Woody Plants Wildland Plant Identification Rangeland Ecology & - PDF document

Wildland Plant Identification Woody Plants Wildland Plant Identification Rangeland Ecology & Management 351 7 Common Woody Plants Family Genus species Common Name Character BETULACEAE Alnus incana Mountain Alder (Per / Nat) EPHEDRACEAE Ephedra trifurca Morman Tea (Per / Nat) FABACEAE Acacia greggii Catclaw Acacia (Per / Nat) FABACEAE Prosopis glandulosa Honey Mesquite (Per / Nat) FAGACEAE Quercus gambelii Gambel Oak (Per / Nat) ROSACEAE Adenostoma fasciculatum Chamise (Per / Nat) ZYGOPHYLLACEAE Larrea tridentata Creosotebush (Per / Nat) REM 351 University of Idaho 1

Wildland Plant Identification BETULACEAE Mountain Alder Alnus incana - Gray, smooth bark - Often with multiple stems BETULACEAE Mountain Alder Alnus incana - Leaves ovate (heartshaped) with prominent veins & abruptly pointed, sharply double toothed - Mature catkins are oval, dark brown, woody, & persitent REM 351 University of Idaho 2

Wildland Plant Identification EPHEDRACEAE Mormon Tea or Longleaf Jointfir Ephedra trifurca – Shrub – up to 6 ft. tall – Branches whorled at nodes or solitary EPHEDRACEAE Mormon Tea or Longleaf Jointfir Ephedra trifurca – Does not have traditional leaves – Produces cones – Leaves • Whorled in groups of three – Jointed stem REM 351 University of Idaho 3

Wildland Plant Identification FABACEAE Catclaw Acacia Acacia greggii – Shrub or small tree – 3-6 ft. tall – Forms thickets – Spines on Branches FABACEAE Catclaw Acacia Acacia greggii – Leaves alternate • Even-bipinnately compound – Flowers creamy- white – Produces flat, curved legumes REM 351 University of Idaho 4

Wildland Plant Identification FABACEAE Honey Mesquite Prosopis glandulosa – Shrub or small tree – 20 ft. tall – Inflorescences greenish-yellow to creamy yellow FABACEAE Honey Mesquite Prosopis glandulosa -Fruits are pods •Long and straight or slightly curved - Leaves •Alternate •Even •bipinnately •Compound REM 351 University of Idaho 5

Wildland Plant Identification FAGACEAE Gambel Oak Quercus gambelii - Bark is light gray to white (other Quercus barks are darker) FAGACEAE Gambel Oak Quercus gambelii - Deeply 5-9 lobed ( Q. stellata 3-5 lobed), oval outline - Acorn cup encloses ¼ to 1/3 of the nut REM 351 University of Idaho 6

Wildland Plant Identification ROSACEAE Chamise Adenostoma fasciculatum - Some branches may taper to spine-like points, lenticels on bark - Bark is red, becoming shreddy with age; plant is evergreen ROSACEAE Chamise Adenostoma fasciculatum – Leaves of seedlings are lobed & divided – Leaves fascicled, awl- or club- shaped, glabrous, resinous REM 351 University of Idaho 7

Wildland Plant Identification ZYGOPHYLLACEAE Creosotebush Larrea tridentata – Shrub – 9 ft. tall – No well defined trunk – Reproduces via rhizomes and seeds ZYGOPHYLLACEAE Creosotebush Larrea tridentata – Twigs slender with brown nodes – Foliage emits creosote odor, particularly when wet or burned – Leaves • Opposite • Bifoliate • Glossy REM 351 University of Idaho 8