Siberian Elm - Ulums pumila

 Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila) is a relatively common tree around Great Basin towns, as it is easy to grow and doesn't need much water. Sometimes they find their way outside of towns, like this specimen. In other areas they can become a nuisance. In the spring they make little seed pods that attract a lot of birds. Siberian elm is our only species in the Elm Family (Ulmaceae) found in Snake Valley.

Trees generally don't get very large. For more info, see the Invasive Plant Atlas.

Narrowleaf Willow - Salix exigua

This shrub or small tree can create quite a thicket along a creek. It's one of several willows in the area. The narrow, long leaves are a defining feature for Narrowleaf Willow (Salix exigua), sometimes called Coyote Willow. It's in the Willow Family (Salicaceae). 

The catkins appear in spring. Willows have been used extensively by native peoples for a variety of reasons, including medicinal.

For more info on narrowleaf willow, see this USU Extension webpage.

Water Birch - Betula occidentalis

 This tree that likes to grow right next to streams is water birch (Betula occidentalis), which is in the Birch Family (Betulaceae), the only member of that family in this area. It grows in western North America.

 Leaves are bright green and heart-shaped, with a dentate margin. Catkins grow along the twigs.

The bark for water birch is red with white spots. Older bark gets shaggy and starts peeling off.

For more info about water birch, see this USU webpage.

Saltlover-Halogeton glomeratus

One of the common names for this plant is saltlover (Halogeton glomeratus); its genus name Halogeton is Greek for salt neighbor, and is often used as the common name. It's nonnative, found in salty soils, and is considered in many areas to be a noxious weed. It grows throughout much of the western U.S. It concentrates sodium oxalate and is poisonous to livestock.

The stems are often red, and the flowers are small and inconspicuous.

For more info on saltlover, click here.

Burningbush-Bassia scoparia

You might not recognize this plant by its USDA Plants Database name: burningbush (Bassia scoparia formerly Kochia scoparia), but you might know it by its other common names, kochia, ragweed, summer cypress, fireball, and Mexican fireweed. It's native to Eurasia but is now widespread. Although many consider it a weed, it does have some forage, food, ornamental, and erosion control properties.

For more info on burningbush, click here.

Flatcrown Buckwheat-Eriogonum deflexum

This plant blends in well with the gravel, so I had to get down low to get a photo of it so you could get an idea what it looks like. It's flatcrown buckwheat (Eriogonum deflexum), part of the Buckwheat family (Polygonaceae). It grows in the desert southwest.
Flowers are rather inconspicuous.

This is a view of the plant from above.
For more info on flatcrown buckwheat, click here.

Greenflowered Wintergreen-Pyrola chlorantha

I knew when I saw this plant it was in the genus Pyrola in the wintergreen family (Pyrolaceae), but my key is based on flowers and this wintergreen is in the fruiting stage. Fortunately, the wonders of the Internet made it possible to narrow it down to greenflowered wintergreen (Pyrola chlorantha). Leaves are simple and entire with white veins.

It grows through much of North America except the southeast.
For more info about greenflowered wintergreen, click here.

Toothed Willow Dock-Rumex salicifolius var. denticulatus

Keeping in the Buckwheat Family (Polygonaceae), here's toothed willow dock (Rumex salicifolius var. denticulatus), also called California dock. It grows along lake shores and wet places from 7,700 to 10,500 feet in this area. It grows in western North America.

For more info on toothed willow dock, click here.

Alpine Mountainsorrel-Oxyria digyna

I found this little plant from the Buckwheat family (Polygonaceae) growing near a snow patch in early August. It's alpine mountainsorrel (Oxyria digyna), and it's fond of alpine and sub-alpine areas. It grows in western and northern North America.

Leaves are round and thick, while the flowers are green and soon replaced by reddish-brown seed pods.
For more info about alpine mountainsorrel, click here.

Stinging Nettle-Urtica dioica

This is a plant that you remember if you ever come in contact with it. It's stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), the only member of the Urtica Family (Urticaceae) in the area. Most people feel a stinging after brushing against the plant. The plant is more potent in the summer and fall than in the spring (based on my experience). It grows in moist areas generally below 8,500 feet.
Leaves are opposite and serrated, and the flowers are green. I often hold a stem still to take a photo and had to keep reminding myself not to do that for this plant! To learn more about stinging nettle, including medicinal and culinary uses, click here.

Povertyweed-Iva axillaris

This fairly drab looking perennial plant that is common in disturbed areas is povertyweed (Iva axillaris), part of the Sunflower Family (Asteraceae). It grows from a network of creeping rootstocks and is generally about a foot high. The leaves are narrow and elliptical and about an inch long. The plant is native to western North America.

The flowers are green and found close to the stem at the axils of the upper leaves. Although only 1/4 inch wide, each flowerhead has 4-8 female flowers and 8-20 male flowers. The Native Americans used the plant for various ailments such as stomachaches.
For more information about povertyweed, click here.

Field Horsetail-Equisetum arvense

This feathery-looking plant found in riparian and wetland areas is field horsetail (Equisetum arvense), in the Horsetail Family (Equisetaceae). It's a perennial with a rhizomatous stem. It has a number of medicinal properties, but care must be taken to identify it properly because other Equisetums are toxic.

For more information about field horsetail, click here.

Smooth horsetail-Equisetum laevigatum

Today we're going to introduce a plant from a new family, the Horsetail Family (Equisetaceae). There are three species in this area, and all grow near riparian or wetland areas. This one is smooth horsetail (Equisetum laevigatum), also known as smooth scouring rush. It's perennial and found throughout much of North America.

For more information about smooth horsetail, click here.

Spiny Hopsage-Grayia spinosa

There's a bush lighting up the landscape right now with its almost yellow clustered flowers. This is a member of the Goosefoot Family (Chenopodiaceae), a very important component of the lower elevations of the Great Basin desert. This particular bush is called spiny hopsage (Grayia spinosa), although some folks prefer to call it applebush and I know one cowboy who calls it sugar greasewood.

You can see how the lighter color contrasts with the grayer sagebrush and the greener greasewood and green rabbitbrush.

A closeup of the blossoms shows their very wrinkled appearance. As they age they turn pinker, as seen below.


Male flowers are borne on separate plants, with small flowerheads growing at the axils of the leaves.

Above you can see a female hopsage on the left and a male on the right.

Here's a closeup of female flowers on the left and male flowers on the right.

For more info about spiny hopsage, click here.

Curly Dock-Rumex crispus

Standing erect with seed pods that become more obvious during the summer as they turn browner is curly dock (Rumex crispus), a member of the Buckwheat Family (Polygonaceae). It's native to Eurasia, but is now common throughout North America.

The leaves of curly dock can be used as a remedy if you get into stinging nettle, and both conveniently grow often in the same moist habitats.

As the seed pods age, they turn from green to pink.

And then to an orangish-brown.

For more information about curly dock, click here.

Elkweed-Frasera speciosa

This tall flowering stalk is elkweed (Frasera speciosa), also called monument plant or green gentian and was once known as Swertia radiata. It's in the Gentian Family (Gentianaceae), and has a fascinating life story.

The plants produce basal leaves, sometimes up to 80 years, before a flowering stalk emerges. Once the plant flowers, it dies, a trait that makes it a monocarpic plant. It appears that there are flowering outbreaks, when many plants in a close area flower in the same year. 

From a distance, the flowers don't appear conspicuous among the horizontal cauline (along the stem) leaves.
A closer look shows the interesting flowers, with their lavender highlights on the green background. Flowers usually have four petals, but can have five. 

For more information about elkweed, click here.

Fendler's Meadowrue-Thalictrum fendleri

This difficult-to-photograph flower is Fendler's Meadowrue (Thalictrum fendleri), a member of the Buttercup Family (Ranunculaceae). It grows on mid-elevation slopes, often in shady areas. In the photo above are the male flowers, hanging down in small clusters. (I will have to try to rephotograph this one, none of many photos turned out well). The wind takes the pollen from the filaments. 

The female flowers don't droop, but rather reach up to the sky, and are able to catch the pollen from the male flowers on their stigmas. These flowers have no petals, just greenish sepals, so they aren't conspicuous due to their flowers, but their pretty leaves will often decorate a large area.

For more information about Fendler's Meadowrue, click here.

Summer Coralroot-Corallorhiza maculata

The desert is not a place one often associates with orchids, but at least a couple species are present, including summer coralroot (Corallorhiza maculata), also called spotted coralroot.

This is a very interesting plant. As you can see, it is not green at all, and it does not use photosynthesis to produce energy. Instead, it parasitizes nearby fungi. Click the link below to learn more.

Looking closer at the small flowers, you can see it definitely has an orchid appearance. The spots on the lower petal are referred to in the species name "maculata," which means spotted.

For more information about summer coralroot, click here.

Thickstem Wild Cabbage-Caulanthus crassicaulis

If this wildflower looks slightly similar to one I featured about a week ago, heartleaf twistflower (Steptanthus cordatus), then you're in the right mindset. This is another member of the Mustard Family (Brassicaceae), called thickstem wild cabbage (Caulanthus crassicaulis). Quite frankly, I think this is not a good common name--it doesn't look at all like cabbage to me. Other names are thick-stemmed caulanthus, and the much preferred jewelflower. "Caulanthus" means "stem flower" and "crassicaulis" means "thick-stemmed."

The thick green stem, which can grow to three feet tall, is certainly notable, as are the inflated flowers. There are a couple varieties, one hairy, and this one, variety glaber--hairless.

Note the assymetrical flowers. The four sepals form a vase-like projection that hold the four emerging petals. It grows in sagebrush country on rocky soils. Photo taken 5-19-09.

For more information about thickstem wild cabbage, click here.