Our last Cibola Forest Service wildflower walk took place August 31st in the Manzanita Mountains just a short drive east of Albuquerque. Eleven people drove south from the Sandia District Ranger Station in Tijeras on NM Hwy 337 to Juan Tomas Rd. (approximately 4.7 miles) and parked near the open gate marking the start of FR 542 that goes to Cedro Peak. There is no trail, you just walk along the road up one side for half a mile and back the other side half a mile. There is an arroyo on the east side of the road (probably worth exploring sometime), but today we just walk on the shoulder of Juan Tomas Rd. Watch out for traffic!
The Juan Tomas roadside in lower Sabino Canyon yields more than 100 wildflower species, most which were blooming after good monsoon rains in August. Indeed, this area of the Manzanita mountains received 6.51 inches of rain in July and August (out of a total of 6.68 inches that has fallen since January 1, 2013). Here is a list of wildflowers found in a compact one mile walk (up and back) Juan Tomas Rd. between FR 542 and FR 252.
FLOWERS OF JUAN TOMAS ROADSIDE 8/31/13
1. Amaranth,
Green/Pigweed – Amaranthus hybridus – Amaranth
Family
2. Alfalfa – Medicago
sativa – Pea Family
4. Aster,
Baby – Chaestoppa eriocoides – Aster Family
5. Aster,
Hairy Golden – Heterotheca villosa
– Aster Family
6. Aster,
Purple – Machaeranthera canescens– Aster Family
7. Aster,
White Heath – Aster falcatus – Aster Family
8. Bahia
– Bahia dissecta – Aster Family
9. Bindweed –
Convolvulus arvensis – Morning Glory Family
10. Birdbeak
– Cordylanthus wrightii – Snapdragon Family
11. Bitterweed/Pinguë–
Hymenoxys richardsonii –Aster Family
12. Blazing
Star – Mentzelia multiflora – Loasa Family
13. Boneset,
False – Brickellia eupatorioides –
Aster Family
14. Bricklebush,
Plumed – Brickellia brachyphylla –Aster Family
15. Cherry,
Ground – Physalis hederifolia var.
cardifolia – Potato Family
the flower |
the fruit |
16 Clover, Purple Prairie – Dalea purpurea – Pea Family
17. Clover,
White Prairie – Dalea candida – Pea Family
18. Clover,
White Sweet – Melilotus albus –Pea Family
19. Clover,
Yellow Sweet – Melilotus officinalis –
Pea Family
20. Cocklebur
– Xanthium strumarium – Aster Family
21. Coneflower,
Prairie/Mexican Hat – Ratibida
columnifera – Aster Family
22. Coneflower,
Short-rayed –Ratibida tagetes – Aster Family
23. Cota /
Rio Grande Greenthread – Thelesperma
megapotamicum –Aster Family
24. Curled
Dock—Rumes crispus-- Polygonaceae -- Family
25. Daisy,
Cowpen/Crownbeard – Verbesina
encelioides – Aster Family
26. Daisy, Paper – Psilostrophe tagetina –Aster
Family
27. Daisy,
Tall Easter/Townsendia –Townsendia
exima – Aster Family
28. Filaree –
Erodium cicutarium — Geranium Family
29. Flax,
Blue – Linum lewsii – Flax Family
30. Fleabane,
Spreading – Erigeron divergens – Aster Family
31. Fleabane,
Trailing – Erigeron flagellaris – Aster
Family
32. Four
O’Clock, Narrow-leafed –Mirabilis
linearis – Four O’Clock Family
33. Four
O’Clock, Wild – Mirabilis multiflora –
Four O’Clock Family
34. Gaillardia,
Yellow Blanket Flower – Gaillardia
pinnatifid –Aster Family
35. Gaura,
Scarlet – Gaura coccinea – Evening
Primrose Family
36. Gaura,
Small-flowered – Gaura parviflora –
Evening Primrose Family
38. Geranium,
Purple – Geranium caespitosum – Geranium Family
39. Germander
– Teucrium laciniatum – Mint Family
40. Gilia,
Many-flowered – Ipomopsis multiflora
– Phlox Family
41. Gilia ,
Scarlet –Ipomopsis aggregata – Phlox Family
42. Globemallow
– Sphaeralcea angustifolia. Mallow
Family
43 Globemallow – Sphaeralcea coccinea – Mallow Family
44 Globemallow
– Sphaeralcea hastata – Mallow Family
45. Golden-eye
, Showy – Viguiera multiflora – Aster Family
46. Golden
rod, Few Flowered – Solidago velutina
– Aster Family
47. Goldenweed,
Slender /Annual –Machaeranthera
gracilis – Aster Family
48. Goosefoot,
Narrow- leaved –Chenopodium
leptophyllum –Goosefoot Family
49. Gourd, Buffalo – Cucurbita foetidissima – Gourd
Family
50. Gromwell,
Wayside/Puccoon – Lithospermum
multiflorum – Borage Family
51. Groundsel, Threadleaf – Senecio flaccidus – Aster
Family
52. Gumweed, Curly-top – Grindelia nuda – Aster Family
53. Horehound – Marrubium vulgare – Mint
Family
54. Horsetail – Equisetum arvense – Horsetail
Family
55. Horseweed – Conyza canadensis – Aster
Family
56. Knotweed, Erect – Polygonum
erectum – Buckwheat Family
57. Knotweed, Prostrate – Polygonum aviculare –Buckwheat Family
58. Lettuce,
Prickly – Lactuca serriola – Aster Family
58. Licorice,
Wild – Glycyrrhiza lepidota – Pea Family
60. Marigold,
Fetid – Dyssodia papposa – Aster Family
61. Menodora,
Rough – Menodora scabra– Olive Family
62. Milkweed, Poison – Asclepias subverticillata – Milkweed
Family
63. Milkwort
– Polygala alba – Milkwort Family
64. Morning
Glory, Crest-rib –Ipomoea costellata – Morning Glory Family
65. Morning
Glory, Scarlet – Ipomoea cristulata
– Morning Glory Family
66. Morning
Glory, Wild – Ipomoea purpura – Morning Glory Family
67. Mullein, Woolly – Verbascum thapsis – Figwort
Family
68. Mustard,Purple
– Schoenocrambe linearfolia –Mustard Family
69. Nightshade,
Purple – Solanum elaeagnifolium –
Potato Family
70. Noseburn
– Tragia ramose – Euphorbia Family
71. Onion,
Geyer’s – Allium geyeri – Lily Family
72. Paintbrush,
Foothills –Castilleja integra – Snapdragon Family
73. Pennyroyal,
False – Hedeoma nana –Mint Family
74.Penstemon,
Red – Penstemon barbatus – Snapdragon Family
75. Peppergrass
– Lepidium montanum – Mustard Family
76. Perky Sue – Tetraneuris argenta – Aster
Family
77. Phlox,
Santa Fe – Phlox nana – Phlox Family
78. Poinsettia, Toothed – Euphorbia dentate – Euphorbia Family
78. Poinsettia, Toothed – Euphorbia dentate – Euphorbia Family
79. Potato,
Wild – Solanum jamesii – Potato Family
80. Ragweed Sagebrush – Artemesia franseriodes – Aster Family
81. Ragweed,
Western – Ambrosia psilostachya –
Aster Family
82. Sage,
Fringed – Artemisia frigida – Aster Family
83. Sage,
Rocky Mountain – Salvia reflexa –
Mint Family
84. Salisfy –
Tragopogon pratensis – Aster Family
85. Saltbush,
Four-winged – Atriplex canescens –
Goosefoot Family
89. Sundrops,
Hartweg’s – Calyphus hartwegii – Evening Primrose Family
90. Sunflower,
Annual – Helianthus annus –Aster Family
91. Sunflower, Prairie –Helianthus petiolaris – Aster Family
91. Sunflower, Prairie –Helianthus petiolaris – Aster Family
92. Sweetpea,
Wild – Lathyrus eucosmus – Pea Family
93. Tarragon
– Artemisia biennis – Aster Family
94. Tea,
Navajo/Indian – Thelesperma
filifolium – Aster Family
95. Thornapple,
Oak-leafed – Datura quercifolia –
Potato Family
97. Verbena,
Spike – Verbena macdougalii – Verbena Family
98. Vipergrass
– Scorzonera laciniata – Aster Family
99. Wallflower, Western – Erysimum capitatum –Mustard Family
101. White
Ragweed – Parthenium hysterophorus Aster Family
102. Winged Wild Buckwheat-- Erigonum alatum Buckwheat
Family
Some
others you may see:
New Mexico Thistle
Purslane spp
Violet Wood Sorre
Wild Mint
Wild Rose
Yellow FlaxWild Mint
Wild Rose
The day was glorious as clouds rose to threaten rain. Normally this walk in late August is hot with little shade. But today, the temperature was in the low 80's.
The sunflowers were stunning as they lined the road. The arroyo is behind these flowers.
.
Amazing, Vicki. I think I would categorize your plant identification skills as encyclopedic. What a fun outing....:)
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see how many of these wildflowers have been hybridized for the suburban gardens.
ReplyDeleteThe sunflowers are so pretty. Always a favorite.
This is certainly soothing New Mexico balm to the New Mexico experience of "Breaking Bad."
ReplyDeleteSomehow wildflowers are more inspiring than cultivated varieties. Maybe there's a lesson in that.
Thanks for this post.
One more episode left for "Breaking Bad" - it's getting too intense for me!!!! Now Walter White is in New Hampshire (although I imagine the real scene is in the Sandia Mountains or Sangre de Cristos).
Delete(BTW: "Albuquirkie" is really a nice place - but a lot of the series rings true for this town. NM is the perfect backdrop for BrBa)