United States

Department

of Agriculture

Forest Service

Rocky Mountain

Research Station

General Technical

Report RMRS-GTR-130

June 2004

Vascular Plant Species of the 

Comanche National Grassland in 

Southeastern Colorado

Donald L. Hazlett
You may order additional copies of this publication by sending your 

mailing information in label form through one of the following media. 

Please specify the publication title and series number.

Fort Collins Service Center

Telephone (970) 498-1392

FAX (970) 498-1396

E-mail rschneider@fs.fed.us

Web site http://www.fs.fed.us/rm

Mailing address Publications Distribution

Rocky Mountain Research Station

240 West Prospect Road

Fort Collins, CO 80526

Rocky Mountain Research Station

Natural Resources Research Center

2150 Centre Avenue, Building A

Fort Collins, CO 80526

Hazlett, Donald L. 2004. Vascular plant species of the Comanche National Grassland in southeastern Colorado. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-130. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest 

Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 36 p.

Abstract

This checklist has 785 species and 801 taxa (for taxa, the varieties and subspecies are included in the count) 

in 90 plant families. The most common plant families are the grasses (Poaceae) and the sunflower family 

(Asteraceae). Of this total, 513 taxa are definitely known to occur on the Comanche National Grassland. The 

remaining 288 taxa occur in nearby areas of southeastern Colorado and may be discovered on the Comanche 

National Grassland.

The Author

Dr. Donald L. Hazlett has worked as an ecologist, botanist, ethnobotanist, and teacher in Latin America and 

in Colorado. He has specialized in the flora of the eastern plains since 1985. His many years in Latin America 

prompted him to include Spanish common names in this report, names that are seldom reported in floristic publications. He is also compiling plant folklore stories for Great Plains plants. Since Don is a native of Otero county, 

this project was of special interest.

All Photos by the Author

Cover: Purgatoire Canyon, Comanche National Grassland
Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Geology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Climate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Vegetation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Area Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Habitat Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Plant Species Nomenclature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Plant Common Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Rare Plant Species . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Weeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

References Cited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Appendix I. Checklist of Vascular Plants of the Comanche National Grassland . . . . . . . 16

Vascular Plant Species of the 

Comanche National Grassland in 

Southeastern Colorado

Donald L. Hazlett

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-130. 2004 1

Introduction

This report includes natural and cultural history information for southeastern Colorado. The natural history 

component is a checklist of vascular plants that occur on 

or near the Comanche National Grassland. Grasslands, 

hills, and canyons of the Comanche National Grassland 

cover approximately 443,765 acres of land in portions 

of Baca, Las Animas, and Otero Counties (figure 1). 

Administration of these National Forest System (NFS) 

lands is by the United States Department of Agriculture 

(USDA), Forest Service (FS). This report is intended for 

use by local residents, ranchers, farmers, scientists, administrators, and visitors. Folk and Spanish plant names 

are included because they are of special interest to the 

public. To facilitate identifications, a primary habitat is 

assigned for each species. Plant species currently known 

only from nearby areas, not yet from the Comanche 

National Grassland, are also included. Additions to this 

list will occur, since no initial checklist for such a large 

and diverse area is ever complete. Any botanist or interested amateur that accepts the challenge should discover a 

few additional plant species. The addition of more plant 

names will help realize a final objective of this report: 

to promote interest and a greater understanding of the 

southeastern Colorado flora.

To introduce and place this checklist in context, this 

report includes summaries of history, geology, climate, 

and vegetation types of southeastern Colorado. The 

methods used to select scientific names, to assign plants 

to geographical areas, and to assign each plant species to 

a habitat are described. The last section has a brief discussion of common names, rare plants, and weeds. The 

appendix is the annotated list of the vascular plants in 

the study area.

History

The prehistory of the Purgatoire Canyon area of 

the Comanche National Grassland includes more than 

1,300 tracks of about 100 different prehistoric animals 

(Lockley and others 1997). The allosaurus, brachiosaurus, brontosaurus, camptosaurus, and stegosaurus are 

among the well-known dinosaurs that made these tracks 

Figure 1—Map of the scattered 443,765 acres of Comanche National Grassland (green) in southeastern Colorado. State land 

is blue and Bureau of Land Management land is yellow. The northwestern Timpas Unit is in Otero and Las Animas counties. 

The southeastern Carrizo Unit is in Baca and Las Animas counties.
2 USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-130. 2004 

in sedimentary structures 144 to 62 million years ago, 

during the Late Jurassic Epoch. The sequence of early 

human presence in the Purgatoire is difficult to piece together, but Lockley and others (1997) have made an effort to unravel this history. They assign the Clovis as 

the first culture, present during a Paleo-Indian Period 

(10,000 B.C. to 5500 B.C.). Evidence for this culture 

includes fluted projectile points, which are tools that 

identify the Clovis, and the subsequent but overlapping 

Folsom hunter-gather cultures. The next period of 6,000 

years was the Archaic Period (about 5500 B.C. to 200), 

when projectile point styles improved and other handmade items such as baskets, cording for lines, and nets 

were used. Just before the modern era was the Ceramic 

Period (200 to 1750), when pottery and bow-and-arrow weapons became prevalent. During this period the 

Apishapa culture (about 1000) grew beans, squash, and 

drew rock art that can still be seen. Resident cultures 

in the Purgatoire Valley during the late Ceramic period were a mix of Pueblo, Southwest, Jicarilla Apache, 

and others (1620-1720). As this period ended and settlers entered, the Comanche National Grassland region had Ute tribes toward the mountains, the nomadic 

Comanche and Kiowa south of the Arkansas River, and 

the Cheyenne and Arapaho to the north. This brief history will focus on the Comanche.

The Comanche National Grassland is named in honor of the Comanche tribe. The Comanche name is believed to be derived from Komontcia, a Ute word that 

means “People Who Fight Us All the Time” (Pritzker 

2000). This nickname, assigned by the Utes, reflects the 

Comanche reputation among other tribes and among pioneers as fierce fighters. The Comanches speak a UtoAztecan language that suggests they were once part 

of the Eastern Shoshone that lived in the Gila River 

area of Arizona (3,000-500 B.C.). The names Tecolote 

Mesa and Tecolote Creek on the Comanche National 

Grassland are remnants of the Aztec influence, since 

tecolotl is Náhuatl (an important Aztec language) for 

owl.

The Comanche ancestors first migrated from Mexico 

and the Southwest to Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming and did 

not return to southeastern Colorado until the late seventeenth century (Pritzker 2000). There are records of 

Ute tribe presence in southeastern Colorado by 1700 

and evidence that the Comanche soon followed. The 

Comanche migration to Colorado is thought to have occurred soon after the Comanches acquired horses. The 

Comanche were excellent horsemen. It became a compliment to say you “ride like a Comanche.” To ride “a la 

Comanche” was a well known phrase for a specific riding maneuver. Specifically, this was to lean forward and 

down while on horseback. In a dangling position, the 

Comanche would use the neck of a running horse as a 

shield while shooting a rifle or bow-and-arrow from underneath the horse’s neck.

For over 150 years after this southward migration (1700-1860), the Arkansas Valley of southeastern Colorado was a part of the Comanche homeland. 

For most of the first 50 years of this time interval, the 

Comanche shared the region with Apache, Ute, and 

other tribes. The Apache eventually moved south (late 

1820s) and the Utes were driven to the foothills (1755-

1779). During the middle 50 years of this 150-year occupation (1755-1805) the Comanche were the main 

proprietors of the southeastern Colorado plains. At this 

time the Comanche homeland (Comancheria in Spanish) 

extended from western Oklahoma and southwestern 

Kansas south to northern Mexico. The Comanche nation 

learned to co-exist with neighboring Kiowa, Arapaho, 

and Cheyenne tribes, but they often fought with Ute 

neighbors toward the northwest and Apache neighbors 

toward the south. During the last half of this 150 year 

residency, the “white men” and Spaniards were continually entering Comanche lands.

In addition to being threatened by well-armed immigrants, the stability of the Comanche homeland was also 

diminished by disease (Blevins 1993). During 1780 and 

1781 the Comanche lost as many as half of their 7,000 

to 12,000 members to a smallpox epidemic. From 1849 

to 1850 more Comanche died of cholera than in battles 

(Pritzker, 2000). With reduced numbers, the Comanche 

suffered a major defeat on September 3, 1779, in a battle 

near the current town of Colorado City, Pueblo County. 

This defeat was at the hands of a New Mexican army led 

by Gov. Juan Bautista de Anza. Killed in this key battle 

were the charismatic Comanche leader Cureno Verde

(Greenhorn), his son, a shaman, and four of Cureno 

Verde’s captains. After the death of these key Comanche 

leaders the remaining Comanche people attempted to regroup. The reconsolidated Comanche eventually began 

to seek formal peace settlements with the Mexican authorities. After Cuerno Verde was replaced by the less 

aggressive Ecueracapa (“leather cape”), a time of uneasy peace truces began.

With Ecueracapa as chief, trade relations between 

Comanches and Mexican leaders also resumed. When 

Mexican residents recognized that Comanche peace 

treaties were usually respected, entrepreneurs decided 

to trade with the Comanches at times other than during their infrequent visits (Lavender 1980). These entrepreneurs, known as comancheros, collected goods 

and liquor and ventured out to trade with the Comanche 

on their lands. The comancheros were intermediaries 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-130. 2004 3

between Indians and the settlers and were often the only 

means available to Mexicans and settlers to retrieve stolen cattle, goods, or kidnap victims.

At different points in history, the Comanche homeland north of the Arkansas River was claimed (absentee 

ownership) by the United States, French, and Mexican 

governments. In 1803, Thomas Jefferson purchased this 

piece of Comanche homeland as a part of the 529 million acres of the Louisiana Purchase. This purchase from 

France (for 15 million dollars: less than three cents an 

acre) included the entire western drainage area of the 

Mississippi River, from the Rocky Mountains to the 

mouth of the Mississippi River (Hine 1984). The southern boundary of the Louisiana Purchase was generally 

agreed to be the Red River in Texas and the Arkansas 

River in Colorado. Since the Comanche National 

Grassland is located south of the Arkansas River, this 

land belonged to Mexico in the early 1800s.

In the decades after the Louisiana Purchase, the more 

tolerant Comanche tribe eventually allowed Ceran St. 

Vrain and the Bent brothers (Charles and William) 

to build a fort on the “American” or north side of the 

Arkansas River. Bent’s Fort, between La Junta and Las 

Animas, was the first place that “western style” business 

took place in Colorado (Taylor 1963). As such, it was 

an important trading post for both settlers and Indians. 

The fort later became an important stop along the Santa 

Fe Trail, the commerce route between Independence, 

Missouri, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Santa Fe 

Trail began in 1821 and was the principal route through 

this region for over 50 years. Accounts of life along 

the Santa Fe Trail can be found in Gregg (1954) and 

Magoffin (1962).

An important business transaction conducted at 

Bent’s Fort and at other locations in early Colorado 

(Pueblo, Hardscrabble, and Greenhorn) was the exchange of Indian horses and mules for supplies and 

firearms (Lavender 1980). These transactions were significant because trade animals brought to forts by the 

Comanche were often stolen from Mexican settlements. 

With procurement of more firearms, the Comanche, Ute, 

Apache, and Navajo could stage more frequent raids on 

Mexican settlements. A cycle began of more firearms for 

the Comanches, more frequent raids on Mexican settlements, and more horses and mules to trade at forts. This 

system was not well received by the Mexicans. The 

Mexicans criticized the role of Colorado forts as a supplier of firearms but could do nothing to stop the transactions.

With guns provided to the Comanche by forts and 

comancheros, the conflicts between Comanche and 

Mexicans continued, often reaching a peak during the 

full moons of August or September. The Mexican settlers learned to call these full moons the Comanche 

moons, a time when Comanche were likely to raid their 

towns (Blevins 1993). The Comanche, on the other 

hand, referred to autumn full moons as Mexican moons, 

a good time to raid Mexican settlements. The trading at 

Bent’s Fort helped upset the tentative peace agreements 

between the Mexicans and the Comanche.

As the Comanche struggled to retain their homeland, 

the Mexican authorities began to cede Comanche land 

to Spanish citizens in the form of land grants (Taylor 

1963). After 1821, the year Mexico became independent of Spain, the practice of ceding Comanche land to 

citizens continued by Mexican authorities. The areas 

awarded as land grants were sometimes locations where 

people would not dare to live, since it was Comancheria. 

Mexican authorities eventually gave away most of the 

Comanche homeland south of the Arkansas River. By the 

1840s more than 200 different land grants totaling about 

9 million acres had been awarded. Taylor (1963) called 

these grants the largest land give-away in history, done 

without the knowledge or consent of the Comanche.

Taylor further explained that the largest and easternmost land give-away in Colorado was the Vigil and St. 

Vrain Land Grant. This grant, awarded by Governor 

Armijo in 1844, was 4 million acres in size. The northern boundary of this grant was the Arkansas River 

from Pueblo to one league east of the confluence of the 

Arkansas and the Purgatoire rivers (near Las Animas). 

The western boundary was the foothills of the Rocky 

Mountains. The eastern border was from a spot along 

the Arkansas river near Las Animas, southwest to a 

point where the headwaters of the Purgatoire River 

curve westward. The southern boundary was from this 

curve in the Purgatoire River westward to Trinidad. This 

large Vigil and St. Vrain land grant included the current 

Arkansas Valley towns of Fowler, Las Animas, La Junta, 

Rocky Ford, and Manzanola. Further west it included 

Aguilar, La Veta, Rye, Trinidad, and Walsenburg.

Mexican claim to land south of the Arkansas ended in 

1848 when the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the 

Mexican War. This treaty confirmed the annexation of 

Texas to the United States and set the Rio Grande (Rio 

Bravo) as the border with Mexico. The total Mexican 

loss of land in this treaty, including Texas, came to 602 

million acres, an area larger than that of the Louisiana 

Purchase (Hine 1984).

The overwhelmed Comanche were asked to sign a 

treaty in 1853, even though most of their land had already been ceded as land grants by Spanish or Mexican 

officials. The remaining Comanche groups in southeastern 

Colorado had lost their homeland and lifestyle. They 
4 USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-130. 2004 

were sent to Indian Territory in Arizona and Texas. By 

the late 1880s the presence of the Comanche in southeastern Colorado was history.

A new era of settlement occurred in 1879 when the 

Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad (ATSF) replaced the Santa Fe Trail. This allowed for the arrival of many ranchers and settlers into southeastern 

Colorado in the 1880s and 1890s. The Homestead Act 

of 1862 that encouraged plowing of shortgrass steppe 

grassland areas was still in force. During wet years the 

plowed prairie land produced wheat in abundance, but 

there were also dry years. The dry years of the 1930s 

brought drought and severe wind erosion to southeastern Colorado. The most severe impacts occurred during the 1930s Dust Bowl. The hardest hit areas of the 

Dust Bowl were southwestern Baca County, Colorado, 

and in the adjoining areas in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, 

and New Mexico. Portions of these over-plowed and severely wind-eroded areas are now part of the Comanche, 

Kiowa, and Rita Blanca National Grasslands.

The aftermath of the Dust Bowl resulted in homestead 

failures and much abandoned farmland. The National 

Industrial Act and Emergency Relief Appropriations Act 

that passed Congress in 1933 and 1935 gave the Federal 

government the authority to purchase failed crop lands 

(Wooster 1982). The Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act 

of 1937 gave the administrative authority over about 

3.85 million acres of eroded land in many states to the 

Soil Conservation Service. The original intent was to 

restore the eroded soil and to protect the grassland resources. In 1954 the administration of these lands was 

transferred to the USDA-Forest Service.

In 1960 Congress designated the Forest Service grassland areas in Otero, Las Animas, and Baca Counties in 

Colorado as the Comanche National Grassland. The 

Comanche homeland became the Comanche National 

Grassland. This mosaic of public and private land occurs in two separate units: the Carrizo Unit south and 

west of Springfield and the Timpas Unit south of La 

Junta (figure 1). Recent acquisitions in the vicinity of the 

Purgatoire River have increased the size of these public 

lands. The current goal by the Forest Service is to manage the Comanche National Grassland land with policies 

that protect its cultural and natural resources.

Geology

The Comanche National Grassland occurs on two 

major geologic provinces: the Raton and the High Plains 

Sections (Trimble 1993). Toward the west is the Raton 

Section with a history of volcanism. In this section, 

near the New Mexico-Colorado border in Las Animas 

County, huge piles of lava accumulated from 2 to 8 million years ago. Lava formed a basalt layer up to 400 

feet thick atop the Ogallala surface sediments (Miocene 

Age). This basalt formed an erosion-resistant cap that 

protected the underlying rock while the surrounding areas slowly eroded (Trimble 1993). The erosion-resistant, 

basalt-covered areas (Mesa de Maya, Raton Mesa, etc.) 

form an irregular-shaped network of mesas that became 

the divide region between the Arkansas and Canadian 

rivers. Basalt rocks are common in the southwestern part 

of the Comanche National Grassland.

The second major geologic province is the High 

Plains Section (Ogallala deposition) includes the eastern 

portion of the Comanche National Grassland. Without a 

hard, basalt cap this area eroded to form a gently sloping plain that extends from the foothills of the Rocky 

Mountains as far east as Missouri. This surface has been 

mostly modified by drainage patterns of the Arkansas 

and Cimarron rivers, but some 5-million-year-old “high 

plains” surface areas, with minimal erosion, still exist.

A review of the geology of the Purgatoire River 

(Lockley and others 1997) discusses four geographically separate areas of the Picket Wire canyon lands and 

emphasizes the variable geology of this valley. Of special significance to the vegetation are sections of shale 

and sandstone rocks at the surface. The surface shales 

and limestone outcrops are of Cretaceous Age and represent marine deposits of the Graneros Shale, Greenhorn 

Limestone, Carlile Shale, and Niobrara Formations.

In the Carrizo unit of the Comanche National 

Grassland are steep-walled Ute, Holt, and Picture 

Canyons. The largest perennial stream in eastern Las 

Animas County is Carrizo Creek that flows southeast 

from Carrizo Mesa to the Cimarron River. The Fallas, 

Tecolote, and Carrizo Mesas are the highest elevations 

on the Comanche National Grassland at about 6,000 feet 

(1,829 m) elevation. The relief from these mesas extends eastward to the lowest elevation on the Comanche 

National Grassland at about 4,000 feet (1,219 m) in 

southeastern Baca County.

Climate

The distance between the farthest east and the farthest west points on the Comanche National Grassland 

is approximately 100 miles. This is enough distance for 

the rain shadow of the Rocky Mountains to weaken 

and to allow for greater annual precipitation amounts 

in the eastern Springfield area. The Western Regional 

Climate Center (WRCC) reports a 55-year average annual precipitation record from 4 miles NNE of La Junta 

as 29.4 cm (11.5 inches). This is about 10 cm less than a 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-130. 2004 5

100-year (1898 to 1998) average annual precipitation 

figure of 39.9 cm (15.7 inches) recorded at a weather 

station about 9 miles south of Springfield.

Annual rainfall amounts on the Comanche National 

Grassland have a high degree of spatial and temporal 

variation. Even when rainfall amounts are similar for 

two years, or at different locations, the rainfall distribution patterns are very likely to differ. Ecologists recognize the annual variations in rainfall patterns and 

amounts as significant in terms of plant distributions. 

Farmers and ranchers are even more aware that variations in rainfall amounts and patterns affect plant growth 

responses. On the Comanche National Grassland, 70 to 

80 percent of annual precipitation amounts often occur 

as rain between April and September. Significant contributions to annual precipitation amounts routinely occur 

as one or a few large summer thunderstorm events. The 

occurrence of an average weather year on the eastern 

Colorado plains is about as likely as an encounter with 

an average man: both are convenient ideas that are seldom encountered (Sears 1947).

A study of long-term precipitation amounts, however, 

does show a tendency for both drier and wetter years to 

group together. For example, compared to the 100-year 

average annual precipitation amount of 39.9 cm (15.7 

inches) for Springfield, the average at this location from 

1933-1936 (Dust Bowl years) was 28.2 cm (11.1 inches) 

and from 1951-1956 (Thirsty Fifties) was 24.9 cm (9.8 

inches). Five wet years preceding the Dust Bowl (1928-

1932) had an above average annual precipitation amount 

of 48.5 cm (19.1 inches). In the 1990s the annual precipitation in Springfield was again above average, with 

a mean annual amount of 45.7 cm (18.0 inches) from 

1900-1997.

The variations in precipitation due to elevation are 

more predictable than annual variations in precipitation amounts. The rain-shadow related increase in precipitation from west to east is modified in southeastern 

Colorado by the increasing elevation of Mesa de Maya 

and other mesas toward the south. Along the ColoradoNew Mexico border the high elevations of Mesa de 

Maya (6,830 ft or 2,082 m), Fallas Mesa (6,296 ft or 

1,919 m), Tecolote Mesa (6,060 ft or 1,847 m), Little 

Black Mesa at (4,730 ft or 1442 m), and Black Mesa 

(4,973 ft or 1516 m) affect precipitation amounts. From 

l982 to 2000, the WRCC reported about 10 cm more annual precipitation 20 miles south of La Junta (40.3 cm or 

15.8 inches) than at La Junta. From La Junta toward the 

basalt-capped mesas near the border with New Mexico 

the tendency is for precipitation to increase and for temperature to decrease with elevation. The vegetation responds accordingly.

Vegetation

Ecologists have classified the vegetation in southeastern Colorado in several ways. The Russian word “steppe” 

is an appropriate ecology term to denote the treeless, 

shortgrass area of the Great Plains. Bailey (1998) used 

eco-region categories, a hierarchical classification, to 

classify southeastern Colorado as follows: Domain: Dry; 

Division: Temperate Steppe; and Province: Dry Steppe. 

The Bailey system of vegetation classification has been 

modified by The Nature Conservancy. The Nature 

Conservancy classifies the entire Comanche National 

Grassland as a part of the Central Shortgrass Prairie 

Eco-region (The Nature Conservancy 1997). Within this 

region most of the Comanche National Grassland is in 

the Arkansas Tablelands Section. An exception is eastern Baca County that is within the Southern High Plains 

Section. The Nature Conservancy defines differences 

between the Arkansas Tableland and the Southern High 

Plains sections as variations in elevation, annual rainfall 

amounts, and soils. Plant geographers classify the entire Comanche National Grassland is as within the North 

American Prairie Province.

Global or regional vegetation classifications are more 

useful as categories for administrative comparisons than 

as categories for plant species occurrence. At larger 

scales, vegetation classifications facilitate comparisons 

of the number and types of rare species, the varying 

amounts of protected land, and other land-use differences. Regional comparisons also help identify eco-regions 

in greater need of conservation but are less successful in 

identifying specific plant species as indicative of a particular type of vegetation. This is because microclimates 

and topographies are so variable that some plant species 

are certain to overlap into adjacent areas of other classifications. For example, plant species more characteristic 

of the Rocky Mountain Province that occur on the western edge of the Comanche National Grassland include: 

Calochortus gunnisonii (sego lily), Castilleja integra

(red paintbrush), Pinus edulis (piñon pine), and Pinus 

ponderosa (ponderosa pine). Toward the south, plant 

species more characteristic of the Chihuahuan sub-province include Desmanthus cooleyi (Cooley bundleflower) 

and Mimosa borealis (pink mimosa).

Methods

Area Designations

The United States Forest Service administers the 

Comanche National Grassland as two units. The land 

in each unit is interwoven with private land to form 
6 USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-130. 2004 

an irregular mosaic pattern (figure 1). Toward the 

east, in Baca and eastern Las Animas counties, is the 

Carrizo Unit. Carrizo is a Spanish work for reed grass 

(Phragmites australis). The Carrizo campground is 

near Carrizo Creek, but Phragmites does not occur 

along this creek. To see Phragmites on the Comanche 

National Grassland it is necessary to visit the Purgatoire 

River (figure 2). The more western Timpas Unit is located in Otero and north-central Las Animas counties. The Timpas Formation is an older, no longer used 

geological name for the Niobrara Formation. The noticeable iron concretions in sections of this formation 

may have prompted the name “Tamps” for this creek. 

The Spanish word timpa (from tymp) indicates a bar 

of iron in a furnace hearth or “the mouth of the hearth 

of a blast-furnace through which the molten metal descends” (Bensen 1994).

For plant inventory purposes the Comanche National 

Grassland was divided into four regions. These are: (1) 

Otero County, (2) western Las Animas County (south 

of Otero County), (3) eastern Las Animas County (west 

of Baca County), and (4) Baca County. The first two 

designations are in the more western Timpas Unit and 

the last two are in the more eastern Carrizo Unit. Each 

plant species was assigned to one or more of these four 

areas to provide preliminary information on distributions. A plant may be widespread (in all four areas) or 

present only in one, two, or three areas. Further field 

work is certain to improve these initial assignations.

The checklist has three possible entries for each of 

four designated areas: the number 1, the number 0, or a 

blank space. The number 1 indicates a plant species that 

is present in this area of the grassland. To receive the 

number 1, there must be an herbarium voucher specimen or definitive field identification. The number 0 indicates a plant species that is either present in a nearby 

region or that is likely to be found in an area. For example, because only parts of Baca and Otero counties are 

on public land, plant species that occur somewhere in 

these counties but not seen on the Comanche National 

Grassland, have the number 0 in their respective columns. In the western Las Animas County column, a 0 

usually represents a species reported by Shaw and others 

(1989) from Piñon Canyon. In the eastern Las Animas 

Figure 2—The Purgatoire River with tall Phragmites australis (carrizo, common reed grass) along the bank. In the 1700s, before 

trappers, this view of the river would include beaver dams. This canyon was a lush river oasis.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-130. 2004 7

County column, a 0 usually represents a plant species reported by Clark (1996) from Mesa de Maya. An empty 

or blank column is the opinion of the author that a plant 

species will not be found in this area. Your task in using 

this checklist is to prove me wrong!

Habitat Designations

At small geographic scales the eco-region categories are easily confounded by variations in topography, 

soil, and parent materials. These variations affect plant 

species composition. Efforts are often made to categorize the response of common plant species to variations 

in site conditions as plant communities. For example, 

Shaw and others (1989) recognized four grassland, 

16 shrubland and six woodland communities at Piñon 

Canyon, an area adjacent to the Comanche National 

Grassland. These communities are based on the presence or abundance of one or a few plant species. Each 

of these subjectively-designated plant communities can 

integrate with other plant communities. Also, a drought 

or a shift in grazing regime can redefine a community by 

altering the species composition and species dominance 

(figure 3). Although plant community designations are 

tools for range management, sorting through a variable 

mix of plant species dominants that define plant communities is not a goal of this report. Instead, eight hard-tochange habitats were identified.

The eight Comanche National Grassland habitat categories were selected because it was clear that many 

species occur only in one of these habitats. These habitats are based on major soil types, land-use, and topography: they are independent of species-based habitats. 

These habitat categories are established to provide an 

initial understanding of the locations where Comanche 

National Grassland plant species can be found. The difficulty of assigning plant species to only one category is 

reflected in the occasional use of two categories per species. In such cases, the first habitat listed is the primary 

habitat. Whenever a species occurs in all habitat types, 

one is selected as the “primary” habitat. For example, 

blue grama is present to some extent in all habitat types, 

Figure 3—A shortgrass steppe area near Springfield, CO, that was once plowed. It has regenerated with regular-spaced patches 

of purple three-awn or no-eatum (Aristida longiseta), western salsify (Tragopogon dubius), and sand dropseed (Sporobolus 

cryptanthus).
8 USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-130. 2004 

but the open steppe is designated as its “primary” habitat. Following is a description of the eight habitat types:

Open Steppe (O). This is the most common habitat, 

an area of relatively level plains and undulating hills 

(figure 3). Soil in this habitat varies from loam to silty 

and sandy loam. Soil is always present as a veneer 

of varying depths over the underlying bedrock. 

Bouteloua dactyloides (buffalo grass) and Hilaria 

jamesii (galleta grass) are common on fine-textured 

soils. Bouteloua gracilis (blue grama) is more 

common on loam soils. Elymus smithii (western 

wheatgrass) is more abundant in mesic swales. In 

some steppe areas Gutierrrezia sarothrae (snakeweed) shrubs are common. In other areas Opuntia 

imbricata (cholla or cane cactus) is conspicuous on 

the steppe landscape.

Riparian/Wetland (W). This is the species-rich 

habitat of perennial and ephemeral rivers, creeks, 

and dry washes. The major riparian areas are the 

Purgatoire River, Timpas Creek, Carrizo Creek, 

and Dry Creek. Included here are occasional wet or 

dripping springs that occur at diverse locations on 

the grassland. Wetland plant genera in this habitat 

include Equisetum (horsetails), Carex (sedges), 

Juncus (rushes), Schoenoplectus (bulrushes), 

Persicaria (smartweeds), Salix (willows), Populus

(cottonwood), and Typha (cattails).

Rocky Outcrops (R). These are areas within the open 

steppe, such as hilltops, where erosion has exposed a 

rocky surface or barren. A “barren” is defined here, in 

a broad sense, as a sparsely vegetated exposed bedrock 

of shale, shale-derived soils, chalk, or limestone soils 

with microorganisms in a calcite matrix (Kelso and 

others 2003). The barren concept includes the Niobrara 

(Smoky Hills) Formation of the upper Cretaceous. 

These areas are important habitats for several rare 

and endemic plant species, both on the Comanche 

Grassland and elsewhere in southeastern Colorado 

(Kelso and others 2003). On the Comanche National 

Grassland these outcrops are the habitat for the rare 

Frasera coloradensis (Colorado green gentian) and 

Lesquerella calcicola (limestone bladderpod). Other 

characteristic plants of the limestone/chalk barrens 

of the Comanche National Grassland are Artemisia 

bigelovii (Bigelow sage), Dalea tenuifolia (slimleaf 

prairie clover), Melampodium leucanthum (Blackfoot 

daisy), and Stipa neomexicana (New Mexico needleand-thread).

Shaded Rock Canyons and Ravines (C). These are 

the steep, rugged relief areas that comprise the 

rocky cliffs, rock slicks, and shaded ledges in the 

major canyons (figure 4). Included here are hills 

with large boulders and steep ridges. Plants in this 

habitat include ferns in shaded crevices and many of 

the larger woody plants in the flora. The deep-rooted 

woody plants utilize the greater amounts of water 

that penetrate into soil at the downhill edges of large 

rocks. The greater water availability along cliff faces 

is complemented by less evaporation due to greater 

amounts of shade. This is a habitat of deep water 

percolation and occasional shade. Woody plants in 

this habitat include cedar trees (Juniperus spp.), 

skunkbush sumac (Rhus aromatica), currants (Ribes

spp.), poison ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii), netleaf 

hackberry (Celtis reticulata), mountain ninebark 

(Physocarpus monogynus), and hoptree (Ptelea 

trifoliata).

Figure 4—Rocky, steep walls along Carrizo Creek in Baca 

County.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-130. 2004 9

Alkali/Fine-textured Soil (A). These are lowland, 

sometimes river floodplain areas with heavy, alkali 

soil. This habitat is more common in Otero County, 

especially along Timpas Creek, where greasewood 

(Sarcobarus vermiculatus), salt grass (Distichlis 

spicata), and alkali sacaton (Sporobolus airoides) are 

locally common. Pale wolfberry (Lycium pallidum) is 

infrequent but does occur in fine-textured swale soils. 

Also in Otero County are gypsum-rich soils derived 

from sedimentary rocks and clay-sized soil particles. 

In these soils there is the infrequent Oenothera harringtonii (Arkansas Valley primrose) and the more 

widespread Frankenia jamesii (alkali heath).

Sandy Soil (S). The Dust Bowl history of southeastern 

Colorado is still evident by the presence of large 

areas with eolian deposits and sand dunes. In addition, there are stream beds and floodplains with deep, 

sandy soils. Rainwater penetrates more quickly and 

to greater depths in sand than in loam soils. Greater 

water percolation in sand means that less rain water is 

lost to evaporation. Characteristic shrubs on sand soils 

are Artemisia filifolia (sand sagebrush), Yucca glauca

(soapweed) (figure 5), and in wet years Eriogonum 

annuum (annual buckwheat). Grass species that prefer sandy soils include Hall’s bluestem (Andropogon 

hallii), sandreed grasses (Calamovilfa spp.), sand 

muhly (Muhlenbergia arenicola), blowout grass 

(Redfieldia flexuosa), dropseed grasses (Sporobolus

spp.), sandbur (Cenchrus longispinus), and purple 

sandgrass (Triplasis purpurea). Other forbs confined 

to sandy soil are fragrant sand verbena (Abronia fragrans) and several species of blazing star (Mentzelia 

spp). The exotic Conyza canadensis (horseweed) is 

sometimes very abundant in sandy pastures.

Disturbed Soil (D). These are disturbed areas by roads, 

pens, buildings, loading chutes, etc. The crowned 

county roads allow more water to accumulate in 

roadside ditches and create a mesic habitat for plants. 

Among the abundant roadside exotic plants are 

Bromus inermis (smooth brome), Bromus tectorum

(cheatgrass), Tribulus terrestris (tackbur), yellow 

sweet clover (Melilotus officinale), Virginia ground 

Figure 5—A sandy pasture with soapweed (Yucca glauca), sand sagebrush (Artemisia filifolia), and purple three-awn grass 

(Aristida purpurea). The common yellow flowers are yellow wooly-whites (Hymenopappus flavescens) and the occasional 

white racemes are plains larkspurs (Delphinium virescens).
10 USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-130. 2004 

cherry (Physalis virginiana), and crested wheatgrass 

(Agropyron cristatum). Native plants that occasionally thrive in the mesic roadside habitat include 

purple ground cherry (Quincula lobata), Gray’s 

ragweed (Ambrosia grayi), bahia (Picradeniopsis 

oppositifolia), and silver bluestem (Bothriochloa 

laguroides). Since the 1970s, silver bluestem has 

migrated east and north along roadside corridors into 

Otero and Pueblo Counties. It now occurs as far north 

as El Paso County.

Planted (P). There are only a few planted species on 

the Comanche. These include honey locust (Gleditsia 

triacanthos), mulberry (Morus alba), Siberian elm 

(Ulmus pumila), and the possibility of Osage orange 

(Maclura pomifera). Of these, Siberian elm is the 

most likely to establish new plants from seeds.

Plant Species Nomenclature

Floristic publications available about the Comanche 

National Grassland area are by Clark (1996), Freeman 

(1989), Great Plains Flora Association (1986), Harrington 

(1964), Isely (1998), Kelso and others (2003), Shaw and 

others (1989), and Weber and Wittmann (1992, 2001). 

Unpublished floristic reports from this region by Hazlett 

(1997), Hazlett and Clark (1998), Hess (1993), and 

Naumann (1991) are also available. Most plant species 

on this checklist were compiled from these publications 

and from county plant lists obtained from the University 

of Colorado and Colorado State University herbaria.

A composite plant species checklist derived from 

available resources was verified and expanded by 12 

plant collection trips taken by the author to all parts of 

the Comanche Grassland between 1993 and 2003. Field 

trips were planned to survey different substrates, survey 

different topographies, and visit each habitat type at different times of the year. More survey time was spent on 

species-rich rocky outcrops sites, on sandy soils, in gravel creek beds, and along riparian areas. All plant species 

that were seen in the field were recorded, but herbarium 

collections were made only for less well-known species. Over 300 plant species were collected during field 

work. The collection numbers for identified and verified 

plant specimens are on the checklist. These specimens 

are archived at the University of Colorado (CU) and the 

University of Northern Colorado (UNC) herbaria.

The taxonomic nomenclature used for this publication follows the 2001 checklist of the vascular plants 

of Colorado by Hartman and Nelson (2001). The nomenclature used by PLANTS (Plant List of Accepted 

Nomenclature Taxonomy and Symbols), a database 

maintained by the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation 

Service (NRCS), is similar to the conservative nomenclature used by Hartman and Nelson. The Hartman and 

Nelson checklist includes all synonyms and relevant 

names for Colorado plant species. The few nomenclature differences in the Hartman and Nelson list and the 

PLANTS database can easily be discerned by a comparison between lists, since both lists are on the internet. The Comanche National Grassland plant checklist 

in Appendix I includes only the more widely used synonyms.

Discussion

Plant Common Names

Common and folk names on this checklist (Appendix 

I) are from Curtin (1997), Johnston (2001), Welsh and 

others (1993), Moore (1990), the above cited references, and from local residents. The appearance of new folk 

names indicates that people still notice and interact with 

native plants. The concept of a common name differs 

from a folk name because common names are often created by botanists. A botanist can come up with a common name without ever seeing the plant in the field. For 

example, Paronychia jamesii is called James’s nailwort 

by botanists, while local residents have no name for this 

plant. In contrast, folk names usually relay a sense of direct interaction between people and plants. Folk names 

for Comanche National Grassland plants are: frost flower (Aster ericoides), stickerweed (Solanum rostratum), 

alkali weed (Kochia scoparia), and umbrella weed 

(Sisymbrium altissimum).

Well established folk and common names often have 

origins in Europe or Latin America. Only a few are 

Native American names. Regardless of origin, a local 

plant name is usually a noteworthy plant feature. For 

example, Tragia ramosa is noteworthy because it has 

stinging hairs, thus the folk name “noseburn,” a reference to the “burn” caused by this plant to the nose of 

a grazing cow. The name “galleta” for galleta grass 

(Hilaria jamesii) is the Spanish word for biscuit or cookie. The use of galleta as a grass name suggests a high 

palatability of this grass by cattle. Tidestromia lanuginosa has the Spanish common name of espanta vaqueros (cowboy’s fright).

Unlike scientific names that strive for a single correct 

name, a diversity of plant folk names are useful and are 

of special interest to an ethnobotanist (for example, figure 6). Different folk names for the same plant can indicate different interactions between this plant and people 

in different areas or by people of different cultural backgrounds. A good example is Sphaeralcea coccinea, 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-130. 2004 11

a plant with the recycled European common name of 

scarlet globemallow. A noteworthy feature of S. coccinea is its showy, orange flowers. This unusual flower 

color for a Great Plains plant did not go unnoticed when 

someone (a cowpoke?) renamed this plant “cowboy’s 

delight.” This delightful folk name helps balance the 

fright incurred by an encounter with Tidestromia laguginosa (cowboy’s fright). The diversity of folk names for

Sphaeralcea coccinea does not end here. This same plant 

is yerba de la negrita (herb of the lady with a dark complexion). This is one of the oldest known Spanish names 

for any native Colorado plant. In New Mexico a bottled 

yerba de la negrita shampoo is commercially available.

There are only a few indigenous names still in 

use as plant common names. Among these are sego 

(Calochotus), chia (Salvia), and puccon (Lithospermum). 

The translations of indigenous plant names into English 

provide insights into the perceptions that indigenous 

people had for these plants. A translation of the Lakota 

name for Gaura parvifolia is “elk antler,” Cenchrus 

longispinus is “cactus grass,” Achillea millefolum is 

“wound medicine,” and Helianthus annuus is “looking 

at you.” The “lost blue of the Arapaho” plant is an interesting folk name that refers to a lost dye-producing 

recipe for the sky blue roots of Comandra umbellata. 

As you read the plant common names on the checklist, 

think of the possible reasons for these names. It is also 

acceptable to devise your own common names. If you 

think of an appropriate and clever name, it could persist 

and become a well-known and accepted folk name.

Rare Plant Species

The Colorado rare plant field guide (Spackman and 

others 1997) tallies 388 of 3,100 Colorado vascular 

plants as rare. This is about one of every eight plant 

species in the state. The definition for rarity differs 

among the U. S. Forest Service (USFS), Bureau of Land 

Management (BLM), National Park Service (NPS), 

Colorado Natural Heritage Program (CNHP), and the 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The Colorado 

rare plant field guide lists many of these variable definitions (Spackman and others 1997). The most legally 

binding rare plant designations are endangered (E) and 

threatened (T) categories of the USFWS, because these 

categories are linked to federal laws that mandate protection. In Colorado there are only 13 “federally listed” 

plants in the T (threatened) or E (endangered) categories. None of these 13 plants occurs on the Comanche 

National Grassland.

Figure 6—Asclepias asperula (antelope horns) has the common name “inmortal” in Spanish. The powdered root of this milkweed is used in Hispanic medicine as a remedy for a variety of pains and as a cardiac stimulant. Naturally occurring populations of this species may be over-collected for these uses.
12 USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-130. 2004 

The USFWS also maintains a lesser category of 

plant rarity known as “species of special concern.” 

The “special concern” plant species, formerly known 

as “candidate” species, are sometimes upgraded to T 

or E category species, but only if monitoring information supports such a change. In Colorado there are currently only six “special concern” plant species and none 

of these occurs on the Comanche National Grassland. 

Although the USFWS does not recognize any Comanche 

National Grassland plant species as rare, or potentially 

rare, I have selected 16 infrequent Comanche National 

Grassland plants for discussion.

Among the best known of the more infrequent 

Comanche National Grassland plants are three species formerly listed by the USFWS as “candidate” species. These 

are Asclepias uncialis (dwarf milkweed), Chenopodium 

cycloides (sandhill goosefoot), and Frasera coloradensis (Colorado green gentian). The Colorado green gentian is a Colorado endemic: it is known to occur only in 

this state. This rare gentian occurs on calcareous, rocky 

outcrops in 11 or so locations in Baca, Las Animas, Bent, 

Prowers, and Lincoln counties (Naumann 1991). Four 

of these known locations are on the Comanche National 

Grassland (Hazlett 1997). A more extensive search of 

calcareous outcrops in southeastern Colorado will probably encounter other populations of this gentian. The early spring-flowering dwarf milkweed (Asclepius uncialis) 

occurs in eight states and in about 14 Colorado counties, 

but it is seldom abundant. It has been collected from Sand 

Canyon on the Comanche National Grassland. The fallflowering sandhill goosefoot (Chenopodium cycloides) 

is rare on the Comanche National Grassland. The sandhill goosefoot is known from six states and can be locally 

common in sandy soils.

Besides Frasera coloradensis (Colorado green gentian), six other Colorado endemic plant species on or 

near the Comanche National Grassland are: Astragalus 

cerussatus (powdery milk vetch), Grindelia inornata

(Colorado gumweed), Mirabilis rotundifolia (round-leaf 

four o’clock), Oenothera harringtonii (Arkansas Valley 

evening primrose), Oonopsis foliosa var. monocephala

(rayless golden weed), and Penstemon versicolor. The 

powdery milk vetch is more abundant in the foothills 

of the Rocky Mountains but has been reported from the 

Mesa de Maya (Rick Brune, personal communication). 

The Arkansas Valley evening primrose occurs on compacted, fine-textured outwash soils or in loose gravel. 

The Colorado gumweed occurs in mesic roadsides and 

along Timpas Creek. The rayless goldenweed occurs on 

highly eroded soils in Las Animas County.

Of 121 Colorado endemic plant species listed in 

Weber and Wittmann (1992), 42 species appear to be 

edaphic endemics (Kelso and others 2003). Endemic 

to Niobrara limestone on the Comanche National 

Grassland are the aforementioned Frasera coloradensis, plus Mirabilis rotundifolia, Penstemon versicolor,

and Lesquerella calcicola (limestone bladderpod). The 

limestone bladderpod is a Colorado/New Mexico endemic. Since the Niobrara Formation is more common 

in Fremont and Pueblo counties, these species are more 

common east of the Comanche National Grassland. 

The endemic Penstemon versicolor is locally abundant on many limestone soils in southeastern Colorado. 

The most unique endemic on the Comanche National 

Grassland is Frasera coloradensis, a species that does 

not occur in the foothills.

Infrequent plants that need additional survey work 

to discern their presence and/or abundance on the 

Comanche National Grassland are Amorpha nana

(dwarf leadplant) and Echinocereus reichenbachii var. 

perbellus (Reichenbach’s lace cactus). Dwarf leadplant 

is in Otero County and occurs in Baca County on the 

Comanche National Grassland. Reichenbach lace cactus is a spring-flowering cactus that also occurs in New 

Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. This cactus occurs on 

the Comanche National Grassland and is abundant at a 

few other locations in Las Animas County.

Another group of infrequent Comanche National 

Grassland plants are species that occur over large geographical areas but that are infrequent because their 

habitat is uncommon. In this category are Pellaea autropurpurea (purple cliff-brake) and Pellaea wrightiana (Wright’s cliff-brake), ferns which occur along 

rocky canyon walls in Baca County. Also in this category are Asclepias involucrata (dwarf milkweed), infrequent in six states; Chenopodium subglabrum (smooth 

goosefoot), known from eight states; Mirabilis glabra 

(smooth four o’clock), known from eight states; and 

Dalea cylindriceps (massive spike prairie clover), also 

known from eight states.

Infrequent southeastern Colorado plant species that 

are not known to occur on the Comanche National 

Grassland include Ambrosia linearis (plains or streaked 

ragweed), Eustoma grandiflorum (showy prairie gentian), Grindelia revoluta (wavy-leaf gumweed), 

Mentzelia chrysantha (golden blazing star), Oonopsis 

puebloensis (Pueblo goldenweed), and Parthenium tetraneuris (Arkansas river feverfew). Only two of these 

species have some chance of occurring on the Comanche 

National Grassland. One is Ambrosia linearis (streaked 

ragwort), a locally abundant species of playa lakes in 

Crowley, Kiowa, Lincoln, El Paso and Elbert counties. 

The other possibility is Eustoma grandiflorum (showy 

prairie gentian), a floodplain plant species that occurs in 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-130. 2004 13

11 states but is nowhere very abundant. This species is 

considered rare because its habitat is rapidly disappearing. The nearest known locations for this gentian to the 

Comanche National Grassland are in Otero County near 

Holbrook Reservoir and on the Cottonwook Links golf 

course in Fowler. The other four species are edaphic endemics that are restricted to the foothills.

Weeds

The Comanche National Grassland checklist identifies 126 species (about 16 percent of the total) as 

exotic plants, species that are not native to southeastern Colorado. Although most of these are recognized 

as weeds, the definition for a weed is subjective. The 

Colorado Noxious Weed Act considers a weed as an 

exotic or non-native plant species that aggressively invades either agricultural land or native plant communities. Since crop plants are also exotic plants, agriculture 

makes a clear distinction between desired and undesired 

exotics. In rangelands, there are a few welcome exotics, 

such as introduced pasture grasses, but most rangeland 

exotics are considered to be weeds. For both agricultural and range land the worst plants are “noxious weeds,” 

those that impose the greatest economic losses.

The Colorado Noxious Weed Act considers weeds 

as detrimental to environmentally sound management 

of natural ecosystems. Interpretations of “sound environmental management” affect which plant species 

are labeled as weeds. A definition of “noxious weed” 

presented by Sheley and Petroff (1999) is “... a noxious weed is any plant designated by a federal, state, or 

county government to be injurious to public health, agricultural, recreation, wildlife or any public or private 

property.” This definition can include native plants and 

further illustrates the subjective nature of weed designations.

This Colorado Noxious Weed Act was amended in 

2003 (HB03-1140) to assign weeds to one of three categories (A, B, or C). An “A” category is a rare noxious 

weed that should be eradicated wherever it is found. Of 

the few weeds in this category, Centaurea solstitalis

(yellow star thistle) may invade the Comanche National 

Grassland. The “A” group of weeds should be eliminated while they still occur in small patches. The “C” 

category is for widespread and well-established weeds. 

For weeds in this category, control is suggested but not 

required. A few of the “C” weeds on the Comanche 

National Grassland are Cirsium arvense (Canadian thistle), Convolvulus arvense (bindweed), Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass), Bromus japonicus (Japanese brome), 

Salsola tragus (Russian thistle or tumbleweed), Kochia 

scoparia (alkali weed), and Conyza canadensis (horseweed). The “B” category weed is intermediate to categories “A” and “C.” The “B” weeds occur in a mosaic 

pattern in the state. If a “B” weed is just beginning to 

spread into an area, it may designated by a commissioner as a weed for eradication. Four “B” category 

weeds on the Comanche National Grassland are dalmatian toadflax (Linaria dalmatica), broadleaf pepperplant 

(Lepidium latifolium), Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia), and musk thistle (Carduus nutans). Possible category “B” species not yet on the Comanche National 

Grassland are Russian knapweed (Centaurea repens) 

and teasel (Dipsacus fullonum). Russian knapweed is 

well established along roadsides and in wet spots around 

Lake Meredith, Crowley County. Teasel is a an occasional riparian weed along the Arkansas River. Assigning a 

weed to only one of these categories can be difficult. For 

example, there are Comanche National Grassland areas where salt cedar (Tamarix) could be a category “C” 

weed. In other areas it is a category “B” weed.

The largest habitat available for weeds on the 

Comanche National Grassland is the open steppe, but 

few exotics can thrive in this dry, harsh environment. 

Exotics that do survive but seldom dominate the open 

steppe area are brome grasses, alkali weeds, horseweeds, and tumbleweeds, all category “C” weeds. These 

annual plants can set seed as very small plants, but when 

they have more water, such as along riparian areas or 

roadsides, they can dominate an area. In high rainfall 

years steppe area can be dominated by annual brome 

grasses (Bromus) and sandy pastures can have horseweed as a co-dominant with sand sagebrush (Artemisia 

filifolia). The years with large amounts of spring precipitation are notorious for rapid growth and rapid desiccation of weedy annuals. This can create a tinder-dry grass 

cover that serves as fuel for summer wildfires.

Riparian and wetland habitats are infrequent in 

the shortgrass steppe, but this is the preferred habitat 

for most of the Comanche National Grassland weedy 

plant species. Common riparian exotics are dock species (Rumex), knotweeds (Polygonum), Canadian thistle (Cirsium arvense), prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola), 

common sow thistle (Sonchus oleraceus), yellow sweet 

clover (Melilotus officinalis) and the ubiquitous bindweed (Convolvulus arvense). A well-represented weed 

family is the mustards (Brassicaceae). Ten of 27 species 

listed in this family are weedy exotics. Locally abundant mustards in riparian areas are false flax (Camelina 

microcarpa) and several species of tansy mustard 

(Descurainia). One of the more aggressive mustards is 

broadleaf pepperplant (Lepidium latifolium), a species 

that is locally common along Timpas Creek.
14 USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-130. 2004 

An interesting category of “weedy” plants on the 

Comanche National Grassland are native plants that 

colonize disturbed sites. These natives are ecological 

pioneers that can establish in large roadside patches or 

in fallow ground. These pioneer native plants include 

Vicia americana (American vetch), purple ground cherry (Quincula lobata), Virginia ground cherry (Physalis 

virginiana), poverty weed (Iva axillaris), bahia 

(Picradeniopsis spp.), goldenweed (Oonopsis foliosa), 

red coneflower (Ratibida tagetes), cut-leaf germander 

(Teucrium laciniatum), silky locoweed (Sophora nuttalliana), silver-leaf nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium), Gray’s ragweed (Ambrosia grayi), hog potato 

(Hoffmanseggia glauca), and sandbur (Cenchrus longispinus). The last four native species are sometimes 

found on weed lists (using a broad definition). Yes, the 

sandbur is native.

Poisonous plants are another group of plants that have 

been considered as weeds. Native plants that are skin 

irritants include Toxicodendron rydbergii (poison ivy), 

Tragia ramosa (noseburn), and Urtica dioica (nettles). 

Other plants on the Comanche National Grassland that 

can be poisonous to livestock include five natives that 

can have high concentrations of selenium: Astragalus 

bisulcatus (two-grooved milk vetch), Astragalus mollissimus (wooly locoweed), Astragalus pectinatus

(tine-leaved milk vetch), Oxytropis lambertii (purple locoweed) and Oxytropis sericea (white locoweed). Other 

poisonous natives are Asclepias pumila (plains milkweed), Asclepias subverticillata (poison milkweed), 

Delphinium virescens (white larkspur), Euphorbia marginata (snow-on-the-mountain), Hymenoxys odorata

(bitterweed), and Zigadenus venenosus (death camas). 

Poisonous exotics plants include Amaranthus palmeri

(Palmer’s pigweed), Conium maculatum (poison hemlock), and Cynoglossum officinale (hound’s tongue).

Summary

The checklist of vascular plants of the Comanche 

National Grassland has 801 plant taxa. These include 

513 species that are definitely known to occur on public 

lands and 288 species that may occur on the Comanche 

National Grassland. Many of the unconfirmed plant species will eventually be discovered on the Comanche 

National Grassland. Of the total number of plant species 

on the Comanche National Grassland about 16 percent 

are exotic plant species.

Each of the Comanche National Grassland plant taxa 

was assigned to a habitat. The habitat with the most species was the wetland habitat with 22 percent of the plant 

species. A close second and third were 21 percent of all 

plant species occurring in the open steppe and 19 percent occurring in disturbed sites. About 11 percent of the 

total number of species were primarily in sandy soil and 

another 11 percent were primarily in the canyon/ravine 

habitat. The significance of the “barren” habitat is evident by the fact that 16 percent of all species had this as 

their primary habitat, even though the land area for this 

habitat on the Comanche National Grassland is less than 

5 percent. The species in alkali soil or planted were less 

than one percent.

The allocations of plant species among Comanche 

National Grassland habitats were compared with similar allocations for Pawnee National Grassland plant 

species (Hazlett 1997). The open steppe is the primary 

habitat for about one-fourth of all plant species in both 

grasslands. The proportion of species in the canyon/

ravine habitat is also similar (11 percent) for both grasslands. However, the proportion of plant species in riparian areas, in sandy soil, and on “barrens” are different. 

Riparian habitats are species-rich habitats in both grasslands, but the Pawnee National Grassland has 38 percent of its species in riparian areas while the Comanche 

National Grassland has only 22 percent. The Pawnee 

National Grassland also has only 6 percent of its species 

in sandy soil, while the Comanche National Grassland 

has 11 percent. In addition, there are only six percent 

of the Pawnee National Grassland species on barrens, 

compared to 16 percent on barrens for the Comanche 

National Grassland. These cursory comparisons with the 

Pawnee National Grassland indicate a relatively greater 

significance, in terms of plant species richness, of sandy 

soils and barrens for the Comanche National Grassland. 

Management policies should take into consideration 

this uneven distribution of plant species among habitat types.

References Cited

Bailey, R. G. 1998. Ecoregions map of North America. USDA 

Forest Service Misc. Pub. No. 1548.

Benson, M. 1994. 1001 Colorado place names. Lawrence, 

KS: University Press of Kansas.

Blevins, W. 1993. Dictionary of the American West. New 

York, NY: Facts of File, Inc.

Clark, D. 1996. A floristic survey of the Mesa de Maya Region, 

Las Animas County, CO. Natural History Inventory of 

Colorado. No. 17: 1-44.

Curtin, L. M. S. 1997. Healing herbs of the Upper Rio 

Grande: traditional medicine of the southwest. (1947 

edition revised and edited by Michael Moore.) Santa Fe, 

NM: Western Edge Press.

Freeman, C. 1989. Rare plants of the Cimarron National 

Grassland, Kansas. Final Report. Unpublished. Prepared 

for U.S.F.S. Cimarron National Grassland, Elkhart, KS.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-130. 2004 15

Great Plains Flora Association 1986. Flora of the Great Plains. 

Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas. 1392 p.

Gregg, J. 1954. Edited by Max L. Moorhead. Commerce 

of the Prairies, University of Oklahoma Press, OK. First 

published in 1844 in Langley, NY.

Harrington, H. D. 1964. Manual of the plants of Colorado. 

Second Edition. Denver CO: Sage Books. 666 p.

Hartman, R. L., and Nelson, B.E. 2001. A checklist of the 

vascular plants of Colorado. Rocky Mountain Herbarium, 

Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie. 

Available online at www.rmh.uwyo.edu.

Hazlett, D. L. 1997. The Comanche National Grassland: a 

preliminary survey for threatened and endangered plant 

species. Unpublished report prepared for USFS Comanche 

National Grassland, La Junta, CO.

Hazlett, D. L. 1998. Vascular plant species of the Pawnee 

National Grassland. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-17. 

Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest 

Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 26 p.

Hazlett, D. L., and Clark, D. 1998. A 1998 field survey 

for endemic and rare plants in southeastern Colorado. 

Unpublished report prepared for Colorado Natural Areas 

Program, Denver, CO.

Hess, D. 1993. Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site: plant 

list. Unpublished checklist. La Junta, CO.

Hine, R. V. 1984. The American West: an interpretive history. 

Boston, MA: Little, Brown and Company.

Isely, D. 1998. Native and Naturalized Leguminosae 

(Fabaceae) of the United States. Provo, UT: Monte L. Bean 

Life Science Museum, Brigham Young University.

Johnston, B. C. 2001. Field guide to sedge species of the 

Rocky Mountain Region: The genus Carex in Colorado, 

Wyoming, western South Dakota, western Nebraska, 

and western Kansas. Renewable Resources R2-RR-01-

03. Denver, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest 

Service, Rocky Mountain Region. 318 p.

Kelso, S.; Bower, N. W.; Heckmann, K. E.; Beardsley, P. 

M.; and Greve, D. G. 2003. Geobotany of the Niobrara 

chalk barrens in Colorado: a study of edaphic endemism. 

Western North American Naturalist 63(3): 299-313.

Lavender, D. 1980. The Southwest. Albuquerque NM: 

University of New Mexico Press. 352 p.

Lockley, M. G.; Fillmore, B. J.; and Marquardt, L. 1997. 

Dinosaur Lake: the story of the Purgatoire Valley Dinosaur 

Tracksite area. Special Publication 40. Denver, CO: 

Colorado Geological Survey.

Magoffin, S.S. 1962. Edited by Stella M. Drumn. Down the 

Santa Fe Trail and into Mexico: the diary of Susan Shelby 

Magoffin. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Moore, M. 1990. Los Remedios: traditional herbal remedies 

of the Southwest. Santa Fe, NM: Red Crane Books.

Naumann, T. S. 1991. Status report for Frasera coloradensis. 

Unpublished report prepared for U.S. Fish and Wildlife. 

Golden, CO.

Pritzker, B.M. 2000. A Native American encyclopedia: 

history, culture and peoples. New York, NY: Oxford 

University Press.

Sears, Paul B. 1947. Deserts on the march. Norman, OK: 

University of Oklahoma Press.

Shaw, R. B.; Anderson, S. L.; Schulz, K. A.; and Diersing, 

B. E. 1989. Plant communities, ecological checklist and 

species list for the U.S. Army Piñon Canyon Maneuver 

Site, Colorado. Publication 37. Fort Collins, CO: Colorado 

State University, Range Science.

Sheley, R. L., and Petroff, J. K. 1999. Biology and 

management of noxious rangeland weeds. Corvallis OR: 

Oregon State University Press. 438 p.

Spackman, S.; Jennings, W. F.; Coles, J; Dawson, C.; Minton, 

M.; Kratz, A.; Spurrier, C.; and Skadeland, T. 1997. 

Colorado rare plant field guide. Prepared for the Bureau 

of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service and the 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by the Colorado Natural 

Heritage Program.

Taylor, Ralph C. 1963. Colorado south of the border. Denver, 

CO: Sage Books.

The Colorado Native Plant Society. 1997. Rare plants of 

Colorado (second edition). Falcon Press Publishing, 

Helena, MT and Rocky Mountain Nature Association, 

Estes Park, CO.

The Nature Conservancy. 1997. Designing a geography of 

hope: guidelines for eco-region based conservation in The 

Nature Conservancy. Arlington, VA: Headquarters.

Trimble, Donald E. 1993. The geologic story of the Great 

Plains. Reprint (third edition) of Geological Survey 

Bulletin 1493. Bismark, ND: Richtman’s Printing.

Weber, W. A., and Wittmann, R. C. 1992. Catalog of the 

Colorado flora: a biodiversity baseline. Boulder, CO: 

University Press of Colorado.

Weber, W. A., and Wittmann, R. C. 2001. Colorado flora: 

Eastern Slope (third edition), Boulder, CO: University 

Press of Colorado.

Welsh, S. L.; Atwood, N. D.; Goodrich, S.; and Higgens, L. 

C. 1993. A Utah Flora (second edition). Provo, UT: Print 

Services, Brigham Young University.

Wooster, D. 1982. Dust Bowl: the southern plains in the 

1930s. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, Inc.

Acknowledgments

This report was first initiated with the financial support via Kim Fallen-Romero and Steve Curry when 

they were administrators of the Comanche National 

Grassland. More recently, Tom Peters has continued this 

support and allocated some of the funds needed to publish this report. I thank Steve Olsen, Forest Service botanist at the Pike San Isabel/Comanche Grassland Office, 

Steve Popovich, Forest Service botanist at ArapahoRoosevelt/ Pawnee Grassland Office, and Sylvia (Tass) 

Kelso, botanist at Colorado College for providing very 

useful comments on early drafts of this publication. I 

thank Lane Eskew for editing and Linda Joyce for financial help with publishing. I acknowledge Geri Morris of 

the Cimarron National Grassland for her work in producing the map. I very much appreciate the suggestions 

and encouragement for this report from Neil Snow, Rick 

Brune, and Dina Clark. Neil also helped proofread the 

plant species list. Finally, I acknowledge logistical support from Charles and Else Hazlett, Bennie Kimble, and 

my wife, Marta.
16 USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-XXX. 2004 

Appendix I. Checklist of Vascular Plants of the 

Comanche National Grassland

This checklist has 785 species in 90 plant families. When the varieties and subspecies are tallied 

separately there are 801 plant taxa. Of this total 513 taxa are confirmed as present on the Comanche 

National Grassland and 288 occur nearby. Perhaps 50 of these nearby species will be found eventually on the Comanche National Grassland. The 126 exotic species, about 16 percent of the total, have 

an asterisk before the species name.

The left column letter or letters refer to the primary habitat for each species. The eight habitat categories, described more fully in the methods section, are as follows:

A = Alkali soils P = Planted

C = Shaded rocky canyons and ravines R = Rocky: exposed limestone/shale barrens

D = Disturbed, often roadside soils S = Sandy soils

O = Open steppe W = Wetland and riparian

The occurrence of each plant in one or more of four geographic areas is indicated by the presence 

or absence of a 1 in the appropriate county column or columns. These columns are arranged left to 

right to correspond with their west to east location in the state. From left to right these are: (1) O = 

Otero county, (2) wL = western Las Animas county, (3) eL = eastern Las Animas County, and (4) B 

= Baca county. The number 1 in a column indicates where a taxon has been seen or collected. The 

number 0 indicates where a taxon could occur: known from a nearby area. A blank space is significant 

because it indicates an area where a plant has not yet been seen and is not expected to occur.

 Scientific names in square brackets are synonyms or proposed names. If only a genus name is in 

a bracket, the specific epithet of this genus is the same as the first listed name. Common names in 

italics are Spanish or Native American names. Voucher numbers without a prefix letter are archived 

at the University of Northern Colorado herbarium. Voucher specimens with the author’s collection 

numbers preceded by “CU” are archived at the University of Colorado herbarium. The letters after a 

voucher number are for Baca (B), Otero (O) or Las Animas County (LA).

FERNS AND FERN ALLIES

Aspleniaceae / Spleenwort Fern family

C 0 0 1 Asplenium platyneuron (L.) Britton, Sterns & Poggenb. ebony spleenwort

C 0 0 0 Asplenium resiliens Kunze black-stem spleenwort

C/R 0 Asplenium septentrionale (L.) Hoffm. forked spleenwort

C 0 1 Asplenium trichomanes L. subsp. trichomanes maidenhair spleenwort

Dryopteridaceae / Shield Fern family

C 1 0 0 1 Cystopteris fragilis (L.) Bernh. fragile fern

C 0 0 1 Dryopteris filix-mas (L.) Schott male fern

C 0 Woodsia neomexicana Windham woodsia

C 0 0 0 1 Woodsia oregana D. C. Eaton Oregon woodsia

var. cathcartiana (B. L. Rob.) Morton

C 0 1 Woodsia plummerae Lemmon Plummer’s woodsia

Equisetaceae / Horsetail family

W 1 1 1 1 Equisetum laevigatum A. Braun [Hippochaete] smooth scouring rush, horsetail,

 cañutillo del llano, cola de caballo

W 0 Equisetum variegatum Schleich.

 ex F. Weber & D. Mohr var. variegatum variegated scouring rush,

 horsetail

County

Habitat O wL/eL B Scientific Name Common Name
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-XXX. 2004 17

 Marsileaceae / Pepperwort family

W 0 0 1 Marsilea vestita Hook. & Grev. [M. mucronata] water clover

 Pteridaceae / Feather Fern family

C 0 Adianthum capillus-veneris L. Venus’ hair fern

C 0 0 Argyrochosma fendleri (Kuntze) Windham Fendler’s cloak fern

C 1 1 Cheilanthes eatonii Baker Eaton’s lip fern

C/R 1 1 1 Cheilanthes feei T. Moore slender lip fern

C 1 0 Cheilanthes fendleri Hook. Fendler’s lip fern

C 0 1 Cheilanthes wootonii Maxon beaded lip fern

C/R 1 1 Notholaena standleyi Maxon star cloak fern

C 1 Pellaea atropurpurea (L.) Link Rare on CNG purple cliff brake

C 1 Pellaea wrightiana Hook. Rare on CNG Wright’s cliff brake

 Selaginellaceae / Spike Moss family

C/R 1 0 1 Selaginella densa Rydb. 11575/B, 11607/O dense spikemoss

C 0 0 Selaginella mutica D. C. Eaton ex. Underw. var. mutica spikemoss

C 0 1 Selaginella underwoodii Hieron. Underwood’s spikemoss

GYMNOSPERMS

 Cupressaceae / Juniper or Cedar family

C/R 1 1 0 0 Juniperus monosperma (Engelm.) Sarg. (Sabina) 10355/O one-seeded juniper, cedar

almáciga de sabina, sabino

C/R 1 1 1 1 Juniperus scopulorum Sarg. (Sabina) Rocky Mountain juniper, cedar

C/R 0 0 0 1 Juniperus virginana L. red cedar

 Pinaceae / Pine family

C/R 1 0 1 1 Pinus edulis Engelm. 10397/O piñon pine, trementina

C/R 0 1 1 Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex P. & C. Lawson ponderosa pine

 var. scopulorum Engelm.

ANGIOSPERMS (MONOCOTS AND EUDICOTS)

 Agavaceae / Agave family

R 0 Nolina texana S. Watson Rare in CO beargrass

O/S 1 1 1 1 Yucca glauca Nutt. var. glauca soapweed, Spanish bayonet,

 palmilla, amole

R 1 1 Yucca harrimaniae Trel. New Mexico yucca

 var. neomexicana (Wooton & Standl.) Reveal

 Alismataceae / Water Plantain family

W 0 0 Alisma trivale Pursh water plantain

W 0 0 0 Sagittaria cuneata E. Sheld. arrowhead

W 1 0 0 Sagittaria latifolia Willd. 10407/O wappato, arrowhead

W 0 Sagittaria montevidensis Cham. & Schltdl. arrowhead

 subsp. calycina (Engelm.) Bogin

 Amaranthaceae / Pigweed family

D 1 0 0 0 *Amaranthus albus L. tumble pigweed

D/S 0 1 Amaranthus arenicola I. M. Johnst. 10257/ B sandhills pigweed

D 1 1 1 1 Amaranthus blitoides S. Watson prostrate pigweed, chile pureco

D 0 *Amaranthus hybridus L. green pigweed

D 1 0 1 *Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson Palmer’s pigweed, bledo

D 1 0 0 0 *Amaranthus retroflexus L. redroot pigweed, alegria, quelite rojo

D 0 Amaranthus wrightii S. Watson Wright’s pigweed

S 0 Froelichia floridana (Nutt.) Moq. field snake-cotton

S 1 0 0 Froelichia gracilis (Hook.) Moq. slender snake-cotton

D/S 0 Guilleminea densa (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) Moq. dense cottonflower

 var. densa

O/S 1 0 Tidestromia lanuginosa (Nutt.) Standl. [Cladothrix] espanta vaqueros

 Anacardiaceae / Poison-ivy or Mango family

C/R 0 1 Rhus aromatica Aiton lemonbush, skunkbush sumac

 subsp. pilosissima (Engelm.) W.A. Weber CU-11293/ B

County

Habitat O wL/eL B Scientific Name Common Name
18 USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-XXX. 2004 

C/R 1 1 1 1 Rhus aromatica lemonbush, skunkbush sumac, lemita

 var. trilobata (Nutt.) A. Gray ex S. Watson

C/R 1 1 1 1 Toxicodendron rydbergii (Small ex Rydb.) Greene poison ivy, yedra

 Apiaceae / Carrot or Parsley family

W 0 0 *Berula erecta (Huds.) Coville var. incisa (Torr.) Cronquist cutleaf water parsnip

W 0 0 0 *Conium maculatum L. poison hemlock

O 1 0 0 1 Cymopterus acaulis (Pursh) Raf. wild parsley, chimajá

 var. acaulis CU-9462/ O, G-9662/ B

O 1 0 0 1 Cymopterus montanus Torr. & A. Gray CU-11611/O prairie biscuit root

R 1 0 1 Lomatium foeniculaceum (Nutt.) J. M. Coult. & Rose desert parsley

 var. foeniculaceum 11601/O

O 0 1 Lomatium orientale J. M. Coult. & Rose northern Idaho biscuit root

R 1 0 Musineon divaricatum (Pursh) Nutt. ex. Torr. & A. Gray musineon

 Apocynaceae / Dogbane family

W 1 0 0 0 Apocynum cannabinum L. Indian hemp, dogbane, lechuguilla

 Asclepiadaceae / Milkweed family

S 0 Asclepias arenaria Torr. sand milkweed

R/S 1 1 1 1 Asclepias asperula (Decne.) Woodson antelope horns, inmortal,

 var. asperula 9802/O creeping milkweed

R/S 1 1 1 1 Asclepias engelmanniana Woodson Engelmann’s milkweed

W 0 Asclepias incarnata L. var. incarnata swamp milkweed

R/S 0 0 Asclepias involucrata Engelm. ex Torr. dwarf milkweed

R/S 1 1 1 1 Asclepias latifolia (Torr.) Raf. CU-9972/O broadleaf milkweed, lechones

R/O 0 0 0 Asclepias macrotis Torr. longhorn milkweed

R/S 0 0 Asclepias oenotheroides Cham. & Schltdl. sidecluster milkweed

R/O 0 1 Asclepias pumila (A. Gray) Vail plains milkweed

D/S 1 0 0 0 Asclepias speciosa Torr. showy milkweed, lecheros

D 1 0 0 1 Asclepias subverticillata (A. Gray) Vail CU-9938/O poison milkweed, lechones

W 0 Asclepias tuberosa L. var. interior (Woodson) Shinners butterfly weed, orange milkweed

R/S 0 1 Asclepias uncialis Greene Rare in region dwarf milkweed

O/R 1 0 0 Asclepias viridiflora Raf. 10371/O green milkweed

C/S 0 Funastrum crispum (Benth.) Schltdl. [Sarcostemma] waxy-leaf twine milkweed

 Asteraceae / Composite or Sunflower family

W 1 1 1 1 Achillea millefolium L. var. lanulosa (Nutt.) Piper yarrow, milenrama, plumajillo

S 1 1 1 1 Ambrosia acanthicarpa Hook. CU-10219/ B bur ragweed, annual bursage,

 yerba del sapo

O/D 1 1 1 1 Ambrosia confertiflora DC.

 CU-10273/ B, 11441/ LA, 10298/O Mexican ragweed

D/A 1 Ambrosia grayi (A. Nelson) Shinners CU-10248/B Gray’s ragweed

D/O 1 1 1 1 Ambrosia psilostachya DC. CU-10281/LA, 11471/O western ragweed

D 0 0 1 *Ambrosia trifida L. var. trifida giant ragweed, bloodweed

O 0 Antennaria neglecta Greene [A. obovata] pussytoes

O 1 0 0 Antennaria parvifolia Nutt. CU-9467/O pussytoes

O 0 Antennaria rosea Greene pink pussytoes

W/D 0 0 *Arctium minus Bernh. burdock, bardana

O 1 1 0 Artemisia bigelovii A. Gray 9687/ O Bigelov’s sage

O 1 1 0 Artemisia carruthii A. W. Wood ex. Carruth Carruth’s sage

S 0 0 0 1 Artemisia campestris L. field wormwood

 var. caudata (Michx.) Palmer & Steyerm [Oligosporus]

O/S 0 0 1 Artemisia dracunculus L. [Oligosporus] wild tarragon, yerba anis

S 1 0 1 1 Artemisia filifolia Torr. [Oligosporus] sand sagebrush, old-man sage,

 romerillo

O/R 1 1 1 1 Artemisia frigida Willd. fringed sage, prairie sagewort,

 altamisa de la sierra

R/C 1 0 0 0 Artemisia ludoviciana Nutt. var. incompta (Nutt.) Cronquist cut-leaf white sage

 CU-9465/ O, CU-11281/ B

R/C 1 1 1 1 Artemisia ludoviciana Nutt. var. ludoviciana white sage, Louisiana sage,

 mariola, estafiate, altamisa

County

Habitat O wL/eL B Scientific Name Common Name
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-XXX. 2004 19

W 0 0 0 1 Aster ericoides L. var. pansus (S. F. Blake) B. Bolvin frost flower, cluster aster

 [Virgulus]

W 1 0 0 1 Aster falcatus Lindl. var. commutatus (Torr.& A. Gray) frost flower, cluster aster

 A. G. Jones [Virgulus] CU-11480/ O

R 0 0 Aster fendleri A. Gray [Virgulus] Fendler’s aster

W 0 Aster laevis L. var. geyeri A. Gray smooth blue aster

W 0 Aster oblongifolius Nutt. [Virgulus] aromatic aster

W 0 Baccharis salicina Torr. & A. Gray Rio Grande seepwillow

R/O 1 1 Baccharis wrightii A. Gray 11245/ O, 11273/ B Wright’s baccharis,

 yerba del pasmo

O 1 1 Berlandiera lyrata Benth. var. lyrata green eyes, chocolate flower

W 0 0 Bidens bigelovii A. Gray Bigelov’s begger-ticks

W 0 0 *Bidens cernua L. nodding begger-ticks

W 0 Bidens comosa (A. Gray) Wiegand straw-stem begger-ticks

W 0 0 *Bidens frondosa L. Devil’s begger-ticks

C/R 1 1 0 0 Brickellia brachyphylla (A. Gray) A. Gray 11440/ LA lance-leaf brickellbush

C/R 1 0 0 1 Brickellia californica (Torr. & A. Gray) A. Gray California brickellbush,

 var. californica 11469/ O yerba de la mala mujer

O/D 1 0 0 1 Brickellia eupatorioides (L.) Shinners var. chlorolepis rosemary-leaf brickellbush

 (Wooton & Standl.) B. L. Turner [B. rosmarinifolia] 11447/ O

O/S 1 Brickellia eupatorioides (L.) Shinners var. corymbulosa false boneset

 (Torr. & A. Gray) Shinners

C/R 0 0 Brickellia grandiflora (Hook.) Nutt. var. grandiflora large-flower brickellbush, hamula

W/D 1 1 0 1 *Carduus nutans L. musk thistle

W 1 *Centaurea repens L. 10338/ Crowley County Russian knapweed

O/D 1 1 1 1 Chaetopappa ericoides (Torr.) G. L. Nesom white aster, rose heath

 [Leucelene, Aster] 9483/O

S 0 Chrysothamnus pulchellus (A. Gray) Greene sand rabbitbrush

 var. baileya (Wooton & Standl.) S. F. Blake

W 0 0 1 1 *Cirsium arvensis (L.) Scop. Canadian thistle

S 0 1 Cirsium canescens Nutt. Platte thistle

D 0 0 1 Cirsium ochrocentrum A. Gray yellowspine thistle

O 1 1 1 1 Cirsium undulatum (Nutt.) Spreng. var. undulatum wavy-leaf thistle, cardo santo

D/S 1 1 1 1 *Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronquist horseweed, pazotillo

 var. canadensis CU-10236/ B

D 0 Coreopsis tinctoria Nutt. var. tinctoria plains coreopsis

D 0 1 0 1 Dyssodia papposa (Vent.) Hitchc. CU-10271/ B, 11301/B prairie dog weed, pagué, togoles

O 0 0 Echinacea angustifolia DC. var. angustifolia Rare in CO echinacea, black sampson

O 1 1 1 1 Engelmannia pinnatifida A. Gray ex Nutt. Engelmann’s daisy

O 1 0 1 1 Ericameria nauseosa (Pall. ex Pursh) G. L. Nesom & rubber rabbitbrush

 G. I. Baird var. glabrata (A. Gray) G. L. Nesom & G. I. Baird

 [Chrysothamnus nausesous var. graveolens] 11256/ O

O 1 1 1 1 Ericameria nauseosa (Pall. ex Pursh) chamiso blanco,

 G. L. Nesom & G. I. Baird var. nauseosa dwarf, blue or

 [Chrysothamnus nausesous var. nauseosus] rubber rabbitbrush

S 1 1 1 1 Erigeron bellidiastrum Nutt. var. bellidiastrum pretty daisy fleabane

R 0 0 1 1 Erigeron canus A. Gray 11262/ B hoary daisy fleabane

S 1 0 0 1 Erigeron colo-mexicanus A. Nelson CU-9798/O, 9690/O daisy fleabane

S 0 0 1 Erigeron divergens Torr. & A. Gray spreading daisy fleabane

 var. divergens

O 0 Erigeron flagellaris A. Gray whiplash daisy, zarzilla

O 1 0 1 Erigeron pumilus Nutt. var. pumilus 11272/ B vernal daisy fleabane

 0 Eupatorium herbaceum (A. Gray) Greene [Ageratina] white thoroughwort

O 1 0 1 1 Evax prolifera Nutt. ex DC. CU-11549/B, 9499/O rabbit tobacco

W 0 Flaveria campestris J. R. Johnston marshweed

O 1 1 1 1 Gaillardia pinnatifida Torr. 9925/ 11507a/O Hopi blanketflower, coronilla

O 0 1 Gaillardia pulchella Foug. var. pulchella rose-ring blanketflower

D/W 1 0 0 1 Grindelia inornata Greene var. inornata rayless gumweed, yerba del buey

 10740/O Endemic to CO

D/W 0 0 1 Grindelia squarrosa (Pursh) Dunal var. squarrosa gumweed, rosinweed

County

Habitat O wL/eL B Scientific Name Common Name
20 USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-XXX. 2004 

R 0 Grindelia revoluta Steyerm. rolled gumweed

O 1 1 1 1 Gutierrezia sarothrae (Pursh) Britton & Rusby 10476/ O snakeweed, golden globe,

 escoba de la vibora

W 0 Helenium microcephalum DC. sneezeweed

D 1 1 1 1 Helianthus annuus L. common sunflower, añil

O/S 1 1 1 1 Helianthus petiolaris Nutt. var. petiolaris plains sunflower

D 0 *Heterosperma pinnatum Cav. beggar’s ticks

O 0 Heterotheca canescens (DC.) Shinners golden aster

S 0 1 Heterotheca subaxillaris (Lam.) Britton & Rusby 9928/ B camphorweed, telegraph plant

O 0 Heterotheca villosa (Pursh) Shinners horrid golden aster

 var. nana (A. Gray) Semple [H. horrida]

O 1 1 1 1 Heterotheca villosa (Pursh) Shinners var. villosa hairy golden aster

R 1 0 1 0 Hymenopappus filifolius Hook. var. cinereus (Rydb.) few-headed woolywhite

 I. M. Johnston 11227/O

O 1 1 1 1 Hymenopappus flavescens A. Gray var. flavescens yellow-flowered woolywhite

 11284/ B

R 1 Hymenopappus polycephalus Osterh. many-headed woolywhite

R 0 0 1 Hymenopappus tenuifolius Pursh white-flowered woolywhite

A 1 1 0 1 Hymenoxys odorata DC. 9693/O [Picradenia] bitterweed

D 1 0 0 0 Iva axillaris Pursh poverty weed

W/D 1 1 *Iva xanthifolia Nutt. [Cyclachaena] marsh elder

W 1 1 1 1 *Lactuca serriola L. prickly lettuce

W 0 0 0 1 Lactuca oblongifolia Nutt. [L. tatarica var. pulchella] blue lettuce

O 1 1 1 1 Liatris punctata Hook. blazing star, gayfeather, cachana

O 1 1 1 1 Lygodesmia juncea (Pursh) D. Don ex Hook 10403/O skeletonweed, 

 chiquete de embarañada

O 1 0 0 1 Machaeranthera pinnatifida (Hook.) Shinners Goodding’s spiny goldenweed

 var. paradoxa B. L. Turner & R. L. Hartm.

 [M. pinnatifida subsp. gooddingii]

R 1 1 1 1 Machaeranthera pinnatifida (Hook.) Shinners smooth spiny goldenweed

 var. glaberrima 10293/O

O 1 1 1 1 Machaeranthera pinnatifida (Hook.) Shinners spiny goldenweed,

 var. pinnatifida CU-9754/ O yerba de la quintana

D/S 1 1 1 1 Machaeranthera tanacetifolia (H.B.K.) Nees CU-10274/ B tansy-leaf aster, Tahoka daisy

R 1 1 1 1 Melampodium leucanthum Torr. & A. Gray blackfoot daisy

O 1 0 1 0 Nothocalais cuspidata (Pursh) Greene CU-9474/O false dandelion

O/D 1 0 0 Oonopsis foliosa (A. Gray) Greene goldenweed

 var. foliosa [Haplopappus]

O 0 0 0 Oonopsis foliosa (A. Gray) Greene var. monocephala one-headed goldenweed

 (A. Nelson) Kartesz & Gandhi [Haplopappus] Rare on CNG

O 0 0 Packera plattensis (Nutt.) W. A. Weber & A. Löve prairie ragwort

 [Senecio]

W 0 Packera pseudaureus (Rydb.) W. A. Weber & A. Löve groundsel,

 var. flavulus (Greene) D. K. Trock & T. M. Barkley ragwort

 [Senecio]

O 1 1 1 0 Packera tridenticulata (Rydb.) W. A. Weber & A. Löve ragwort

 [Senecio]

S 1 1 0 0 Palafoxia rosea (Bush) Cory var. macrolepsis (Rydb.) rayless Spanish needles

 B. L. Turner & M. I. Morris 10351/O

O/S 1 0 0 1 Palafoxia sphacelata (Nutt. ex Torr.) Cory CU-10278/ B Spanish needles, palafoxia

O/D 1 0 0 1 Pectis angustifolia Torr. var. angustifolia CU-10259/ B narrowleaf pectis, limoncillo

C 0 1 Pericome caudata A. Gray tail-leaf pericome

O/D 1 1 1 1 Picradeniopsis oppositifolia (Nutt.) Rydb. ex Britton bahia, hierba de chivato

 CU-9810/O

O/D 1 Picradeniopsis woodhousei (A. Gray) Rydb. CU-10238/B bahia

A 0 Prionopsis ciliata (Nutt.) Nutt. [Haplopappus] goldenweed

C 0 1 Pseudognaphalium canescens (DC.) W.A. Weber subsp. cudweed

 microcephalum (Nutt.) Stebbins & Keil 10213/B

O/W 1 1 1 1 Ratibida columnifera (Nutt.) Wooton & Standl. prairie coneflower, Mexican hat

O/W 1 1 1 1 Ratibida tagetes (E. James) Barnhart red coneflower, yerba de la tusa

County

Habitat O wL/eL B Scientific Name Common Name
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-XXX. 2004 21

A 0 Rayjacksonia annua (Rydb.) R. L. Hartman & M. A. Lane alkaline goldenweed

W 0 Schkuhria multiflora Hook. & Arn. [Bahia neomexicana] bahia

D 1 0 1 *Scorzonera laciniata L. [Podospermum] cut-leaf salsify

O 1 1 1 1 Senecio flaccidus Less. var. douglasii (DC.) thread-leaf groundsel,

 Turner & T. M. Barkley 9958/O yerba del caballo

O/W 1 0 1 Senecio integerrimus Nutt. var. integerrimus gauge groundsel, wet-the-bed

O 0 0 1 1 Senecio spartioides Torr. & Gray broom groundsel, Riddell

 var. fremontii (Torr. & A. Gray) Greenm. ex. L. O. Williams ragwort

 [S. riddellii] CU-10276/B

S 0 Shinnersoseris rostrata (A. Gray) Tomb shinnersoseris

W 0 0 Solidago canadensis L. var. gilvocanescens Rydb. Canada goldenrod, mariquilla

W 1 0 0 Solidago gigantea Aiton. [S. serotinoides] 11505/O late goldenrod

W 0 Solidago missouriensis Nutt. var. missouriensis Missouri goldenrod

O 1 0 1 Solidago mollis Bartl. var. mollis soft goldenrod

W 0 Solidago multiradiata Aiton var. scopulorum A. Gray many-rayed goldenrod

R/O 0 1 1 Solidago nana Nutt. CU-9945/B dwarf goldenrod

O/W 0 0 Solidago rigida L. var. rigida [Oligoneuron] rigid goldenrod

W 0 0 0 Solidago velutina DC. [S. sparsiflora] velvet goldenrod

W 0 0 Solidago wrightii A. Gray var. adenophora S. F. Blake Wright’s goldenrod

W 1 0 0 *Sonchus asper (L.) Hill prickly sow thistle

W/D 1 *Sonchus oleraceus L. common sow thistle, lechuguilla

O 1 0 0 0 Stephanomeria pauciflora (Torr.) A. Nelson wire lettuce

 var. pauciflora 11614/O

W 1 1 1 1 *Taraxacum officinale Weber ex W. H. Wigg. dandelion, chicória,

 diente de león

R 1 1 1 1 Tetraneuris acaulis (Pursh) Greene perky Sue, stemless bitterweed

 var. acaulis [Hymenoxys] 9696/O

R 0 1 Tetraneuris scaposa (DC.) Greene var. scaposa scapose bitterweed

O 0 1 Thelesperma filifolium (Hook.) A. Gray greenthread

 var. intermedium (Rydb.) Shinners

R 1 1 1 1 Thelesperma megapotamicum (Spreng.) Kuntze Hopi greenthread, cota,

 CU-12046/B, 10354/O Navajo tea

R 1 1 1 1 Thelesperma subnudum A. Gray scapose greenthread

 var. subnudum CU-9717/O

O/D 0 0 0 Thymophylla aurea ( A. Gray) Greene ex Britton prairie dog weed, fetid marigold,

 var. aurea [Dyssodia] togoles

R 0 0 1 Townsendia exscapa (Richardson) Porter CU-9673/B Easter daisy

R 0 Townsendia hookeri Beaman Easter daisy

D/O 1 0 1 1 *Tragopogon dubius Scop. goat’s beard, yellow salsify

D 0 0 1 Verbesina encelioides (Cav.) Benth. & Hook f. ex A. Gray cowpen daisy, añil del muerto,

 var. exauriculata B. L. Rob & Greenm. CU-10233/B golden crownbeard

W 0 Vernonia marginata (Torr.) Raf. plains ironweed

O 0 Viguiera multiflora (Nutt.) S. F. Blake showy goldeneye

 var. multiflora [Heliomeris]

D 0 *Xanthium spinosum L. [Acanthoxanthium] spiny cocklebur

W/D 1 1 1 1 *Xanthium strumarium L. cocklebur, cadillos

 var. canadense (Mill.) Torr. & A. Gray

R 1 1 1 1 Zinnia grandiflora Nutt. prairie zinnia

Boraginaceae / Borage or Forget-me-not family

D 0 *Asperugo procumbens L. madwort

O/S 1 0 1 1 Cryptantha cinerea (Greene) Cronquist var. jamesii James’s cryptantha

 Cronquist [Oreocarya suffruticosa] 9694/O, CU-11577/B

O/D 1 0 1 1 Cryptantha crassisepala (Torr. & A. Gray) Greene annual cryptantha

 var. elachantha I. M. Johnst. CU- 9735/O

R/S 0 Cryptantha fendleri (A. Gray) Greene Fendler’s cryptantha

O/D 0 0 0 Cryptantha minima Rydb. annual cryptantha

R/O 1 0 0 1 Cryptantha thyrsiflora (Greene) Payson calcareous cryptantha

 9459/O, CU-9784/LA [Oreocarya]

W 0 0 *Cynoglossum officinale L. hound’s tongue

County

Habitat O wL/eL B Scientific Name Common Name
22 USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-XXX. 2004 

S 1 0 1 1 Heliotropium convolvulaceum (Nutt.) A. Gray bindweed heliotrope

 var. convolvulaceum [Euploca]

O 1 0 0 1 Lappula occidentalis (S. Watson) Greene var. cupulata stickseed

 (A. Gray) L. C. Higgins [L. redowskii] 11235/O, CU-9803/O

O 1 1 1 1 Lappula occidentalis (S. Watson) Greene stickseed

 var. occidentalis CU-9490/O

O 1 1 1 1 Lithospermum incisum Lehm CU-9668/B hoary puccoon

C/R 0 Mertensia lanceolata (Pursh) A. DC. bluebells, chiming bells

R 0 0 1 Onosmodium molle Michx. marbleseed

 var. occidentale (Mack.) I. M. Johnst.

Brassicaceae / Cruciferae or Mustard family

D/O 0 *Alyssum desertorum Staph. alyssum

R 0 Arabis hirsuta (L.) Scopoli

 var. pycnocarpa (M. Hopkins) Rollins rockcress

D 1 1 1 1 *Camelina microcarpa Andrz ex DC. 10389/O false flax

D 0 *Camelina rumelica Velen. false flax

D 1 *Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik. shepherd’s purse

D 1 1 *Chorispora tenella (Pall.) DC. blue mustard

D 1 0 *Conringia orientalis (L.) Dumort 10411/O hare’s ear mustard

D 0 Descurainia incana (Bernh. ex Fisch. & C. A. Mey) Dorn tansy mustard

 var. incana

D 1 0 1 1 Descurainia pinnata (Walter) Britton CU-9741/LA tansy mustard, pamita

D 0 0 0 *Descurainia sophia (L.) Webb ex Prantl flixweed

O 1 0 1 0 Draba reptans (Lam.) Fernald CU-9460/O whitlow grass

O 1 1 1 1 Erysimum asperum (Nutt.) DC. 9680/O western wallflower

O 0 Erysimum inconspicuum (S. Watson) MacMill. lesser wallflower

O 0 *Erysimum repandum L. spreading wallflower,

 yerba del apache

O 0 0 1 1 *Lepidium densiflorum Schrad. var. densiflorum pepperweed, mostacilla

 CU-9826/B

W 1 *Lepidium latifolium L. [Cardaria] broadleaf pepperplant,

R 1 0 0 0 Lesquerella calcicola Rollins 9751/O Rare on CNG limestone bladderpod

R 1 1 1 1 Lesquerella fendleri (A. Gray) S. Watson Fendler’s bladderpod

 CU-9778/LA, 9695/O

R 0 Lesquerella montana (A. Gray) S. Watson mountain bladderpod

R 1 0 0 1 Lesquerella ovalifolia Rydb. ex Britton oval-leaf bladderpod

 var. ovalifolia 9663/B, CU-9721/O

W 0 0 Nasturtium officinale R. Br. watercress, berro

 [Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum]

W 1 1 0 0 Rorippa sinuata (Nutt.) Hitchc 11599/O yellowcress

O 0 Schoenocrambe linearifolia (A. Gray) Rollins skeleton mustard

D/R 1 1 1 1 *Sisymbrium altissimum L. 11542/B tumble mustard, umbrella weed,

 Jim Hill mustard

R 1 0 0 1 Stanleya pinnata (Pursh) Britton var. pinnata CU-9478/O Prince’s plume

R/W 0 0 0 Thelypodium wrightii A. Gray

 subsp. oklahomensis Al-Shehbaz Wright’s thelypody

D 0 0 0 *Thlaspi arvense L. pennycress

Cactaceae / Cactus family

S/O 0 0 1 0 Coryphantha vivipara (Nutt.) Britt. & Rose var. vivipara nipple or pincushion cactus

O 1 1 1 1 Cylindropuntia imbricata (Haw.) F. M. Knuth tree cholla, candelabra cactus,

 var. imbricata [Opuntia] cholla, entraña

R/O 1 0 Echinocereus reichenbachii (Terscheck ex Walp.) F. Haage Reichenbach’s lace cactus

 var. perbellus (Britton & Rose) L. D. Benson Rare on CNG

O 1 0 1 1 Echinocereus viridiflorus Engelm. var. viridiflorus hen and chickens, hedgehog

 cactus

O/S 0 0 Opuntia fragilis (Nutt.) Haw. var. fragilis jumping cactus

O/S 1 1 1 Opuntia macrorhiza Engelm. [O. cymochila] tuberous-rooted plains 

 prickly pear

County

Habitat O wL/eL B Scientific Name Common Name
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-XXX. 2004 23

R/S 0 0 0 1 Opuntia phaeacantha Engelm. New Mexican prickly pear

 var. camanchica (Engelm. & Bigelow) L. D. Benson

R 0 0 0 1 Opuntia phaeacantha Engelm. var. phaeacantha purple-fruited prickly pear

R 0 0 Opuntia phaeacantha Engelm. var. major Engelm. major prickly pear

O 1 1 1 1 Opuntia polyacantha Haw. var. polyacantha plains prickly pear

O 0 Opuntia polyacantha Haw. hair-spined prickly pear

 var. trichophora (Engelm. & Bigelow) J. M. Coult.

O 0 Pediocactus simpsonii (Engelm.) Britton. & Rose ball or plains cactus

 var. simpsonii

Campanulaceae / Bellflower family

W 0 0 1 Lobelia cardinalis L. CU-10218/B cardinal flower

W 1 *Triodanis perfoliata (L.) Nieuwl. 11562/B Venus’s looking glass

Capparaceae / Caper family

D/O 1 0 0 0 Cleome serrulata Pursh Rocky Mountain beeplant, guaco

S 1 0 0 1 Polanisia dodecandra (L.) DC. var. trachysperma clammy weed

 (Torr. & A. Gray) H. H. Iltis CU-9961/O

Caprifoliaceae / Honeysuckle family

W 1 0 1 *Sambucus canadensis L. var. canadensis 11604/O elderberry, flor de sauz, sauco

W 0 Sambucus cerulea Raf. [S. nigra ssp. cerulea] blue elderberry

W 1 0 0 1 Symphoricarpos occidentalis Hook. western snowberry

W 0 Symphoricarpos oreophilus A. Gray var. oreophilus snowberry

Caryophyllaceae / Pink family

R 1 0 0 0 Arenaria hookeri Nutt. var. hookeri [Eremogyne] tufted sandwort, Hooker sandwort

R 1 1 0 1 Arenaria hookeri Nutt. var. pinetorum (A. Nelson) Maguire tufted sandwort

 CU-9676/O, 9487/O

R 1 0 0 1 Paronychia jamesii Torr. & A. Gray CU-9759/O James’s nailwort

R 1 0 Paronychia sessiliflora Nutt. 11240/O, CU-9485/O sessile nailwort

D 0 *Saponaria officinalis L. Soapwort, clavelina

R 1 1 Silene antirrhina L. 9493/O sleepy catchfly

W/A 0 *Spergularia marina (L.) Griseb. salt marsh sand spurry

Chenopodiaceae /Goosefoot family

O/A 1 0 Atriplex argentea Nutt. var. argentea 10746a/O silver scale saltbush

O/A 1 1 1 1 Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt. var. canescens 9971/O four-winged saltbush, chamiso

R/A 1 0 0 1 Atriplex confertifolia (Torrey & Frém.) S. Watson spiny saltbush

W/A 0 *Atriplex patula L. var. patula fathen saltplant

A 1 Atriplex powellii S. Watson CU-10746b/O Powell’s saltplant

W/A 0 *Atriplex rosea L. red scale, red orache

A 0 Atriplex subspicata (Nutt.) Rydb. spear scale

D 0 0 0 0 *Chenopodium album L. var. album lamb’s quarters, goosefoot,

 quelite salado, quelite

D 1 0 0 1 Chenopodium berlandieri Moq. var. zschackei

 (Murray) Murr. ex Asch. 10752/O, 10249/B pitseed goosefoot, quelite

S 0 Chenopodium cycloides A. Nelson Rare in Region sandhill goosefoot

O/D 1 Chenopodium desiccatum A. Nelson 11286/B dry goosefoot

C 0 0 Chenopodium fremontii S. Watson Fremont goosefoot

D 0 Chenopodium graveolens Willd. [Teloxys graveolens] Mexican tea

O/D 1 1 1 1 Chenopodium incanum (S. Watson) A. Heller goosefoot

 var. incanum 11593/O

O 0 0 1 Chenopodium leptophyllum (Moq.) Nutt. ex S. Watson prairie goosefoot

O/D 1 1 0 0 Chenopodium pratericola Rydb. 10367/O goosefoot

O/S 1 Chenopodium subglabrum (S. Watson) A. Nelson goosefoot

Rare in Region

W 0 0 Chenopodium simplex (Torr.) Raf. shade goosefoot

S 0 Corispermum americanum (Nutt.) Nutt. var. americanum tickseed

S 0 1 Corispermum americanum (Nutt.) Nutt. var. rydbergii hyssopleaf tickseed

 S. Mosyakin [C. hyssopifolium] CU-10227/B

County

Habitat O wL/eL B Scientific Name Common Name
24 USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-XXX. 2004 

S 0 0 1 Cycloloma atriplicifolium (Spreng.) J. M. Coult. tumble ringweed,

 CU-10266/B winged pigweed

D 1 1 1 1 *Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrad. [Bassia sieversiana] kochia, alkaliweed, fireweed

O 1 0 1 1 Krascheninnikovia lanata (Pursh) Meeuse & Smit winterfat

 [Ceratoides, Eurotia]

D 1 0 Monolepis nuttalliana (Schultes) Greene 9692/O poverty weed

D 1 1 1 1 *Salsola australis R. Br. [S. tragus, S. iberica, S. kali] Russian thistle, tumbleweed,

 cizaña

D 1 0 *Salsola collina Pallas 10745/O tumbleweed

A 1 0 1 1 Sarcobatus vermiculatus (Hook.) Torr. var. vermiculatus greasewood

A 0 Suaeda calceoliformis (Hook) Moq. Broom seepweed

Commelinaceae / Spiderwort family

S 1 1 Commelina erecta L. dayflower

O 1 0 0 1 Tradescantia occidentalis (Britton) Smyth spiderwort, soft and tender

 var. occidentalis 9470/O

Convolvulaceae / Morning Glory family

W 0 Calystegia sepium (L.) R. Br. hedge bindweed

 var. angulata (Brummitt) N. H. Holmgren

D 1 1 1 1 *Convolvulus arvensis L. field bindweed

D 1 1 1 1 Convolvulus equitans Benth. hoary bindweed

D 1 Cuscuta cuspidata Engelm. [Grammica] 9933/B cusp dodder

D 0 0 1 Cuscuta indecora Choisy large alfalfa dodder,

 var. indecora [Grammica] yerba sin raiz

D 1 Cuscuta umbellata Kunth dodder, yerba sin raiz

S 1 1 1 1 Evolvulus nuttallianus Schult. CU-9755/O evolvulus

S 0 1 1 Ipomoea leptophylla Torr. bush morning glory

Crossosomataceae / Crossosoma family

R 0 Forsellesia meionandra (Koehne) A. Heller grease bush

 [Glossopetalon] 11249/LA (near CNG)

Cucurbitaceae / Gourd family

D/S 1 0 0 1 Cucurbita foetidissima Kunth buffalo / coyote gourd, calabazilla

W 0 1 Cyclanthera dissecta (Torr. & A. Gray) Arn. CU-10212/B cyclanthera

Cyperaceae / Sedge family

W 1 1 0 Bolboschoenus maritimus (L.) Palla subsp. paludosus

 (A. Nelson) A. Löve & D. Löve [Sciprus] 9954 O alkali bulrush

W 1 0 0 1 Carex brevior (Dewey) Mack. ex Lunell 11287/B short-beaked or fescue sedge

W 0 0 Carex emoryi Dewey Emory’s sedge

C 0 Carex foena Willd. var. foena silvertop sedge

C 0 Carex geophila Mack. dryland sedge

W 0 0 1 Carex gravida L. H. Bailey heavy sedge

 var. lunelliana (Mack.) F. J. Herm. 11566/B

W 0 1 Carex hystericina Muhl. ex Willd. bottlebrush or porcupine sedge

W 0 0 Carex lanuginosa Michx. wooly sedge

W 0 0 Carex molesta Mack. ex Bright [C. festucacea] troublesome sedge

C 0 0 Carex occidentalis L. H. Bailey western sedge

O 0 0 Carex pensylvanica Lam. sun sedge

 var. digyna Boeck. [C. heliophila]

W 0 Carex praegracilis Boott silver, blackcreeper sedge

W 0 Carex stipata Muhl. owl-fruit sedge

W 0 1 Carex vulpinoidea Michx. 11278/B fox sedge

C 0 Carex xerantica L. H. Bailey dryland sedge

W 0 Cyperus lupulinus (Spreng.) Marcks flatsedge

 var. lupulinus [C. filiculmis]

S 0 0 1 Cyperus schweinitzii Torr. [Mariscus] 11569/B Schweinitz’s flatsedge

S 1 Cyperus sphaerolepis Boeckl Rare in CO Rusby’s flatsedge

W 0 1 Eleocharis aciculatis (L.) Roem. & Schult. slender spikerush

W 1 1 0 1 Eleocharis palustris (L.) Roem. & Schult 10362/O common spikerush

W 0 Eleocharis rostellata (Torr.) Torr. Torrey’s spikerush

County

Habitat O wL/eL B Scientific Name Common Name
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-XXX. 2004 25

W 1 0 0 0 Schoenoplectus tabernaemontana (K. C. Gmell) Palla

 [Scirpus validus] 11257/O softstem bulrush, tule

W 1 0 0 1 Schoenoplectus pungens (Vahl) Palla

 var. pungens CU-9834/B common three-square bulrush

W 0 0 0 0 Scirpus pallidus (Britton) Fernald pale bulrush

Elaeagnaceae / Olive family

W 0 0 1 *Elaeagnus angustifolia L. Russian olive

Ericaceae / Heath family

C 0 Pterospora andromedea Nutt. pine drops

Euphorbiaceae / Spurge family

C 1 0 0 1 Argythamnia mercurialina (Nutt.) Müll.-Arg. wild mercury

 var. mercurialina [Ditaxis] 11289/B

R 1 0 0 0 Chamaesyce fendleri (Torr. & A. Gray) Small [Euphorbia] Fendler’s spurge

D 0 Chamaesyce geyeri (Engelm.) Small [Euphorbia] Geyer’s spurge

D 1 0 1 1 Chamaesyce glyptosperma (Engelm.) Small ridge-seeded spurge

 [Euphorbia] 10286/LA

R 1 1 1 1 Chamaesyce lata (Engelm.) Small CU-9473/O, 11232/O broad-leaved spurge

S 0 0 1 Chamaesyce missurica (Raf.) Shinners [Euphorbia] Missouri spurge

D 1 0 Chamaesyce revoluta (Engelm.) Small [Euphorbia] revolute spurge

D 0 *Chamaesyce serpens (Kunth) Small [Euphorbia] round-leaved spurge

D 0 *Chamaesyce serpyllifolia (Pers.) Small [Euphorbia] thyme-leaved spruge,

 yerba de la golondrina

D 0 0 1 Chamaesyce stictospora (Engelm.) Small mat spurge

 [Euphorbia] CU-9947/B

S 1 1 1 1 Croton texensis (Klotzsch) Müll. Arg. doveweed, Texas croton,

 barbasco

R 0 Euphorbia brachycera Engelm. [E. robusta] robust spurge

D 1 0 0 1 Euphorbia dentata (Michx.) [Poinsettia] toothed spurge, poinsettia

 weed

O 1 0 0 0 Euphorbia marginata Pursh [Agaloma] snow-on-the-mountain

R 1 0 Euphorbia spathulata Lam. [Tithymalus] 9472/O prairie spurge

C 0 Stillingia sylvatica Garden ex L. subsp. sylvatica stillingia

R 1 1 0 1 Tragia ramosa Torr. 11299/B noseburn

Fabaceae (Caesalpinioideae, Mimosoideae & Papilionoideae) / Bean family

C/R 1 Amorpha canescens Pursh leadplant

W 0 1 Amorpha fruticosa L. false indigo

C/R 0 1 Amorpha nana Nutt. Rare in region dwarf false indigo

D/O 0 0 0 Astragalus bisulcatus (Hook.) A. Gray var. bisulcatus two-grooved milkvetch

S 0 1 Astragalus ceramicus E. Sheld. painted milkvetch

 var. filifolius (A. Gray) F. J. Herm. 11308/B

S 0 Astragalus cerussatus E.Sheld Endemic to CO powdery milkvetch

O 1 0 1 1 Astragalus crassicarpus Nutt. var. crassicarpus 11248/LA ground plum

O 0 Astragalus drummondii Douglas ex Hook. Drummond’s milkvetch

O 1 0 1 1 Astragalus gracilis Nutt. 10374/O slender milkvetch

R 0 Astragalus lonchocarpus Torr. great rushy milkvetch

O 1 1 1 1 Astragalus lotiflorus Hook. CU-976/0, 9667/B lotus milkvetch

O 1 0 0 1 Astragalus missouriensis Nutt. Missouri milkvetch

 var. missouriensis

O 1 0 1 Astragalus mollissimus Torr. var. mollissimus woolly locoweed

 CU-9665/B, 10344/O

R 1 1 Astragalus nuttallianus DC.

 var. micranthiformis Barneby CU-9497/O, CU-9661/B small-flowered milkvetch

O 1 0 1 0 Astragalus pectinatus (Hook.) Douglas ex D. Don tine-leaved or poison milkvetch

 10782/Crowley County

R 1 0 0 Astragalus puniceus Osterh. var. puniceus Trinidad milkvetch

D/R 1 0 0 Astragalus racemosus Pursh alkali milkvetch

 var. racemosus CU-9729/O

O 1 0 0 Astragalus shortianus Nutt. 9758/O Short’s milkvetch

County

Habitat O wL/eL B Scientific Name Common Name
26 USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-XXX. 2004 

O 1 0 0 1 Caesalpinia jamesii (Torr. & A. Gray) E. M. Fisher James’ rush pea

 [Pomaria] CU-9922/B, 10398/O

O 0 0 1 Dalea aurea Nutt. ex Pursh 9936/B golden prairie clover

R 1 0 0 1 Dalea candida Michx. white prairie clover

 var. oligophylla (Torr.) Shinners CU-9930/B

S 1 Dalea cylindriceps Barneby Rare in CO massive spike prairie clover

O/S 1 0 0 1 Dalea enneandra Nutt. CU-9934/B wand paririe clover

C 0 1 Dalea formosa Torr. feather plume,

 yerba de Alonso Garcìa

R 1 1 1 1 Dalea jamesii (Torr.) Torr. & A. Gray 11237/B James’ dalea

S 0 Dalea lanata Spreng var. terminalis (M.E. Jones) wooly dalea

O/R 0 Dalea multiflora (Nutt.) Shinners round-headed prairie clover

R 0 Dalea nana Torr. & A. Gray var. carnescens dwarf prairie clover

 (Rydb.) Kearney & Peebles CU-10764/ Pueblo County

S 0 Dalea nana Torr. & A. Gray var. nana dwarf prairie clover

R 1 0 1 1 Dalea purpurea Vent. var. purpurea purple prairie clover

R 1 0 0 1 Dalea tenuifolia (A. Gray) Shinners 11613/B, 11613/O slimleaf prairie clover

S 0 0 0 Dalea villosa (Nutt.) Spreng. var. villosa silky prairie clover

O 0 1 Desmanthus cooleyi (Eat.) Trel. Cooley bundleflower

W 1 1 Desmanthus illinoensis (Michx.) MacMill. Illinois bundleflower

 ex B. L. Rob & Fernald CU-10216/B

P 1 1 *Gleditsia triacanthos L. honey locust

W 1 0 0 0 Glycyrrhiza lepidota Nutt. ex Pursh. CU-10412/O wild licorice, amolillo, palo dulce

C/R 1 0 0 Hedysarum boreale var. boreale Nutt. sweet broom, sweet vetch

O 1 0 0 1 Hoffmanseggia drepanocarpa A. Gray 10379/O, 11302/B sickle-pod rush pea

O 1 0 0 1 Hoffmanseggia glauca (Ortega) Eifert Indian rush pea, hog potato

W/R 1 0 0 0 Lathyrus eucosmus Butters & H. St. John 10413/O seemly sweet pea, patito

C/S 0 0 Lathyrus polymorphus Nutt. hoary sweet pea

 var. incanus (J. G. Sm. & Rydb. ex Rydb.) Dorn

S 1 Lupinus plattensis S. Watson 11550/B Platte lupine

S 1 0 0 1 Lupinus pusillus Pursh var. pusillus 9689/O, 11537/ B dwarf lupine, ant pennies

W/D 0 0 0 0 *Medicago lupulina L. black medic, hop clover

W/D 0 0 *Medicago sativa L. alfalfa

W/D 1 0 0 0 *Melilotus albus Medik. CU-9950/O white sweet clover

D/W 1 1 1 1 *Melilotus officinalis (L.) Pall. yellow sweet clover, alfalfón

C/R 0 1 Mimosa borealis A. Gray 11584/B pink mimosa

C 0 Mimosa quadrivalvis L. var. occidentalis western sensitive brier

 (Wooton & Standl) Barneby [Schrankia occidentalis]

R 1 0 Oxytropis lambertii Pursh var. lambertii purple locoweed, frijolillo

R 0 Oxytropis sericea Nutt. var. sericea white locoweed

R/O 0 1 Pediomelum argophyllum (Pursh) J. W. Grimes silver-leaf scurf pea

R/S 0 0 1 Pediomelum hypogaeum (Nutt. ex Torr. & A. Gray) Rydb.

 var. hypogaeum CU-9666/B little breadroot, scurf pea

R 0 0 Prosopis glandulosa Torr. var. glandulosa mesquite

S 0 0 1 1 Psoralidium lanceolatum (Pursh) Rydb. lemon scurf pea

O 1 1 1 1 Psoralidium tenuiflorum (Pursh) Rydb. scurfy pea, wild alfalfa,

 contayerba blanco

O 1 1 1 1 Sophora nuttalliana B. L. Turner [Vexibia] 9477/O silky locoweed

C 0 Strophostyles leiosperma (Torrey & Gray) Piper slick-seed bean

W 0 Thermopsis rhombifolia (Nutt. ex Pursh) prairie buck bean, golden banner

 var. rhombifolia Nutt. ex Richardson

W 1 Trifolium wormskioldii Lehm. cow clover

 var. wormskioldii CU-9835/B

D/O 1 0 1 1 Vicia americana Muhl. ex Willd. American vetch

 var. minor Hook. 11606/O

C/D 0 0 Vicia ludoviciana Nutt. var. ludoviciana Louisiana vetch

Fagaceae / Oak family

C/R 1 1 0 1 Quercus gambelii Nutt. gambel’s oak, scrub oak, encino

C/R 0 0 1 Quercus grisea Liebm. gray’s oak, encino

C/R 1 1 1 0 Quercus x undulata Torr. wavy-leaf oak hybrid, encino

County

Habitat O wL/eL B Scientific Name Common Name
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-XXX. 2004 27

Frankeniaceae / Alkali-heath family

R 1 0 0 Frankenia jamesii Torr. ex A. Gray 10368/O alkali heath, yerba ruema

Fumariaceae / Fumitory family

S 1 1 1 1 Corydalis aurea Willd. golden smoke

 var. occidentalis Engelm. ex A. Gray CU-9660/B

Gentianaceae / Gentian family

W 1 Centaurium calycosum (Buckley) Fernald Great Basin centaury

 var. calycosum 11490/O

W 0 Eustoma grandiflorum (Raf.) Shinners Rare in region showy prairie gentian

R 1 1 Frasera coloradensis (C. M. Rogers) D. M. Post Colorado green gentian

Endemic to CO

Geranianceae / Geranium family

D/S 1 1 1 0 *Erodium cicutarium (L.) L’Hér. ex Aiton 12052/O red-stemmed fillare, alfilerillo

Grossulariaceae / Currant family

C/W 0 1 0 1 Ribes aureum Pursh var. aureum CU-9672/B golden currant, anise bush

C 0 *Ribes aureum Pursh var. villosum DC. [R. odoratum] buffalo currant

C 1 0 1 Ribes cereum Douglas 11468/B wax currant

C 1 0 0 0 Ribes leptanthum A. Gray CU-11450/O trumpet gooseberry

Haloragaceae / Water milfoil family

W 0 Myriopyullum sibiricum Komarov water milfoil

Hippuridaceae / Mare’s Tail family

W 0 Hippuris vulgaris L. mare’s tail

Hydrangeaceae / Hyacinth family

C 0 Jamesia americana Torr. & A. Gray var. americana cliff Jamesia

C 1 1 Philadelphus microphyllus A. Gray littleleaf mock-orange

Hydrocharitaceae / Frog’s-bit family

W 0 Elodea nuttallii (Planch.) H. St. John elodea

Hydrophyllaceae / Waterleaf family

D/S 0 1 Ellisia nyctelea (L.) L. waterpod

Juglandaceae / Walnut family

C 0 Juglans major (Torr.) Heller [J. microcarpa] Reported Arizona walnut

Juncaceae / Rush family

W 0 Juncus articulatus L. jointed rush

W 0 0 1 Juncus arcticus Willd Baltic rush

 var. balticus (Willd.) Trauvt. [J. balticus]

W 1 0 0 Juncus bufonius L. toad rush

W 0 0 Juncus dudleyi Wiegland Dudley’s rush

W/R 1 0 0 Juncus interior Wiegland Inland rush

W 1 Juncus longistylis Torr. rush

W 0 1 Juncus nodosus L. knotted rush

W 1 1 0 0 Juncus torreyi Coville Torrey’s rush

Krameriaceae / Ratany family

O 0 0 1 Krameria lanceolata Torr. 11315/B prostrate ratany

Lamiaceae / Mint family

R 0 0 0 Hedeoma drummondii Benth. Drummond’s false pennyroyal

W 0 *Leonurus cardiaca L. motherwort

W 0 Lycopus americanus Muhl. ex W. P. C. Barton American bugleweed

D/W 1 1 1 1 *Marrubium vulgare L. horehound, marrubio, 

 manstranso

W 0 Mentha arvensis L. fieldmint, poléo del pais

W 0 *Mentha spicata L. spearmint, yerba buena

W 0 Monarda fistulosa L. var. menthifolia (Graham) Fernald wild bergamot

O 1 1 1 1 Monarda pectinata Nutt. CU-9829/B, 11269/O plains bee balm,

 oregano del campo

County

Habitat O wL/eL B Scientific Name Common Name
28 USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-XXX. 2004 

D 0 0 1 *Salvia azurea Michx. ex Lam. var. grandiflora Benth. blue sage, pitcher sage

D 1 0 0 1 Salvia reflexa Hornem chia, lanceleaf sage, chan

O 0 Scutellaria brittonii Porter Britton’s skullcap

W 0 Scutellaria lateriflora L. var. lateriflora mad dog or blue skullcap

W 0 Stachys palustris L. var. pilosa (Nutt.) Fernald hedge nettle

O/D 1 1 1 1 Teucrium laciniatum Torr. CU-9469/O cutleaf germander

Lemnaceae / Duckweed family

W 0 1 1 1 Lemna minor L. duckweed

W 0 Lemna minuta Kunth [L. minuscula] duckweed

Liliaceae / Lily family

C 0 Allium cernuum Roth nodding wild onion

O 1 0 1 1 Allium textile A. Nelson & J. F. Macbr. CU-9457/O textile wild onion

O 1 1 0 Calochortus gunnisonii S. Watson var. gunnisonii mariposa or sego lily

S 1 0 0 1 Leucocrinum montanum Nutt. ex A. Gray CU-9675/O sand lily

O 1 Zigadenus venenosus S. Watson var. gramineus (Rydb.) death camas

 Walsh ex M. Peck [Toxicoscordion]

Linaceae / Flax family

O 1 1 0 0 Linum australe A. Heller small yellow flax

 var. australe [Mesynium] 11328/LA

O 1 1 1 1 Linum lewisii Pursh var. lewisii [Adenolinum, L. perenne] blue flax, linasa del campo

 9453/O

O 0 0 0 Linum pratense (Norton) Small [Adenolinum] Norton’s flax

O 1 1 1 1 Linum puberulum (Engelm.) Heller yellow flax

 [Mesynium]

O 1 1 1 1 Linum rigidum Pursh [Mesynium] plains flax

Loasaceae / Loasa family

R/S 1 0 Mentzelia albicaulis (Douglas ex Hook.) whitestem blazing star,

 Douglas ex Torr & Gray [Acrolasia] pegapega, buena mujer

R 1 0 1 Mentzelia decapetala (Pursh ex Sims) ten-petal blazing star

 Urb. & Gilg. ex Glig. [Nuttallia] CU-9974/O, 11444/O

R/S 1 0 Mentzelia multiflora (Nutt.) A Gray blazing star, mentzelia, pegapega

 var. multiflora [Nuttallia]

R/S 1 0 0 1 Mentzelia nuda (Pursh.) Torr. & A. Gray blazing star, mentzelia

 var. nuda [Nuttallia] 11499/O

R 1 0 0 1 Mentzelia oligosperma Nutt. ex Sims CU-10256/B stickleaf mentzelia

R 0 Mentzelia reverchonii (Urb. & Gilg.) blazing star, mentzelia

 H. J. Thomps. & Zavort

Malvaceae / Mallow family

O 0 Abutilon incanum (Link) Sweet subsp. incanum Indian mallow

D 0 *Abutilon theophrasti Medik. velvet leaf

D 0 0 *Hibiscus trionum L. flower-of-an-hour, Venice mallow

D 0 0 *Malva neglecta Wallr. mallow, cheeseweed, malva

A 0 0 *Malvella leprosa (Ortega) Krapov. alkali mallow, dollar weed

R 0 Malvella sagittifolia (A. Gray) Fryxell silver mallow

D/R 1 1 1 1 Sphaeralcea angustifolia (Cav.) G. Don CU-10390/O narrow-leaf globe mallow,

 yerba del negro

O 1 1 1 1 Sphaeralcea coccinea (Nutt.) Rydb. var. coccinea scarlet globemallow, cowboy’s 

 delight, yerba de la negrita

Molluginaceae / Carpetweed family

D 0 *Mollugo verticillata L. carpetweed

Moraceae / Mulberry family

P 0 *Maclura pomifera (Raf.) C. K. Schneid. hedge apple, Osage orange

P 0 1 *Morus alba L. 11548/B mulberry

Najadaceae

W 0 *Najas guadalupensis (Spreng.) Magnus southern waternymph

 subsp. guadalupensis CU- 10282/Bent County

County

Habitat O wL/eL B Scientific Name Common Name
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-XXX. 2004 29

Nyctaginaceae / Four- o’clock family

S 0 Abronia carletonii J. M. Coult. & Fisher Carleton sand verbena

S 1 0 1 1 Abronia fragrans Nutt. ex. Hook. var. fragrans fragrant sand verbena, 

 lechuguilla

R/S 0 Allionia incarnata L. trailing four-o’clock

R/S 0 0 Mirabilis glabra (S. Watson) Standl. [M. carletonii] smooth four-o’clock

O/S 0 Mirabilis hirsuta (Pursh) MacMill. [Oxybaphus] hairy four-o’clock

O 1 1 1 1 Mirabilis linearis (Pursh) Heimerl narrow-leaf four-o’clock

 [Mirabilis exaltatus, Oxybaphus]

C/R 1 0 0 1 Mirabilis multiflora (Torr.) A. Gray showy four o’clock, maravilla

 var. multiflora

D 0 1 Mirabilis nyctaginea (Michx.) MacMill. [Oxybaphus] wild four o’clock

R 1 0 Mirabilis rotundifolia (Greene) Standl. Endemic to CO roundleaf four o’clock

S 1 0 0 1 Tripterocalyx micranthus (Torr.) Hook. CU-10364/O sand verbena

Oleaceae / Olive family

P 0 0 *Fraxinus pensylvanica H. Marshall green ash

Onagraceae / Evening-primrose family

R 1 0 0 1 Calylophus hartwegii (Benth.) P. H. Raven subsp. pubescens Hartweg’s evening primrose

 (A. Gray) Towner & P. H. Raven 10254//B, 11321/O

R 1 1 1 1 Calylophus lavandulifolius (Torr. & Gray) lavender evening primrose

 P. H. Raven CU-11557/B

S 0 0 1 1 Calylophus serrulatus (Nutt.) P. H. Raven plains yellow primrose

W 0 Epilobium ciliatum Raf. var. ciliatum willow herb

O 1 1 1 1 Gaura coccinea (Nutt.) Pursh 10405/O, 11271/B scarlet gaura, linda tarde,

 yerba de la virgen

D 1 1 1 1 Gaura parviflora Douglas ex Lehm. [G. mollis] velvety gaura, elk antlers

S 1 Gaura villosa Torr. var. villosa CU-10263/B hairy gaura

D/O 1 0 0 0 Oenothera albicaulis Pursh plains evening primrose

A 0 0 Oenothera canescens Torr. & Frém spotted evening primrose

R 1 0 0 Oenothera caespitosa Nutt. var. caespitosa CU-9753/O gumbo lily, prairie primrose

R/S 0 1 Oenothera coronopifolia Torr. & A. Gray combleaf evening primrose

W 0 0 Oenothera elata Kunth Hooker’s evening primrose

 var. hirsutissima (A. Gray ex S. Watson) Cronquist

S 0 Oenothera engelmannii (Small) Munz. Dust Bowl primrose

R 1 Oenothera harringtonii W. L. Wagner Harrington’s evening primrose

 CU-9471/O Endemic to CO Arkansas Valley evening 

 primrose

S 0 0 0 1 Oenothera latifolia (Rydb.) Munz. 9772/B broad-leaf evening primrose

S 0 Oenothera pallida Lindl. pale evening primrose,

 var. runcinata (Engelm.) Cronquist 11572/B flor de San Juan

W 1 0 0 1 Oenothera villosa Thunb. var. strigosa (Rydb.) Dorn common evening primrose

R 0 Stenosiphon linifolius (Nutt. ex James) Heynh. stenosiphon

Orobanchaceae / Broomrape family

O 1 0 Orobanche fasciculata Nutt. [Aphyllon] dense-flowered broomrape

O 1 1 0 Orobanche ludoviciana Nutt. var. ludoviciana CU-9678/O broomrape

O 1 0 0 Orobanche ludoviciana Nutt. broomrape

 var. multiflora (Nutt.) Beck CU-11470/O

Oxalidaceae / Wood Sorrel family

C 0 1 Oxalis dillenii Jacq. subsp. dillenii grey-green wood sorrel

Papaveraceae / Poppy family

O 0 0 Argemone hispida A. Gray hairy prickly poppy, cardo santo

O 1 0 0 1 Argemone polyanthemos (Fedde) cardo santo, chicalote

 G. B. Ownbey 10341/O prickly poppy, cowboy’s fried

 eggs

D/S 0 Argemone squarrosa Greene var. squarrosa hedgehog prickly poppy

Pedaliaceae / Pedalium or Sesame family

D/S 1 0 0 1 Proboscidea louisianica (Mill.) Thell. subsp. louisianica devil’s claw, aguaro

County

Habitat O wL/eL B Scientific Name Common Name
30 USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-XXX. 2004 

Plantaginaceae / Plantain family

D 0 0 *Plantago major L. var. major common plantain, llantén

O/D 1 1 1 1 Plantago patagonica Jacq. 10378/O Indian wooly wheat

Poaceae (Gramineae) / Grass family

D 0 *Aegilops cylindrica Host goatgrass

D 1 1 1 1 *Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn. var. cristatum crested wheatgrass

D 0 *Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn. crested wheatgrass

 var. desertorum (Fisch. ex Link) Dorn

W 1 *Agrostis gigantea Roth 11391/O red top, carpet bentgrass

W 1 0 *Agrostis stolonifera L. red top, carpet bentgrass

W 0 Alopecurus aequalis Sobol. var. aequalis short-awn foxtail

R 0 0 1 Andropogon gerardii Vitman big bluestem

S 0 1 1 Andropogon hallii Hack. sand bluestem

D/S 1 0 1 1 *Aristida adscensionis L. CU-10287/LA, CU-11747/O six-weeks three-awn

S 0 Aristida arizonica Vasey Arizona three-awn

D 0 1 Aristida divaricata Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd. CU-12224/B poverty three-awn

P 0 Aristida havardii Vasey Havard three-awn

O/D 1 0 0 1 Aristida purpurea Nutt. Fendler’s three-awn

 var. fendleriana (Steud.) Vasey 10744/O

O/D 1 1 1 1 Aristida purpurea Nutt. purple three-awn, no-eatum

 var. longiseta (Steud.) Vasey CU-9685/O

D 0 *Avena fatua L. wild oats

D 0 *Bothriochloa ischaemum (L.) Keng. var. songarica Turkestan or King Ranch bluestem

 (Rupr. ex Fisch & C. A. Mey.) Celarier & Harlan

D/S 1 1 1 1 Bothriochloa laguroides (DC.) Herter silver bluestem

 subsp. torreyana (Steud.) Allred & Gould

R 0 Bothriochloa saccharioides (Sw.) Rydb. silver beardgrass

C/S 0 1 Bothriochloa springfieldii (Gould) Parodi Springfield bluestem

D 0 Bouteloua barbata Lag. [Chondrosum] six-week grama

S 0 Bouteloua curtipendula (Mixhx) Torr. sideoats grama

 var. caespitosa Gould & Kapadia

O/R 1 1 1 1 Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr. sideoats grama

 var. curtipendula 10383/O

O 1 1 1 1 Bouteloua dactyloides (Nutt.) J. T. Columbus [Buchloë] buffalo grass

R/S 1 1 0 1 Bouteloua eriopoda (Torr.) Torr. 11493/O black grama

O 1 1 1 1 Bouteloua gracilis (Kunth) Lag. var. gracilis CU-10393/O blue grama

R 1 1 1 1 Bouteloua hirsuta Lag. var. hirsuta CU-9943/B hairy grama

D 0 Bouteloua simplex Lag. mat grama

D 0 Bromus anomalus Rupr. ex E. Fourn. nodding brome

 var. lanatipes [Bromopsis]

D 0 0 *Bromus commutatus Schrad. brome grass

D 1 1 1 1 *Bromus inermis Leyss. var. inermis [Bromopsis] smooth brome

D/O 1 1 1 1 *Bromus japonicus Thunb. ex Murry 10375/O Japanese brome

D/O 1 1 1 1 *Bromus tectorum L. [Anisantha] downy brome, cheatgrass

 Buchloë dactyloides = Bouteloua dactyloides

W 0 0 Calamagrostis stricta (Timm) Koeler slimstem reedgrass

 var. stricta [C. neglecta]

S 0 Calamovilfa gigantea (Nutt.) Scribn. & Merr. big sandreed

S 1 0 0 1 Calamovilfa longifolia (Hook.) Scribn. var. longifolia prairie sandreed

S 1 1 1 1 Cenchrus longispinus (Hack.) Fernald longspine sandbur, roseta,

 cactus grass

D 1 1 1 1 Chloris verticillata Nutt. CU-10261/B tumble windmillgrass

D 1 1 0 0 Chloris virgata Sw. feather windmillgrass

 zacate de cinco dedos

D 0 0 *Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. var. dactylon Bermuda grass

D 0 0 1 *Dactylis glomerata L. orchard grass

C 0 0 Dichanthelium linearifolium (Scribn.) Gould panic grass

C 0 1 Dichanthelium oligosanthes (Schult.) Gould panic grass

 var. scribnerianum (Nash) Gould

W 0 Digitaria californica (Benth.) Henrard California crabgrass

County

Habitat O wL/eL B Scientific Name Common Name
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-XXX. 2004 31

A 1 0 1 Distichlis spicata (L.) Greene var. stricta (Torr.) Scribn. saltgrass

W/D 1 0 0 0 *Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv. var. crus-galli barnyard grass

W 1 1 1 1 Elymus canadensis L. var. canadensis Canada wildrye

O 1 1 1 1 Elymus elymoides (Raf.) Swezey squirrel tail

 var. elymoides [Sitanion hystrix]

D 1 0 *Elymus hispidus (Opiz) Melderis intermediate wheatgrass

 [Elytrigia intermedia, Agropyron, Thinopyrum]

D/W 0 0 *Elymus repens (L.) Gould quackgrass

 var. repens [Elytrigia, Agropyron]

O 1 1 1 1 Elymus smithii (Rydb.) Gould [Agropyron,Pascopyron] western wheatgrass

D 0 0 Elymus trachycaulis (Link) Gould ex Shinners [Agropyron] slender wheatgrass

D 1 0 0 1 *Eragrostis cilianensis (All,) Vignolo ex Janch stinkgrass

D 0 *Eragrostis minor Host minor lovegrass

D 0 Eragrostis pectinacea (Michx.) Nees ex Steud. tufted lovegrass

 var. pectinacea [E. diffusa]

D/S 0 0 Eragrostis secundiflora J. Presl red lovegrass

 subsp. oxylepis (Torrey) S. D. Koch

D/R 0 0 Eragrostis spectabilis (Pursh) Steud. purple peticoat climber, lovegrass

D/S 1 Eragrostis trichodes (Nutt.) A. W. Wood sand lovegrass

R 1 1 1 1 Erioneuron pilosum (Buckley) Nash 9683/O hairy tridens

W 0 0 *Festuca pratensis Huds. meadow fescue

W 0 0 0 Glyceria striata (Lam.) Hitchcock fowl mannagrass

 var. stricta (Scribn.) Fernald

O 1 1 1 1 Hilaria jamesii (Torr.) Benth. galleta

W 1 1 1 1 Hordeum jubatum L. [Critesion] foxtail barley

O/D 1 1 1 1 Hordeum pusillum Nutt. [Critesion] CU-9681/O, 11535/B little barley

O/R 0 0 0 Koeleria macrantha (Ledeb.) Schult. Junegrass

W 0 *Leersia oryzoides (L.) Sw. rice cutgrass

W 0 Leptochloa dubia Kunth [Diplachne] sprangletop

D 0 Leptochloa fusea (L.) Kunth subsp. fascicularis bearded sprangletop

 (Lam.) N. Snow [L. fasicularis, Diplachne]

D 0 *Lolium perenne L. subsp. italicus (A. Braun) Syme rye grass

R 1 1 1 0 Lycurus setosus (Nutt.) C. Reeder 11497/O wolftail

O/D 1 1 1 1 Monroa squarrosa (Nutt.) Torr. false buffalo grass

S 0 Muhlenbergia arenacea (Buckley) Hitchc. false ring muhly

S 0 0 Muhlenbergia arenicola Buckley sand muhly

W 1 1 0 1 Muhlenbergia asperifolia (Nees & Meyen ex Trin.) Parodi scratchgrass muhly

O 0 Muhlenbergia cuspidata (Torr. ex Hook.) Rydb. plains muhly

S/R 0 Muhlenbergia minutissima (Steudel) Swallen annual muhly

O 0 Muhlenbergia montana (Nutt.) Hitchc. mountain muhly

O 0 Muhlenbergia porteri Scrib. ex Beal Porter muhly

S 0 Muhlenbergia pungens Thurb. sandhill muhly

D 0 0 0 0 Muhlenbergia racemosa (Michx.) marsh muhly

 Britton, Sterns, & Poggenb.

O 1 0 1 1 Muhlenbergia torreyi (Kunth.) Hitchc. ex Bush ring muhly

 CU-10231/B, 10396/O

O 0 Muhlenbergia wrightii Vasey ex J. M. Coult. spike muhly

O/S 1 0 1 1 Oryzopsis hymenoides (Roem & Schult.) Ricker ex Piper Indian ricegrass

 [Achnantherum] 11228/O

C 1 0 0 1 Oryzopsis micrantha (Trin. & Rupr.) Thurb. little ricegrass

 [Piptatherum] 10392/O

D 1 1 1 1 Panicum capillare L. witchgrass, ticklegrass

S 0 Panicum hallii Vasey var. hallii Hall’s panicum

D 0 Panicum hillmanii Chase Hillman’s panicum

W/R 1 0 0 1 Panicum obtusum Kunth CU-11361/O vine mesquite

W/D 1 0 0 1 Panicum virgatum L. 11484/O switchgrass, witchgrass

 Pascopyron smithii [= Elymus smithii]

S 1 Paspalum setaceum Michx. paspalum

W 0 *Phalaris arundinacea L. var. arundinacea [Phalaroides] reed canary grass

W 0 1 *Phalaris canariensis L. 11288/B canary grass, alpiste

County

Habitat O wL/eL B Scientific Name Common Name
32 USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-XXX. 2004 

W 0 Phalaris caroliniana Walter Carolina reedgrass

W 0 *Phleum pratense L. var. pratense timothy

W 1 1 0 Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. common reed, carrizo

 [P. pratense] CU-11511/O

D 0 Poa bigelovii Vasey & Scribn. Bigelov’s bluegrass

O 0 0 0 1 Poa fendleriana (Steud.) Vasey Fendler’s bluegrass, mutton grass

W 1 1 1 1 *Poa pratensis L. Kentucky bluegrass

O 0 1 Poa secunda J. Presl. [P. sandbergii] Sandberg’s bluegrass

W 1 0 0 1 *Polypogon monspeliensis (L.) Desf. rabbitfoot grass

S 1 Redfieldia flexuosa (Thurb.) Vasey blowout grass

O/D 1 1 1 1 Schedonnardus paniculatus (Nutt.) Trel. tumblegrass

O/R 1 1 1 1 Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash little bluestem

 var. scoparium [Andropogon] 11492/O

O 1 0 Scleropogon brevifolius Phil. burrograss

D 0 *Secale cereale L. cereal rye

D 0 0 *Setaria glauca (L.) P. Beauv. yellow bristlegrass, foxtail

S 1 0 0 Setaria leucopila (Scribn. & Merr.) K. Schum. 11514/O plains bristlegrass, foxtail

D 1 1 *Setaria viridus (L.) P. Beauvois green bristlegrass, foxtail

W/R 0 0 1 Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash [S. avenaceum] CU-10252/B Indian grass

W/D 0 1 *Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers. 9937/B Johnson grass

W/A 0 Spartina pectinata Link. prairie cordgrass

W/C 0 0 0 Sphenopholis obtusata (Michx.) Scribn. prairie wedgegrass

A/W 1 1 0 1 Sporobolus airoides (Torr.) Torr. var. airoides alkali sacaton

S 0 0 Sporobolus compositus (Poir) Merr. tall dropseed

 var. compositus [S. asper]

D/S 1 1 1 1 Sporobolus cryptandrus (Torr.) Gray 10755/O sand dropseed

S 1 1 Sporobolus giganteus Nash giant dropseed

O 1 0 0 Sporobolus nealleyi Vasey Nealley dropseed

D 0 Sporobolus neglectus Nash dropseed

O Sporobolus texanus Vasey Texas dropseed

O 1 1 1 1 Stipa comata Trin. & Rupr. var. comata needle-and-thread

 [Hesperostipa] 11233/O

R 1 1 1 1 Stipa neomexicana (Thurb. ex J. M. Coult.) Scribn. New Mexican feathergrass,

 [Hesperostipa] 11304/B New Mexico needle-and-thread

O/R 0 Stipa robusta (Vasey) Scribn. [Achnatherum] sleepy grass

R 1 0 0 Stipa scribneri Vasey [Achnatherum] Scribner’s needlegrass

O 1 1 1 1 Stipa viridula Trin. [Nassella] 10400/O green needlegrass

R 1 0 0 1 Tridens muticus (Torr.) Nash rough tridens

 var. elongatus (Buckley) Shinners 11454/O

S 0 1 Triplasis purpurea (Walter) Chapman CU-10230/B purple sandgrass

D 0 *Triticum aestivum L. wheat

O/D 1 1 1 1 Vulpia octoflora (Walter) Rydb. [Festuca] 9682/O six-weeks fescue, spit-out grass

Polemoniaceae / Phlox family

R 1 0 Gilia ophthalmoides Brand 10294/O floccose gilia

R 1 1 0 0 Giliastrum acerosum (A. Gray) Rydb. prickly gilia

 [G. rigidulum] CU-9488/O

C 0 Ipomopsis aggregata (Pursh) V. Grant scarlet gilia

 subsp. collina (Greene) Wilken & Allard

O 1 1 1 1 Ipomopsis laxiflora (J. M. Coult.) V. E. Grant 10741/O few-flowered gilia

S 0 Ipomopsis longiflora (Torr.) V. E. Grant longflower gilia

R 1 1 Ipomopsis pumila (Nutt.) V. E. Grant dwarf gilia

R 0 0 1 Ipomopsis spicata (Nutt.) V. E. Grant spike gilia

 subsp. spicata

S 0 Linanthus pungens (Torr) J. M. Porter & L. A. Johnson sharp slenderlobe

 [Leptodactylon pungens]

R 1 0 Phlox longifolia Nutt. subsp. longifolia longleaf phlox

Polygalaceae / Milkwort family

R 1 0 1 Polygala alba Nutt. var. alba 11268/O milkwort

County

Habitat O wL/eL B Scientific Name Common Name
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-XXX. 2004 33

Polygonaceae / Knotweed family

R 1 0 1 Eriogonum alatum (Torr.) var. alatum (Pterogonum) winged buckwheat

S 1 1 1 1 Eriogonum annuum Nutt. CU-10288/LA annual buckwheat

R 0 Eriogonum flavum Nutt. var. flavum yellow buckwheat

O 1 Eriogonum gordonii Bentham Gordon’s buckwheat

R 0 Eriogonum jamesii Benth var. flavescens S. Watson James’s buckwheat

R 1 0 1 Eriogonum jamesi Benth. var. jamesii 11495/O James’s buckwheat

R 1 1 1 1 Eriogonum lachnogynum Torr. ex Benth. CU-9476/O gypsum buckwheat

R 0 Eriogonum lonchophyllum Torr. & A. Gray Fendler’s buckwheat

 var. fendlerianum (Benth.) Reveal [E. fendlerianum]

R 0 Eriogonum longifolium Nutt. var. lindheimeri Gand. longleaf buckwheat

O 0 0 1 Eriogonum microthecum Nutt. spreading buckwheat

 var. effusum (Nutt.) Torr. & A. Gray 10376/O

R 1 1 1 1 Eriogonum tenellum Torr. matted buckwheat

 var. tenellum CU-9479/O, CU-9839/B

R 0 Eriogonum umbellatum Torr. sulfur buckwheat

D 1 1 1 1 *Polygonum aviculare L. knotweed, devil’s shoestrings,

 centinodillo

W 1 Polygonum bicorne Raf. [Persicaria] CU-10247/B pink smartweed

W 0 *Polygonum convolvulus L. var. convolvulus [Fallopia] climbing buckwheat

W 0 *Polygonum hydropiper L. [Persicaria] water-pepper

W 1 0 0 1 *Polygonum lapathifolium L. pale smartweed

 var. lapathifolium [Persicaria] CU-9940/O

W 0 0 1 Polygonum pensylvanicum L. [Persicaria] Pennsylvania smartweed

W 1 Polygonum persicaria L. [Persicaria maculata] lady’s thumb

W 0 *Polygonum punctatum Elliott water smartweed

 var. confertiflorum (Meisn.) Fasset Small [Persicaria]

W 0 1 0 1 *Polygonum ramosissimum Michx. erect buckwheat

 var. ramosissimum CU-10250/B

W 1 0 1 Rumex altissimus A. W. Wood 10748/O pale dock

W 1 1 1 1 *Rumex crispus L. 10358/O curly dock, lengua de vaca

W 0 Rumex maritimus L. var. fueginus (Phil.) Dusén golden dock

W 0 *Rumex obtusifolius L. bitter dock

W 0 0 Rumex salicifolius Weinm var. triangulivalvis beach dock

 (Danser) J. C. Hitchc. [R. triangulivalvis]

W 1 0 1 *Rumex stenophyllus Ledeb CU-9964/O, 11239/B slenderleaf dock

D 0 1 Rumex venosus Pursh wild begonia

Pontederiaceae / Pickerelweed family

W 0 Heteranthera limosa (Sw.) Willd. mud plantain

Portulacaceae / Purslane family

D 0 Portulaca halimoides L. [P. parvula] dwarf purslane

D 1 1 1 1 *Portulaca oleracea L. common purslane, verdolaga

D 1 Portulaca retusa Engelm. CU-11506/O retuse purslane

O 0 0 1 Talinum parviflorum Nutt. 11546/B fame flower

Potamogetonaceae / Pondweed family

W 1 1 Potamogeton foliosus Raf. var. foliosus 11512/O leafy pondweed

W 0 Stuckenia pectinata (L.) Borner [Potamogeton] fennel-leaf pondweed

Ranunculaceae / Buttercup family

W 0 Anemone cylindrica A. Gray meadow anemone

C 0 Anemone patens L. var. multifida Pritz. [Pulsatilla] pasque flower

W 0 0 Clematis ligusticifolia Nutt. white virgin’s bower

O 1 1 1 1 Delphinium virescens Nutt. [D. carolinianum] white or plains larkspur

W 0 Ranunculus aquatilis L. var. diffusa With. water buttercup

 [R. circinatus, Batrachium circinatum]

W 0 0 Ranunculus cymbalaria Pursh [Halerpestes] marsh buttercup

W 0 Ranunculus macounii Britton Macoun’s buttercup

W 0 1 *Ranunculus sceleratus L. var. multifidus Nutt. blister buttercup

 [Hecatonia] CU-11299/B

W 0 Thalictrum dasycarpum Fisch. & Avé.-Lall purple meadow rue

County

Habitat O wL/eL B Scientific Name Common Name
34 USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-XXX. 2004 

Rosaceae / Rose family

C 0 Agrimonia striata Michx. striate agrimony

W 0 Amelanchier alnifolia Nutt. Saskatoon or serviceberry

R/C 1 1 1 1 Cercocarpus montanus Raf. var. montanus CU-9464/O mountain mahogany, palo duro

R/C 1 0 0 1 Physocarpus monogynus (Torr.) J. M. Coult. CU-9688/O mountain ninebark

R/C 0 Physocarpus opulifolius (L.) Maxim. ninebark

 var. intermedius (Rydb.) B. L. Rob.

O 0 Potentilla arguta Pursh var. arguta tall cinquefoil

W 0 Potentilla rivalis Nutt. CU-11597/O brook cinquefoil

C/W 0 0 1 Prunus americana Marshall wild plum

C 0 Prunus angustifolia Marshall var. angustifolia sandhill or Chickasaw plum

C 0 Prunus gracilis Engelm. & A. Gray Oklahoma plum

C 0 Prunus pensylvanica L. f. pin cherry, bird cherry

R/S 1 Prunus pumila L. var. besseyi (L. H. Bailey) Gleason sand cherry

 [Cerasus] 11277/B

W 0 Prunus rivularis Scheele creek plum, hog plum

C/W 1 0 1 Prunus virginiana L. choke cherry, capulín

 var. melanocarpa A. (Nelson) Sarg. [Padus]

C/W 0 0 Rosa arkansana Porter var. arkansana wild prairie rose, champes

C/W 0 0 Rosa woodsii Lindl. var. ultramontana (S. Watson) Jeps. western wild rose, Wood’s rose

C 1 0 0 1 Rubus deliciosus Torr. [Oreobatus] CU-9823/O thimbleberry, boulder raspberry

Rubiaceae / Madder or Coffee family

W/C 0 1 *Galium aparine L. var. aparine catchweed bedstraw

W/C 0 *Galium aparine L. var. echinospermum (Wallr.) Farw. cleavers, goosegrass

 [G. spurium]

Rutaceae / Citrus family

C/R 1 1 Ptelea trifoliata L. 11592/O hoptree

Salicaceae / Willow family

W 1 1 1 1 Populus deltoides W. Bartram ex Marshall plains cottonwood, álamo, jara

 var. occidentalis Rydb. [P. deltoides var. monilifera]

W 0 Populus tremuloides Michx. quaking aspen, álamo trembolón

W 1 0 0 1 Salix amygdaloides Andersson peach-leaf willow

W 1 0 0 1 Salix exigua Nutt. var. exigua coyote /sandbar willow, jarita

W 0 Salix exigua Nutt. var. pedicellata (Andersson) Cronq. coyote or sandbar willow, jarita

 [S. interior]

W 0 Salix irrorata Andersson bluestem willow

W 0 Salix nigra Marshall black willow

Santalaceae / Sandalwood family

R 1 1 1 Comandra umbellata (L.) Nutt. lost blue of the Arapaho,

 var. pallida (A. DC.) Jones bastard toadflax

Sapindaceae / Soapberry family

C 0 0 1 Sapindus saponaria L. var. drummondii (Hook & Arn.) soapberry

 L. D. Benson 11294/B

Saxifragaceae / Saxifrage family

C 0 0 1 Heuchera parviflora Nutt. ex Torr. & A. Gray littleleaf alumroot

Scrophulariaceae / Figwort family

O 1 1 1 1 Castilleja integra A. Gray var. integra CU-9743/LA red paintbrush, flor de Santa Rita

O 1 1 1 1 Castilleja sessiliflora Pursh 9486/O downy or plains paintbrush

D 1 *Linaria dalmatica (L.) Mill. subsp. dalmatica dalmatian toadflax

 [L. genistifolia subsp. dalmatica] 12040/B

W 0 Mimulus glabratus Kunth var. glabratus common yellow monkey flower

W 0 1 Orthocarpus luteus Nutt. owl clover

O 1 1 1 1 Penstemon albidus Nutt. 10382/O white beard-tongue, dedalera

S 1 Penstemon ambiguus Torr. [Leiostemon] bush penstemon, cow tobacco

O 1 1 1 0 Penstemon angustifolius Nutt. ex Pursh narrow-leafed penstemon

R 1 0 1 1 Penstemon auriberbis Pennell 96910/O penstemon, beard-tongue

County

Habitat O wL/eL B Scientific Name Common Name
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-XXX. 2004 35

R 0 0 Penstemon barbatus (Cav.) Roth penstemon, beard-tongue

 var. torreyi (Benth.) A. Gray

R 0 Penstemon buckleyi Pennell Buckley’s beard-tongue

R 0 Penstemon jamesii Benth. James’s beard-tongue

R 1 0 0 0 Penstemon versicolor Pennell 11619/O penstemon, beard-tongue

Rare on CNG

D 1 1 1 1 *Verbascum thapsus L. mullein, puncheón, gordolobo

W 0 1 *Veronica catenata Pennell [V. americana] brooklime speedwell

W 0 1 Veronica peregrina L. var. xalapensis (Kunth)

 H. St. John & F. W. Warren 11295/B purslane speedwell

Solanaceae / Nightshade or Potato family

D 1 1 1 1 Chamaesaracha conioides (Moric.) Britton chamaesaracha

 CU-9833/B, 9747/LA, 9677b/O

D 0 0 0 Chamaesaracha coronopus (Dunal) A. Gray green false nightshade

A 1 Lycium pallidum Miers pale wolfberry, chico

O 1 1 1 Physalis hederifolia A. Gray ivy-leafed ground cherry

 var. comata (Rydb.) Waterf. CU-9946/B

S 0 Physalis longifolia Nutt. var. longifolia common ground cherry

S 1 Physalis hispida (Waterf.) Cronquist [P. pumila] 12044/B prairie ground cherry

D 1 1 1 Physalis virginiana Mill. Virginia ground cherry

D 1 1 1 1 Quincula lobata (Torr.) Raf. 9458/O, CU-10205/B purple-flowered ground cherry

D 0 1 Solanum americanum Mill. [S. interius, S. nigrum] plains black nightshade

D 1 0 0 1 *Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav. silver-leaf nightshade, trompillo,

 tomatillo del campo

D/O 1 1 1 1 Solanum rostratum Dunal buffalo bur, duraznillo

D/S 0 0 1 Solanum triflorum Nutt. cut-leaf nightshade

Tamaricaceae / Tamarisk family

W 0 *Tamarix parviflora DC. tamarisk, salt cedar

W 1 0 0 1 *Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb. T. chinensis] 9965/O tamarisk, salt cedar

Typhaceae / Cattail family

W 0 1 Typha angustifolia L. narrowleaf cattail, aguapá

W 1 1 1 Typha domingensis Pers. 11414/O Dominguez cattail

W 1 0 0 0 Typha latifolia L. broadleaf cattail

Ulmaceae / Elm family

C/R 1 1 0 1 Celtis reticulata Torr. [C. laevigata ] netleaf hackberry

P 1 0 *Ulmus pumila L. Siberian elm

Urticaceae / Nettle family

C 0 0 0 1 Parietaria pensylvanica Muhl. ex Willd. Pennsylvania pellitory

C 0 0 Urtica dioica L. stinging nettle, ortiga

 var. procera (Muhl. ex Willd.) Wedd. [U. gracilis]

Verbenaceae / Verbena family

O 1 1 1 1 Glandularia bipinnatifida (Nutt.) Nutt. Dakota vervain, moradilla

 var. bipinnatifida CU-9796/O, 9671/B

O 1 0 0 1 Phyla cuneifolia (Torr.) Greene 9801/O [Lippia] wedgeleaf fog fruit

D 1 1 1 1 *Verbena bracteata Lag. & Rodr. prostrate vervain

W 0 0 Verbena hastata L. blue vervain

R 0 0 Verbena plicata Greene fanleaf vervain

O 0 0 Verbena stricta Vent. hoary vervain

Violaceae / Violet family

O/R 1 1 0 1 Hybanthus verticillatus (Ortega) Baill. 11595/O nodding green violet

O 1 1 1 1 Viola nuttallii Pursh CU-9678/O yellow prairie violet

W 0 1 Viola sororia Willd. downy blue violet

Vitaceae / Grape family

W 0 0 0 Parthenocissus vitacea (Knerr) Hitchc. [P. inserta] thicket creeper

W 0 0 0 1 Vitis acerifolia Raf. 9821/B riparian grape

W 0 Vitus riparia Michx bush or riparian grape

County

Habitat O wL/eL B Scientific Name Common Name
36 USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-XXX. 2004

Zannichelliaceae / Horned pondweed family

W 1 0 0 Zannichellia palustris L. horned pondweed

Zygophyllaceae / Caltrop family

D 1 0 0 Kallstroemia parviflora Norton orange kallstroemia

D 1 1 1 1 *Tribulus terrestris L. tackbur, puncture vine,

 abrojo rojo, goat head

County

Habitat O wL/eL B Scientific Name Common Name
The Rocky Mountain Research Station develops scientific 

information and technology to improve management, protection, 

and use of the forests and rangelands. Research is designed to 

meet the needs of the National Forest managers, Federal and 

State agencies, public and private organizations, academic 

institutions, industry, and individuals.

Studies accelerate solutions to problems involving 

ecosystems, range, forests, water, recreation, fire, resource 

inventory, land reclamation, community sustainability, forest 

engineering technology, multiple use economics, wildlife and fish 

habitat, and forest insects and diseases. Studies are conducted 

cooperatively, and applications may be found worldwide.

Research Locations

Flagstaff, Arizona Reno, Nevada

Fort Collins, Colorado* Albuquerque, New Mexico

Boise, Idaho Rapid City, South Dakota

Moscow, Idaho Logan, Utah

Bozeman, Montana Ogden, Utah

Missoula, Montana Provo, Utah

Lincoln, Nebraska Laramie, Wyoming

*Station Headquarters, Natural Resources Research Center, 

2150 Centre Avenue, Building A, Fort Collins, CO 80526.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination 

in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national 

origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, 

or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all 

programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for 

communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, 

etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice 

and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office 

of Civil Rights, Room 326 W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence 

Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 

(voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

RMRS

ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION

Federal Recycling Program Printed on Recycled Paper