The 172 Most Common Species of the Borrego Desert Sorted by Family

The Scientific Names have been updated by Don Rideout from the 1993 Jepson Manual system to the names used in the Jepson eflora as of 10 January 2023.

##SHJM FamilyScientific Name(*)Common Name
528SAcanthaceaeJusticia californicachuparosa
1363AAmaranthaceaeAmaranthus fimbriatusfringed amaranth
1074PAmaranthaceaeTidestromia oblongifoliaArizona honeysweet
1373TArecaceaeWashingtonia filiferaCalifornia fan palm
1084PAsclepiadaceaeAsclepias subulatarush milkweed
1094PAsclepiadaceaeFunastrum cynanchoides ssp. hartwegiiclimbing milkweed
1383PAsclepiadaceaeFunastrum hirtellumrambling milkweed
538PAsteraceaeAdenophyllum porophylloidesSan Felipe dogweed
124SAsteraceaeAmbrosia dumosaburroweed
721SAsteraceaeAmbrosia salsola var. salsolacheesebush
1393SAsteraceaeBaccharis salicifoliamule fat
836SAsteraceaeBahiopsis parishiiParish's viguiera
1119SAsteraceaeBebbia juncea var. asperasweetbush
1104SAsteraceaeBrickellia desertorumdesert brickellia
816AAsteraceaeChaenactis carphoclinia var. carphocliniapebble pincushion
548AAsteraceaeChaenactis fremontiiFremont pincushion
905AAsteraceaeDicoria canescensdesert dicoria
422SAsteraceaeEncelia farinosabrittlebush
657SAsteraceaeEncelia frutescensbutton encelia
1114SAsteraceaeEricameria brachylepisboundary goldenbush
915SAsteraceaeIsocoma acradenia var. acradeniaalkali goldenbush
1423AAsteraceaeLactuca serriola*prickly lettuce
1403AAsteraceaeLogfia filaginoidesCalifornia filago
667AAsteraceaeMalacothrix glabratadesert dandelion
1433AAsteraceaeMonoptilon bellioidesdesert star
677AAsteraceaePalafoxia arida var. aridadesert needle
1443AAsteraceaePectis papposa var. papposachinch-weed
2115AAsteraceaePerityle emoryiEmory's rock-daisy
1453SAsteraceaePeucephyllum schottiipygmy-cedar
826SAsteraceaePleurocoronis plurisetaarrow-leaf
1124SAsteraceaePluchea sericeaarrow-weed
1413AAsteraceaePseudognaphalium luteo-album*common cudweed
3211AAsteraceaeRafinesquia neomexicanadesert chicory
469AAsteraceaeSenecio mohavensisMojave ragwort
1134AAsteraceaeSonchus oleraceus*sow thistle
1219PAsteraceaeStephanomeria pauciflora var. pauciflorawire-lettuce
479SAsteraceaeTrixis californica var. californicaCalifornia trixis
1463AAsteraceaeUropappus lindleyisilver puffs
1473SAsteraceaeXylorhiza orcuttiiOrcutt's woody-aster
1144SBignoniaceaeChilopsis linearis ssp. arcuatadesert-willow
925ABoraginaceaeAmsinckia menziesii var. intermediacommon fiddleneck
558ABoraginaceaeCryptantha barbigerabearded cryptantha
687ABoraginaceaeCryptantha maritimaGuadalupe cryptantha
935ABoraginaceaeJohnstonella angustifolianarrow-leaved cryptantha
1154ABoraginaceaePectocarya heterocarpachuckwalla pectocarya
1164ABoraginaceaePectocarya recurvatacurvenut combseed
489SBoraginaceaeTiquilia palmeriPalmer's coldenia
1174PBoraginaceaeTiquilia plicataplicate coldenia
821ABrassicaceaeBrassica tournefortii*Asian mustard
945ABrassicaceaeCaulanthus lasiophyllusCalifornia mustard
1184ABrassicaceaeDescurainia pinnata ssp. glabrasmooth western tansy-mustard
2812ABrassicaceaeLepidium lasiocarpum var. lasiocarpumhairy-podded pepper-grass
1483PBrassicaceaeLyrocarpa coulteri var. palmeriCoulter's lyrepod
846ABrassicaceaeSisymbrium irio*London rocket
1194ABrassicaceaeSisymbrium orientale*Oriental mustard
3311CCactaceaeCylindropuntia bigeloviiteddy-bear cholla
2912CCactaceaeCylindropuntia echinocarpasilver cholla
1617CCactaceaeCylindropuntia ganderiGander's cholla
4110CCactaceaeCylindropuntia ramosissimapencil cholla
955CCactaceaeEchinocereus engelmanniiEngelmann's hedgehog cactus
2016CCactaceaeFerocactus cylindraceusCalifornia barrel cactus
697CCactaceaeMammillaria dioicaCalifornia fish-hook cactus
1717CCactaceaeOpuntia basilaris var. basilarisbeavertail cactus
1493ACaryophyllaceaeAchyronychia cooperifrost mat
568SChenopodiaceaeAtriplex canescens ssp. canescensfour-wing saltbush
499SChenopodiaceaeAtriplex hymenelytradesert holly
509SChenopodiaceaeAtriplex polycarpacattle saltbush
1204AChenopodiaceaeChenopodium murale*nettle-leaved goosefoot
1503SChenopodiaceaeSuaeda nigrabush seepweed
856ACrassulaceaeCrassula connatapygmy-weed
1513SEphedraceaeEphedra californicadesert tea
1523SEphedraceaeEphedra nevadensisNevada ephedra
965PEuphorbiaceaeCroton californicusCalifornia croton
3411PEuphorbiaceaeDitaxis lanceolatanarrowleaf ditaxis
1214AEuphorbiaceaeEuphorbia erianthabeetle spurge
522PEuphorbiaceaeEuphorbia polycarpasmall-seeded spurge
1533PEuphorbiaceaeStillingia linearifolialinear-leaved stillingia
1244PFabaceaeAcmispon glaber var. brevialatusshort-winged deerweed
985AFabaceaeAcmispon maritimus var. brevivexillusshort-bannered coastal lotus
1234PFabaceaeAcmispon rigidusdesert lotus
707AFabaceaeAcmispon strigosusstrigose lotus
975PFabaceaeDalea mollissimadowny dalea
3511AFabaceaeLupinus arizonicusArizona lupine
4210AFabaceaeLupinus concinnusbajada lupine
1224TFabaceaeParkinsonia floridablue palo verde
578TFabaceaeProsopis glandulosa var. torreyanahoney mesquite
4310SFabaceaePsorothamnus emoryiEmory's indigo-bush
323SFabaceaePsorothamnus schottiiindigo bush
2513TFabaceaePsorothamnus spinosussmoke tree
1319SFabaceaeSenegalia greggiicatclaw
622SFouquieriaceaeFouquieria splendens ssp. splendensocotillo
4410AGeraniaceaeErodium cicutarium*redstem filaree
1543AGeraniaceaeErodium texanumTexas filaree
588AHydrophyllaceaeEmmenanthe penduliflora var. penduliflorawhispering bells
1553AHydrophyllaceaeEucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. bipinnatifidaeucrypta
1563AHydrophyllaceaeNama demissa var. demissapurple mat
1573AHydrophyllaceaePhacelia cicutaria var. hispidacaterpillar phacelia
3611AHydrophyllaceaePhacelia crenulata var. ambiguaheliotrope phacelia
3012AHydrophyllaceaePhacelia distanscommon phacelia
995AHydrophyllaceaePhacelia minorwild canterbury bells
866AHydrophyllaceaePholistoma membranaceumwhite fiesta flower
1583PJuncaceaeJuncus xiphioidesiris-leaved rush
1518SKrameriaceaeKrameria bicolorwhite rhatany
598SKrameriaceaeKrameria erectaPima rhatany
1419SLamiaceaeCondea emoryidesert-lavender
4510ALamiaceaeSalvia columbariaechia
717SLamiaceaeSalvia vaseyiVasey's sage
608SLiliaceaeAgave desertidesert agave
727PLiliaceaeHesperocallis undulatadesert lily
1593PLiliaceaeMuilla maritimamuilla
3711ALoasaceaeMentzelia involucratabracted blazing star
3811SLoasaceaePetalonyx thurberi ssp. thurberiThurber's sandpaper-plant
3911PMalvaceaeHibiscus denudatusrock hibiscus
737PMalvaceaeHorsfordia newberryiNewberry's velvet mallow
876PMalvaceaeSphaeralcea ambigua var. ambiguaapricot mallow
747PNyctaginaceaeAllionia incarnatatrailing four o'clock
1254ANyctaginaceaeBoerhavia intermediafivewing spiderling
4011PNyctaginaceaeMirabilis laevis var. retrorsawishbone plant
1264AOnagraceaeCamissonia cardiophyllaheartleaf sun-cup
1603AOnagraceaeCamissoniopsis pallida ssp. pallidapale sun-cup
2613AOnagraceaeChylismia claviformis ssp. peirsoniibrown-eyed primrose
2214AOnagraceaeEremothera boothii ssp. condensataBooth's evening primrose
921AOnagraceaeEulobus californicusCalifornia suncup
757AOnagraceaeOenothera deltoides ssp. deltoidesdune primrose
618APapaveraceaeEschscholzia minutiflora ssp. minutiflorasmall-flowered poppy
767APapaveraceaeEschscholzia parishiiParish's poppy
1817APlantaginaceaePlantago ovatadesert plantain
1274APoaceaeAristida adscensionissix-weeks three-awn
1284PPoaceaeAristida purpureapurple three-awn
1613PPoaceaeAristida purpurea var. nealleyiNealley three-awn
1623APoaceaeBouteloua aristidoides var. aristidoidesneedle grama
777APoaceaeBromus madritensis ssp. rubens*red brome
1294PPoaceaeCynodon dactylon*Bermuda grass
1643APoaceaeFestuca bromoides*brome fescue
1021PPoaceaeHilaria rigidabig galleta
1005PPoaceaePennisetum setaceum*fountain grass
1633APoaceaePolypogon monspeliensis*rabbits-foot grass
2713APoaceaeSchismus barbatus*Mediterranean schismus
1653APolemoniaceaeEriastrum eremicum ssp. eremicumdesert woolly-star
787APolemoniaceaeGilia stellatastar gilia
886APolemoniaceaeLoeseliastrum schottiiSchott's calico
2314APolygonaceaeChorizanthe brevicornu var. brevicornubrittle spineflower
628APolygonaceaeChorizanthe rigidadevil's spineflower
1663APolygonaceaeEriogonum deflexum var. deflexumflat-topped buckwheat
896SPolygonaceaeEriogonum fasciculatum var. polifoliumCalifornia buckwheat
1917PPolygonaceaeEriogonum inflatumdesert trumpet
638APolygonaceaeEriogonum thomasiiThomas' buckwheat
1673APolygonaceaeEriogonum trichopeslittle desert trumpet
1304SPolygonaceaeEriogonum wrightii var. nodosumWright's buckwheat
797APolygonaceaePterostegia drymarioidesthreadstem
1015APortulacaceaeCalyptridium monandrumsand cress
519FPteridaceaeMyriopteris parryiwoolly lipfern
1683FPteridaceaeNotholaena californicaCalifornia cloak fern
1693PRafflesiaceaePilostyles thurberiThurber's pilostyles
1025PRanunculaceaeDelphinium parishii ssp. subglobosumintermediate larkspur
1314SRubiaceaeGalium stellatum var. eremicumstar-flowered bedstraw
1324TSalicaceaeSalix exiguanarrowleaf willow
1703AScrophulariaceaeAntirrhinum filipesdesert twining snapdragon
1035AScrophulariaceaeDiplacus bigelovii var. bigeloviiBigelow's monkeyflower
1713AScrophulariaceaeMohavea confertifloraghost flower
1723PScrophulariaceaeVeronica anagallis-aquatica*water speedwell
1334FSelaginellaceaeSelaginella eremophiladesert spike-moss
1045SSimmondsiaceaeSimmondsia chinensisjojoba
648ASolanaceaeDatura discolordesert thornapple
1344PSolanaceaeDatura wrightiisacred datura
1055PSolanaceaeNicotiana obtusifoliadesert tobacco
807ASolanaceaePhysalis crassifoliathick-leaved ground cherry
1354PSterculiaceaeAyenia compactaayenia
1065AUrticaceaeParietaria hespera var. hesperapellitory
2414PViscaceaePhoradendron californicumdesert mistletoe
3112SZygophyllaceaeFagonia laevisCalifornia fagonia
224SZygophyllaceaeLarrea tridentatacreosote bush
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Last update: 1 January 2009. Scientific names updated 10 January 2023 by Don Rideout.