Native Plants
![](../_images/smarty_plants.gif)
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
![](../_images/mr_smarty_plants_logo_web_200w.jpg)
rate this answer
![](../_images/star_43.gif)
Wednesday - November 20, 2013
From: Helena, MT
Region: Rocky Mountain
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Plant identification in Mojave Desert
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I need help in identifying a shrub like plant that I found in SW Utah near Beaver Dam, UT (Which is near the Arizona/Nevada border). It is approximately 12 inches in height with profuse stems originating from a crown. The branches lack leaves and rarely branch, remaining straight the entire length and are light yellow/green in color. The flowers are vase shaped, about an 1/8th of an inch long, turned upwards in a raceme. They look like Grape Hyacinths, but pointing upward along the stem. There appears to be three to four stamens that do not protrude from the flower. They were blooming in the northern most part of the Mojave in January through March. Any help you can give is greatly appreciated. Thank you.ANSWER:
My best guess is Thamnosma montana (Desert rue). Here are photos and more information from USDA Plants Database, Mojave National Preserve, Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association and University of California-Berkeley's CalPhotos.
If this isn't it, here are a couple of other possibilities:
Salazaria mexicana (Bladder sage) Here are more photos and information from Southwest Environmental Information Network and Northern Arizona Flora.
Streptanthella longirostris (Longbeak streptanthella) Here are photos and more information from Southwest Colorado Wildflowers and CalPhotos.
Here are links to Mojave Desert Wildflowers Wildflower List, Desert Wildflower from Desert USA and Southwest Colorado Wildflowers arranged by flower color that you can search.
In case none of these is your plant and if you have a photo or photos, please visit our Plant Identification page to find links to several plant identification forums that will accept photos of plants for identification.
More Plant Identification Questions
Identity of a plant with yellow flowers in Michigan.
July 14, 2009 - Would you know what this perennial is? The plant has a reddish colored stem, the leaves are long and narrow, approx 31/2 inches long, and 1/2 to 3/4 inch across. The buds are long approx 2 inches, a...
view the full question and answer
Houseplant identification.
February 03, 2011 - Please help me identify a houseplant that flowers a yellow flower at the base of plant. Its leaves are narrow, pointed and green on the topside and burgundy with small hairs on the underside of the l...
view the full question and answer
Mystery plant in New Jersey
December 29, 2009 - We are trying to find the name of a shrub, growing in Southern New Jersey. with red berries that grow in a group much like lilac or oak leaf hydrangea. It is "feathery", not dense. A neighbor dug u...
view the full question and answer
Identification of plant with seed heads like goat head
February 17, 2013 - Sir,
I collected some bizarre seed heads from some rough weeds around a stock tank in SE New Mexico. They resemble goat heads, with two long curving horns. I have photos but couldn't figure out how ...
view the full question and answer
Identification of vine with large leaves and blue-black berries
January 15, 2013 - I visited a creek with a limestone seep spring that supplies it. Around the creek is growing some kind plant that has leaves that are very similar to a briar, or snailseed. However, the leaves of the ...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |