Term
| acanthaceae (acanthus family) |
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Definition
club shaped fruit from a super ovary
2 or 4 seeds on launching platforms
fruit splits forcefully to disperse seeds
annuals, perennials, or shrubs
simple opposite leaves
flowers bilaterally symmetrical
tubular corollas |
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Term
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Definition
chuparosa
acanthaceae (acanthus family) |
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Term
| asclepiadaceae (milkweed family) |
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Definition
central column of fused filaments and anthers enclosing enlarged style tip and stigma
filament appendages elaborated in hoods and horns
petals and sepals reflexed
have sticky milk sap
2 superior ovaries
radial symmetry with parts in 5's |
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Term
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Definition
desert milkweed
asclepiadaceae (milkweed family) |
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Term
| asteraceae (sunflower family) |
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Definition
numerous tiny flowers combined in a disk-like head
-disk flower: radially symmetrical flowers with 5 fused petals and 5 fused stamen clusters at center
-ray flower: bilaterally symmetrical flowers look like single petals outside the disk
inferior single seed ovaries
bracts with no sepals or sepals are pappus |
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Term
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Definition
desert marigold
asteraceae (sunflower family) |
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Term
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Definition
broom snakeweed
asteraceae (sunflower family) |
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Term
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Definition
desert dandelion
asteraceae (sunflower family) |
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Term
| bignoniaceae (bignonia family) |
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Definition
superior ovary, elongated similar to a bean
fruit splits lengthwise to release seeds with membranous wings
leaves long and then, similar to fruits |
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Term
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Definition
desert willow
(bignonia family) |
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Term
| boraginaceae (borage family) |
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Definition
flowering stem tips coiled with flowers maturing sequentially as the coil unwinds
corollas 5 lobed
often have stiff hairs |
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Term
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Definition
devil's lettuce
boraginaceae (borage family) |
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Term
| brassicaceae (mustard family) |
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Definition
4 sepals, 4 petals that form an x
6 stamens: 4 tall, 2 short
superior ovary, long and thin with short style
seed pods always occur in radial pattern around stalk (raceme)
seed pods splits open from both sides to expose a clear membrance
are edible |
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Term
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Definition
prince's plume
brassicaceae (mustard family) |
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Term
| cactaceae (cactus family) |
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Definition
green stems that are flattened, fleshy, leafless
spines attached in areoles often with tiny sharp glochids
flowers with numerous petals
inferior ovary embedded in stem tissue |
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Term
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Definition
beavertail cactus
cactaceae (cactus family) |
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Term
| echinocactus polycephalus |
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Definition
cotton-top cactus
cactaceae (cactus family) |
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Term
| capparaceae (coper family) |
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Definition
4 petals with slightly bilateral symmetry
6 long curvy stamens
superior ovary, usually extended on stalk |
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Term
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Definition
mojave stinkweed
capparaceae (coper family) |
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Term
| fabaceae (legume (bean, pea) family) |
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Definition
flower made of banner, wings, and keel
superior ovary forming pea or bean-like fruits
pea-like pods with 2 to several seeds, usually large and spherical to ovoid
pinnate leaves |
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Term
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Definition
catclaw acacia
fabaceae (legume (bean, pea) family) |
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Term
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Definition
mojave lupine
fabaceae (legume (bean, pea) family) |
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Term
| fouquieriaceae (ocotillo family) |
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Definition
tall spreading branches from a very short trunk
neat rows of spines on older branches
tubular red flowers lining the tips of branches |
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Term
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Definition
ocotillo
fouquieriaceae (ocotillo family) |
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Term
| hydrophyllaceae (waterleaf family) |
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Definition
tubular corolla with 5 spreading lobes
5 long calyx lobes
5 stamens usually extending beyond the corolla
style forked and usually long |
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Term
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Definition
wild heliotrope
hydrophyllaceae (waterleaf family) |
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Term
| krameriaceae (rhatany family) |
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Definition
5 magenta sepals with bilateral symmetry
3 small upright petals above the center
4 stamens with anther pores for pollen release
densely branched shrubs |
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Term
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Definition
littleleaf rhatany
krameriaceae (rhatany family) |
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Term
|
Definition
square stalks with simple, opposite leaves aromatic
5 fused sepals, 5 fused petals
irregular flower: 2 petal lobes up, 3 down
superior ovary maturing to a fruit or 4 nutlets |
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Term
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Definition
bladder sage
lamiaceae (mint family) |
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Term
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Definition
mojave sage
lamiaceae (mint family) |
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Term
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Definition
flowers with parts in 3's
sepals and petals identical (together form perianth)
parallel veins in leaves
6 stamens but may lack anthers
stigma has 3 lobes indicating 3 chambers in ovary |
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Term
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Definition
joshua tree
liliaceae (lily family) |
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Term
| loasaceae (blazing star family) |
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Definition
inferior ovary usually covers in stiff hairs 5 petals
5 sepals at top of ovary that remain attached to fruit
1 style that remains attached to fruit |
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Term
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Definition
stinging nettle
loasaceae (blazing star family) |
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Term
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Definition
desert blazing star
loasaceae (blazing star family) |
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Term
| malvaceae (mallow family) |
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Definition
5 separate petals
column of fused stamens forming a tube numerous anthers
long style emerging above stamens and branched at tip mucilaginous texture
3-5 sepals surrounded by bracts
most are edible |
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Term
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Definition
desert globemallow
malvaceae (mallow family) |
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Term
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Definition
desert five-spot
malvaceae (mallow family) |
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Term
| nyctaginaceae (four o'clock family) |
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Definition
perianth tube tightly enclosing superior ovary
1 style, 1 ovary, 1 ovule (seed) per flower |
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Term
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Definition
sand verbena
nyctaginaceae (four o'clock family) |
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Term
| onagraceae (evening primrose family) |
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Definition
4 petals in radial symmetry
8 stamens (sometimes 4 to 10) with large anthers
inferior ovary
different genera have stigmas with characteristic shape: hemisphere, sphere, club, long lobes |
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Term
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Definition
mojave sun cup
onagraceae (evening primrose family) |
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Term
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Definition
dune evening primrose
onagraceae (evening primrose family) |
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Term
| papaveraceae (poppy family) |
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Definition
large flower buds with 2 (sometimes 3) sepals that split and fall off as flowers open
superior ovary
short or non-existent style
enlarged stigma
numerous stamens |
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Term
| eschscholzia glyptosperma |
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Definition
desert gold poppy
papaveraceae (poppy family) |
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Term
|
Definition
petals and 5 sepals in radial symmetry
saucerlike hypanthium (base of sepals, petals, and stamens are fused) surrounding numerous separate pistils
numerous stamens |
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Term
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Definition
apache plume
rosaceae (rose family) |
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Term
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Definition
blackbush
rosaceae (rose family) |
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Term
| scrophulariaceae (figwort family) |
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Definition
tubular corolla with bilateral symmetry
staminode (infertile stamen without an anther) appears as a hairy tongue lying on the corolla
4 stamens (sometimes 2) usually curved upward to position above visiting insects |
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Term
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Definition
desert paintbrush
scrophulariaceae (figwort family) |
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Term
|
Definition
yellow monkeyflower
scrophulariaceae (figwort family) |
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Term
| solanaceae (nightshade family) |
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Definition
radial symmetry with 5 petals joined to form a disk or tube, often with 5 points
5 large anthers on a tight ring
1 style 1 stigma with 2 lobes |
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Term
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Definition
desert tobacco
solanaceae (nightshade family) |
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Term
| zygophyllaceae (caltrop family) |
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Definition
compound opposite leaves
2,3, or 16-18 leaflets sometimes fused at base
stems swollen at nodes, sometimes with spiny stripules at leaf base |
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Term
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Definition
creosote bush
zygophyllaceae (caltrop family) |
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