16 Site#82, Jumbo Rocks Campground,

Joshua Tree National Park, Riverside County, CA

3/4/17 Shaver's Valley, E. Riverside County, CA

4/2/17 Behind campsite #45, Furnace Creek Campground,
Death Valley National Park, Inyo County, CA

4/3/17 Day use area off CA 190 between Stove Pipe Wells and Emigrant,
Death Valley National Park, Inyo County, CA

2/6/05 Box Canyon Road, Mecca Hills, E. Riverside County, CA

3/15/19 Desert Lily Sanctuary, Desert Center,
Chuckwalla Valley, E. Riverside County, CA

LIFE LIST NOTES:

COMMON NAME: Creosote Bush

SPECIES: Larrea tridentata

FAMILY: Zygophyllaceae (Caltrop Family)

LIFE LIST DATE: 2/6/2005

LOCATION: Box Canyon Road, Mecca Hills, E. Riverside County, CA

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Treatment from Jepson eFlora:

NATIVE

Leaf: leaflets < 18 mm, < 8.5 mm wide, obliquely lanceolate to curved; awn between leaflets < 2 mm, +- deciduous.

Flower: < 2.5 cm wide; sepals ovoid, appressed-hairy; petal claw +- brown; stamens > appendages; ovary hairs dense, straight, stiff, silvery (red-brown in fruit); style 4--6 mm, persistent on young fruit.

Fruit: 4.5 mm wide (except hairs), hairs +- 2--4 mm, dense, spreading.

Ecology: Common. Desert scrub;

Elevation: < 1000 m.

Bioregional Distribution: SNE, D, (uncommon Teh, SnJV, SCo, SnJt);

Distribution Outside California: to southwestern Utah, Texas, central Mexico.

Flowering Time:Apr--May

Note: Closely related to southern South America Larrea divaricata. Clones may live > 11000 years, longest among extant plants; resinous odor characteristic; dominant shrub over vast areas of desert.

Synonyms: Larrea divaricata Cav. subsp. tridentata (DC.) Felger & C.H. Lowe; Larrea tridentata var. arenaria L.D. Benson

eFlora Treatment Author: Duncan M. Porter

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2 comments:

ACTIVITIES BY RIDAAugust 16, 2024 at 2:02 PM
I really enjoyed reading about your observations of Larrea tridentata in various locations! It's fascinating to see how this plant thrives in different environments. I recently came across a useful resource on how to Make Creosote, which I thought might be of interest to you given your passion for native plants. It's always exciting to learn more about the practical uses of plants in their native habitats. Keep up the great work with your Life List!
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