Annual Plant Species of the Borrego Desert: Frequency of Observation in Bloom

Annual Plant Species of the Borrego Desert: Frequency of Observation in Bloom

From 2008 to early 2012, we've observed 175 species of annuals in bloom in the Borrego Desert below 3000 feet elevation, during our typical observation period from October or November through typically the end of March. This page gives a table of the most frequently observed species in bloom. These are the species you are mostly likely to see in bloom during that period.
The column #O gives the number of times we've recorded each species in bloom from 2008 to early 2012.
For a list of these annuals in traditional Family order, see Annual Plant Species of the Borrego Desert: Seedling and Flower Pictures.

# FAM #O Pix Scientific Name Baby Pix (*)Common Name
1 AST 38 Palafoxia arida var. arida desert needle
2 BRA 33 Brassica tournefortii *Asian mustard
3 BOR 30 Cryptantha angustifolia narrow-leaved cryptantha
4 GER 30 Erodium cicutarium *redstem filaree
5 POA 29 Aristida adscensionis six-weeks three-awn
6 SOL 28 Physalis crassifolia thick-leaved ground cherry
7 BOR 26 Cryptantha maritima Guadalupe cryptantha
8 BOR 26 Pectocarya recurvata curvenut combseed
9 ONA 26 Camissonia claviformis ssp. peirsonii brown-eyed primrose
10 PAP 26 Eschscholzia minutiflora ssp. minutiflora small-flowered poppy
11 AST 25 Perityle emoryi Emory's rock-daisy
12 AST 24 Malacothrix glabrata desert dandelion
13 NYC 24 Abronia villosa var. villosa hairy sand-verbena
14 HYD 23 Phacelia distans common phacelia
15 ONA 22 Camissonia californica California suncup
16 PAP 22 Eschscholzia parishii Parish's poppy
17 PLA 22 Plantago ovata desert plantain
18 BRA 21 Lepidium lasiocarpum var. lasiocarpum hairy-podded pepper-grass
19 POA 21 Schismus barbatus *Mediterranean schismus
20 AST 20 Rafinesquia neomexicana desert chicory
21 EUP 20 Chamaesyce setiloba Yuma spurge
22 FAB 20 Lupinus arizonicus Arizona lupine
23 AST 19 Trichoptilium incisum yellow-head
24 BOR 19 Cryptantha barbigera bearded cryptantha
25 ONA 19 Camissonia cardiophylla ssp. cardiophylla heartleaf sun-cup
26 POL 19 Eriogonum thomasii Thomas' buckwheat
27 AST 18 Monoptilon bellioides desert star
28 HYD 18 Emmenanthe penduliflora var. penduliflora whispering bells
29 ONA 17 Camissonia boothii ssp. condensata Booth's desert primrose
30 AST 16 Senecio mohavensis Mojave ragwort
31 FAB 16 Lotus strigosus strigose lotus
32 BRA 15 Sisymbrium irio *London rocket
33 AST 14 Chaenactis fremontii Fremont pincushion
34 BRA 14 Descurainia pinnata western tansy-mustard
35 BRA 14 Dithyrea californica spectacle-pod
36 AST 13 Chaenactis stevioides desert pincushion
37 ONA 13 Camissonia pallida ssp. pallida pale sun-cup
38 SCR 13 Mimulus bigelovii var. bigelovii Bigelow's monkeyflower
39 EUP 12 Euphorbia eriantha beetle spurge
40 HYD 12 Phacelia crenulata var. minutiflora little-flowered heliotrope phacelia
41 SCR 12 Mohavea confertiflora ghost flower
42 AST 11 Geraea canescens hairy desert-sunflower
43 CAR 11 Achyronychia cooperi frost mat
44 POA 11 Bouteloua aristidoides var. aristidoides needle grama
45 BOR 10 Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia common fiddleneck
46 EUP 10 Ditaxis neomexicana New Mexico ditaxis
47 FAB 10 Lotus salsuginosus var. brevivexillus short-bannered coastal lotus
48 LAM 10 Salvia columbariae chia
49 RES 10 Oligomeris linifolia narrowleaf oligomeris
50 POA 10 Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens *red brome
51 AST 9 Pectis papposa var. papposa chinch-weed
52 BRA 9 Guillenia lasiophylla California mustard
53 CAM 9 Nemacladus glanduliferus var. glanduliferus glandular nemacladus
54 GER 9 Erodium texanum Texas filaree
55 LOA 9 Mentzelia involucrata bracted blazing star
56 SOL 9 Datura discolor desert thornapple
57 URT 9 Parietaria hespera var. hespera pellitory
58 BOR 8 Cryptantha pterocarya wing-nut cryptantha
59 EUP 8 Chamaesyce micromera Sonoran spurge
60 HYD 8 Pholistoma membranaceum white fiesta flower
61 ONA 8 Oenothera deltoides ssp. deltoides dune primrose
62 POL 8 Gilia stellata star gilia
63 CHE 7 Chenopodium murale *nettle-leaved goosefoot
64 FAB 7 Lupinus concinnus bajada lupine
65 POL 7 Gilia latifolia broad-leaf gilia
66 POL 7 Langloisia setosissima ssp. setosissima bristly langloisia
67 POL 7 Eriogonum davidsonii Davidson's buckwheat
68 POA 7 Vulpia bromoides *brome fescue
69 AST 6 Calycoseris wrightii white tackstem
70 AST 6 Filago depressa dwarf filago
71 BOR 6 Cryptantha decipiens gravel cryptantha
72 BOR 6 Cryptantha micrantha purple-root cryptantha
73 BOR 6 Cryptantha nevadensis Nevada cryptantha
74 CRA 6 Crassula connata pygmy-weed
75 MAL 6 Eremalche exilis white mallow
76 ONA 6 Camissonia refracta narrow-leaf sun-cup
77 POA 6 Bouteloua barbata var. barbata six-weeks grama
78 AMA 5 Amaranthus fimbriatus fringed amaranth
79 AST 5 Chaenactis carphoclinia var. carphoclinia pebble pincushion
80 AST 5 Filago arizonica Arizona herba impia
81 AST 5 Filago californica California filago
82 AST 5 Gnaphalium luteo-album *common cudweed
83 BOR 5 Pectocarya heterocarpa chuckwalla pectocarya
84 BRA 5 Thysanocarpus curvipes fringe-pod
85 HYD 5 Nama demissum var. demissum purple mat
86 HYD 5 Phacelia crenulata var. ambigua heliotrope phacelia
87 MAL 5 Eremalche rotundifolia desert five-spot
88 NYC 5 Boerhavia wrightii Wright's spiderling
89 POL 5 Loeseliastrum matthewsii desert calico
90 POL 5 Chorizanthe brevicornu var. brevicornu brittle spineflower
91 POL 5 Pterostegia drymarioides threadstem
92 POA 5 Bromus tectorum downy brome
93 AST 4 Dicoria canescens desert dicoria
94 AST 4 Heterotheca grandiflora telegraph weed
95 AST 4 Stephanomeria exigua ssp. exigua slender wreathplant
96 BOR 4 Cryptantha utahensis scented cryptantha
97 BOR 4 Plagiobothrys arizonicus Arizona popcorn flower
98 BRA 4 Draba cuneifolia wedge-leaved draba
99 CUS 4 Cuscuta californica var. papillosa papillate dodder
100 HYD 4 Eucrypta micrantha desert eucrypta
101 HYD 4 Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida caterpillar phacelia
102 HYD 4 Phacelia minor wild canterbury bells
103 HYD 4 Phacelia pedicellata pedicellate phacelia
104 LOA 4 Mentzelia affinis yellow blazing star
105 NYC 4 Boerhavia intermedia fivewing spiderling
106 POL 4 Chorizanthe rigida devil's spineflower
107 POR 4 Calyptridium monandrum sand cress
108 AST 3 Conyza canadensis horseweed
109 AST 3 Eriophyllum wallacei Wallace's woolly daisy
110 AST 3 Lasthenia californica goldfields
111 AST 3 Malperia tenuis brown turbans
112 BOR 3 Amsinckia tessellata var. tessellata bristly fiddleneck
113 BOR 3 Pectocarya platycarpa broad-fruited combseed
114 BRA 3 Tropidocarpum gracile slender tropidocarpum
115 HYD 3 Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. bipinnatifida eucrypta
116 LOA 3 Mentzelia albicaulis white-stemmed blazing star
117 POL 3 Eriogonum deflexum var. deflexum flat-topped buckwheat
118 POA 3 Bromus diandrus *ripgut brome
119 AST 2 Baileya pauciradiata Colorado Desert marigold
120 AST 2 Psathyrotes ramosissima turtleback
121 AST 2 Senecio californicus California groundsel
122 BRA 2 Caulanthus cooperi Cooper's jewel-flower
123 FAB 2 Lupinus bicolor dwarf lupine
124 FAB 2 Lupinus sparsiflorus Coulter's lupine
125 POL 2 Linanthus jonesii Jones' linanthus
126 POL 2 Eriogonum gracile var. incultum slender buckwheat
127 POL 2 Eriogonum trichopes var. trichopes little desert buckwheat
128 POR 2 Calandrinia ambigua desert red maids
129 ZYG 2 Tribulus terrestris *puncture-vine
130 POA 2 Bromus trinii *Chilean chess
131 POA 2 Hordeum murinum ssp. glaucum *foxtail barley
132 POA 2 Muhlenbergia microsperma littleseed muhly
133 AMA 1 Amaranthus albus *tumble pigweed
134 AMA 1 Amaranthus palmeri Palmer's amaranth
135 AST 1 Ambrosia acanthicarpa bur-ragweed
136 AST 1 Chaenactis carphoclinia var. peirsonii Peirson's pincushion
137 AST 1 Helianthus niveus ssp. canescens gray desert sunflower
138 AST 1 Prenanthella exigua bright-white
139 AST 1 Sonchus asper ssp. asper *prickly sow thistle
140 AST 1 Sonchus oleraceus *sow thistle
141 AST 1 Stylocline gnaphaloides everlasting nest-straw
142 AST 1 Stylocline micropoides desert nest straw
143 AST 1 Uropappus lindleyi silver puffs
144 BOR 1 Cryptantha costata ribbed cryptantha
145 BOR 1 Cryptantha intermedia popcorn flower
146 BOR 1 Cryptantha oxygona Sharp-Nut Cryptantha
147 BOR 1 Pectocarya linearis ssp. ferocula slender combseed
148 BOR 1 Pectocarya peninsularis Baja pectocarya
149 BRA 1 Caulanthus hallii Hall's caulanthus
150 BRA 1 Sisymbrium orientale *Oriental mustard
151 BRA 1 Streptanthella longirostris longbeak streptanthella
152 CAM 1 Nemacladus longiflorus var. breviflorus thread plant
153 CAM 1 Nemacladus rubescens desert nemacladus
154 CAM 1 Nemacladus sigmoideus small-flowered nemacladus
155 CHE 1 Atriplex elegans var. fasciculata wheelscale
156 EUP 1 Stillingia spinulosa annual stillingia
157 FAB 1 Lupinus microcarpus var. microcarpus chick lupine
158 FAB 1 Melilotus indicus *sourclover
159 LOA 1 Mentzelia veatchiana Veatch's blazing star
160 MAL 1 Malva parviflora *cheeseweed
161 ONA 1 Camissonia intermedia intermediate sun-cups
162 PAP 1 Argemone munita prickly poppy
163 POL 1 Eriastrum diffusum miniature woolly-star
164 POL 1 Eriastrum eremicum ssp. eremicum desert woolly-star
165 POL 1 Gilia australis southern gilia
166 POL 1 Gilia diegensis coastal gilia
167 POL 1 Loeseliastrum schottii Schott's calico
168 POL 1 Chorizanthe corrugata wrinkled spineflower
169 POL 1 Eriogonum molestum pineland buckwheat
170 SCR 1 Antirrhinum filipes desert twining snapdragon
171 SCR 1 Mimulus guttatus common monkeyflower
172 POA 1 Bromus hordeaceus soft chess
173 POA 1 Leptochloa uninervia Mexican sprangletop
174 POA 1 Phalaris minor *little-seed canarygrass
175 POA 1 Polypogon monspeliensis *rabbits-foot grass

#	FAM	#O	Scientific Name	(*)Common Name
1	AST	38	Palafoxia arida var. arida	desert needle
2	BRA	33	Brassica tournefortii	*Asian mustard
3	BOR	30	Cryptantha angustifolia	narrow-leaved cryptantha
4	GER	30	Erodium cicutarium	*redstem filaree
5	POA	29	Aristida adscensionis	six-weeks three-awn
6	SOL	28	Physalis crassifolia	thick-leaved ground cherry
7	BOR	26	Cryptantha maritima	Guadalupe cryptantha
8	BOR	26	Pectocarya recurvata	curvenut combseed
9	ONA	26	Camissonia claviformis ssp. peirsonii	brown-eyed primrose
10	PAP	26	Eschscholzia minutiflora ssp. minutiflora	small-flowered poppy
11	AST	25	Perityle emoryi	Emory's rock-daisy
12	AST	24	Malacothrix glabrata	desert dandelion
13	NYC	24	Abronia villosa var. villosa	hairy sand-verbena
14	HYD	23	Phacelia distans	common phacelia
15	ONA	22	Camissonia californica	California suncup
16	PAP	22	Eschscholzia parishii	Parish's poppy
17	PLA	22	Plantago ovata	desert plantain
18	BRA	21	Lepidium lasiocarpum var. lasiocarpum	hairy-podded pepper-grass
19	POA	21	Schismus barbatus	*Mediterranean schismus
20	AST	20	Rafinesquia neomexicana	desert chicory
21	EUP	20	Chamaesyce setiloba	Yuma spurge
22	FAB	20	Lupinus arizonicus	Arizona lupine
23	AST	19	Trichoptilium incisum	yellow-head
24	BOR	19	Cryptantha barbigera	bearded cryptantha
25	ONA	19	Camissonia cardiophylla ssp. cardiophylla	heartleaf sun-cup
26	POL	19	Eriogonum thomasii	Thomas' buckwheat
27	AST	18	Monoptilon bellioides	desert star
28	HYD	18	Emmenanthe penduliflora var. penduliflora	whispering bells
29	ONA	17	Camissonia boothii ssp. condensata	Booth's desert primrose
30	AST	16	Senecio mohavensis	Mojave ragwort
31	FAB	16	Lotus strigosus	strigose lotus
32	BRA	15	Sisymbrium irio	*London rocket
33	AST	14	Chaenactis fremontii	Fremont pincushion
34	BRA	14	Descurainia pinnata	western tansy-mustard
35	BRA	14	Dithyrea californica	spectacle-pod
36	AST	13	Chaenactis stevioides	desert pincushion
37	ONA	13	Camissonia pallida ssp. pallida	pale sun-cup
38	SCR	13	Mimulus bigelovii var. bigelovii	Bigelow's monkeyflower
39	EUP	12	Euphorbia eriantha	beetle spurge
40	HYD	12	Phacelia crenulata var. minutiflora	little-flowered heliotrope phacelia
41	SCR	12	Mohavea confertiflora	ghost flower
42	AST	11	Geraea canescens	hairy desert-sunflower
43	CAR	11	Achyronychia cooperi	frost mat
44	POA	11	Bouteloua aristidoides var. aristidoides	needle grama
45	BOR	10	Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia	common fiddleneck
46	EUP	10	Ditaxis neomexicana	New Mexico ditaxis
47	FAB	10	Lotus salsuginosus var. brevivexillus	short-bannered coastal lotus
48	LAM	10	Salvia columbariae	chia
49	RES	10	Oligomeris linifolia	narrowleaf oligomeris
50	POA	10	Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens	*red brome
51	AST	9	Pectis papposa var. papposa	chinch-weed
52	BRA	9	Guillenia lasiophylla	California mustard
53	CAM	9	Nemacladus glanduliferus var. glanduliferus	glandular nemacladus
54	GER	9	Erodium texanum	Texas filaree
55	LOA	9	Mentzelia involucrata	bracted blazing star
56	SOL	9	Datura discolor	desert thornapple
57	URT	9	Parietaria hespera var. hespera	pellitory
58	BOR	8	Cryptantha pterocarya	wing-nut cryptantha
59	EUP	8	Chamaesyce micromera	Sonoran spurge
60	HYD	8	Pholistoma membranaceum	white fiesta flower
61	ONA	8	Oenothera deltoides ssp. deltoides	dune primrose
62	POL	8	Gilia stellata	star gilia
63	CHE	7	Chenopodium murale	*nettle-leaved goosefoot
64	FAB	7	Lupinus concinnus	bajada lupine
65	POL	7	Gilia latifolia	broad-leaf gilia
66	POL	7	Langloisia setosissima ssp. setosissima	bristly langloisia
67	POL	7	Eriogonum davidsonii	Davidson's buckwheat
68	POA	7	Vulpia bromoides	*brome fescue
69	AST	6	Calycoseris wrightii	white tackstem
70	AST	6	Filago depressa	dwarf filago
71	BOR	6	Cryptantha decipiens	gravel cryptantha
72	BOR	6	Cryptantha micrantha	purple-root cryptantha
73	BOR	6	Cryptantha nevadensis	Nevada cryptantha
74	CRA	6	Crassula connata	pygmy-weed
75	MAL	6	Eremalche exilis	white mallow
76	ONA	6	Camissonia refracta	narrow-leaf sun-cup
77	POA	6	Bouteloua barbata var. barbata	six-weeks grama
78	AMA	5	Amaranthus fimbriatus	fringed amaranth
79	AST	5	Chaenactis carphoclinia var. carphoclinia	pebble pincushion
80	AST	5	Filago arizonica	Arizona herba impia
81	AST	5	Filago californica	California filago
82	AST	5	Gnaphalium luteo-album	*common cudweed
83	BOR	5	Pectocarya heterocarpa	chuckwalla pectocarya
84	BRA	5	Thysanocarpus curvipes	fringe-pod
85	HYD	5	Nama demissum var. demissum	purple mat
86	HYD	5	Phacelia crenulata var. ambigua	heliotrope phacelia
87	MAL	5	Eremalche rotundifolia	desert five-spot
88	NYC	5	Boerhavia wrightii	Wright's spiderling
89	POL	5	Loeseliastrum matthewsii	desert calico
90	POL	5	Chorizanthe brevicornu var. brevicornu	brittle spineflower
91	POL	5	Pterostegia drymarioides	threadstem
92	POA	5	Bromus tectorum	downy brome
93	AST	4	Dicoria canescens	desert dicoria
94	AST	4	Heterotheca grandiflora	telegraph weed
95	AST	4	Stephanomeria exigua ssp. exigua	slender wreathplant
96	BOR	4	Cryptantha utahensis	scented cryptantha
97	BOR	4	Plagiobothrys arizonicus	Arizona popcorn flower
98	BRA	4	Draba cuneifolia	wedge-leaved draba
99	CUS	4	Cuscuta californica var. papillosa	papillate dodder
100	HYD	4	Eucrypta micrantha	desert eucrypta
101	HYD	4	Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida	caterpillar phacelia
102	HYD	4	Phacelia minor	wild canterbury bells
103	HYD	4	Phacelia pedicellata	pedicellate phacelia
104	LOA	4	Mentzelia affinis	yellow blazing star
105	NYC	4	Boerhavia intermedia	fivewing spiderling
106	POL	4	Chorizanthe rigida	devil's spineflower
107	POR	4	Calyptridium monandrum	sand cress
108	AST	3	Conyza canadensis	horseweed
109	AST	3	Eriophyllum wallacei	Wallace's woolly daisy
110	AST	3	Lasthenia californica	goldfields
111	AST	3	Malperia tenuis	brown turbans
112	BOR	3	Amsinckia tessellata var. tessellata	bristly fiddleneck
113	BOR	3	Pectocarya platycarpa	broad-fruited combseed
114	BRA	3	Tropidocarpum gracile	slender tropidocarpum
115	HYD	3	Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. bipinnatifida	eucrypta
116	LOA	3	Mentzelia albicaulis	white-stemmed blazing star
117	POL	3	Eriogonum deflexum var. deflexum	flat-topped buckwheat
118	POA	3	Bromus diandrus	*ripgut brome
119	AST	2	Baileya pauciradiata	Colorado Desert marigold
120	AST	2	Psathyrotes ramosissima	turtleback
121	AST	2	Senecio californicus	California groundsel
122	BRA	2	Caulanthus cooperi	Cooper's jewel-flower
123	FAB	2	Lupinus bicolor	dwarf lupine
124	FAB	2	Lupinus sparsiflorus	Coulter's lupine
125	POL	2	Linanthus jonesii	Jones' linanthus
126	POL	2	Eriogonum gracile var. incultum	slender buckwheat
127	POL	2	Eriogonum trichopes var. trichopes	little desert buckwheat
128	POR	2	Calandrinia ambigua	desert red maids
129	ZYG	2	Tribulus terrestris	*puncture-vine
130	POA	2	Bromus trinii	*Chilean chess
131	POA	2	Hordeum murinum ssp. glaucum	*foxtail barley
132	POA	2	Muhlenbergia microsperma	littleseed muhly
133	AMA	1	Amaranthus albus	*tumble pigweed
134	AMA	1	Amaranthus palmeri	Palmer's amaranth
135	AST	1	Ambrosia acanthicarpa	bur-ragweed
136	AST	1	Chaenactis carphoclinia var. peirsonii	Peirson's pincushion
137	AST	1	Helianthus niveus ssp. canescens	gray desert sunflower
138	AST	1	Prenanthella exigua	bright-white
139	AST	1	Sonchus asper ssp. asper	*prickly sow thistle
140	AST	1	Sonchus oleraceus	*sow thistle
141	AST	1	Stylocline gnaphaloides	everlasting nest-straw
142	AST	1	Stylocline micropoides	desert nest straw
143	AST	1	Uropappus lindleyi	silver puffs
144	BOR	1	Cryptantha costata	ribbed cryptantha
145	BOR	1	Cryptantha intermedia	popcorn flower
146	BOR	1	Cryptantha oxygona	Sharp-Nut Cryptantha
147	BOR	1	Pectocarya linearis ssp. ferocula	slender combseed
148	BOR	1	Pectocarya peninsularis	Baja pectocarya
149	BRA	1	Caulanthus hallii	Hall's caulanthus
150	BRA	1	Sisymbrium orientale	*Oriental mustard
151	BRA	1	Streptanthella longirostris	longbeak streptanthella
152	CAM	1	Nemacladus longiflorus var. breviflorus	thread plant
153	CAM	1	Nemacladus rubescens	desert nemacladus
154	CAM	1	Nemacladus sigmoideus	small-flowered nemacladus
155	CHE	1	Atriplex elegans var. fasciculata	wheelscale
156	EUP	1	Stillingia spinulosa	annual stillingia
157	FAB	1	Lupinus microcarpus var. microcarpus	chick lupine
158	FAB	1	Melilotus indicus	*sourclover
159	LOA	1	Mentzelia veatchiana	Veatch's blazing star
160	MAL	1	Malva parviflora	*cheeseweed
161	ONA	1	Camissonia intermedia	intermediate sun-cups
162	PAP	1	Argemone munita	prickly poppy
163	POL	1	Eriastrum diffusum	miniature woolly-star
164	POL	1	Eriastrum eremicum ssp. eremicum	desert woolly-star
165	POL	1	Gilia australis	southern gilia
166	POL	1	Gilia diegensis	coastal gilia
167	POL	1	Loeseliastrum schottii	Schott's calico
168	POL	1	Chorizanthe corrugata	wrinkled spineflower
169	POL	1	Eriogonum molestum	pineland buckwheat
170	SCR	1	Antirrhinum filipes	desert twining snapdragon
171	SCR	1	Mimulus guttatus	common monkeyflower
172	POA	1	Bromus hordeaceus	soft chess
173	POA	1	Leptochloa uninervia	Mexican sprangletop
174	POA	1	Phalaris minor	*little-seed canarygrass
175	POA	1	Polypogon monspeliensis	*rabbits-foot grass

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Annual Plant Species of the Borrego Desert: Seedling and Flower Pictures
Plant Species of the Borrego Desert
The Borrego Desert

Copyright © 2012 by Tom Chester, Mike Crouse and Kate Harper.
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Comments and feedback: Tom Chester
Updated 21 January 2012.