Red Creek Buckwheat - Johanneshowellia puberula

 This pretty member of the Buckwheat Family (Polygonaceae) is Red Creek buckwheat (Johanneshowellia puberula), with a previous genus name of Eriogonum. It grows only in Utah, Nevada, and California from valley bottoms up to the pinyon-juniper community.

Flowers are small and turn into little red berries. For more info about Red Creek buckwheat, click here.

Coyote Gilia - Aliciella triodon

 This branching plant a few inches high (up to 13 cm) is coyote gilia (Aliciella triodon), and formerly with the genus name Gilia. It's in the Phlox Family (Polemoniaceae) and grows in gravelly substrates in pinyon-juniper areas in the southwestern U.S. Flowers are white and each petal is three-lobed.

For a description of coyote gilia, click on the Jepson manual treatment.

Fendler's Sandmat - Chamaesyce fendleri

 This low growing plant is in a family not yet shared on this blog, the Euphoriabeceae, or Spurge Family. It's called Fendler's sandmat (Chamaesyce fendleri), with a previous genus name of Euphorbia. It grows at lower elevations in the western U.S.

For more info about Fendler's sandmat from Southwest Colorado Wildflowers (a great resource), click here.

Firecracker Penstemon - Penstemon eatonii

 I've been saving this flower for Fourth of July, as it's common name is Firecracker Penstemon (Penstemon eatonii). It grows in the western U.S. in a variety of habitats.

 Flowers are bright red in narrow tubes.

For more info about firecracker penstemon (and how to use it in your water wise garden), click here.

Lavenderleaf Sundrops - Calylophus lavandulifolius

 This bright flower in the Evening Primrose Family (Onagraceae) has one of the best common names I've heard: lavenderleaf sundrops (Calylophus lavandulifolius). It grows in gravels from the Plains States west to Nevada.

 Flowers are one to two inches across and bright yellow. As they fade, they turn pinkish or purplish.

For more info about lavenderleaf sundrops, click here.

Nevada Bedstraw - Galium hypotrichium subsp. nevadense

 Another bedstraw, this one called Nevada bedstraw (Galium hypotichium subsp. nevadense).  This member of the Madder Family (Rubiaceae) grows in Nevada and Utah in pinyon-juniper areas and higher. Leaves are in whorls, the plant is about 20 cm high, and small white flowers are found on the upper half.

 The species is dioecious, with male flowers (above) on some plants, and female flowers (below) on other plants. The female flowers are much easier to photograph!

For more info on Nevada bedstraw from the USDA Plants Database, click here.

Desert Snowberry - Symphoricarpos longiflorus

 This shrub with the oval leaves and pink trumpet-like flowers is desert snowberry (Symphoricarpos longiflorus). It grows through much of western North America.

 I had never noticed before how much the flowers of snowberry resemble those of Ribes  (currant) until this year. After the flowers drop off, white berries will appear.

For more info on desert snowberry, click here.