Diario del proyecto Tribal Nations Botanical Research Collaborative

Arrowweed (Pluchea sericea) is a beautiful shrub native to the southwest, found mostly in riparian areas. This willow-like shrub often grows in and amongst other willow species in washes and floodplains. Arrowweed is in the Aster family and has pinkish-purple flower heads that bloom February-May. This species is found at lower elevations on the Colorado Plateau, typically below 3000 ft. It’s leaves and stems are covered in silky fine hairs that give the plant a white-ish hue. Sometimes forming dense thickets it provides cover and habitat for insects and wildlife in the floodplains. If you are down in the lower elevations of Tonto or Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests over the winter, look out for this evergreen shrub!

We had a great day of botanizing at Keyhole Sink with several project members from Hopi! We saw Rosa woodsii, Thalictrum fenderli, Artemisia caruthii, and Antennaria parvifolia among other plants!

If you'd like photo updates, like our Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/TNBRC.Arizona/

Take care & have fun iNaturalisting!!!

The buffalo gourd (Cucurbita foetidissima) is in the cucumber family and related to cucumbers, squash, and pumpkins. This fall-ripening gourd has many common names including stinking gourd due to the foul odour produced by the crushed flowers. This odour along with many chemical compounds in the plant deter insects that would otherwise feast upon it. Spread across the western states, this gourd has a rich history of traditional, domestic, culinary, and medicinal uses. It can be recognized by the sprawling vine which grows in patches, fuzzy triangular leaves, yellow five pointed flowers in the summer, and green to yellow round gourds in the fall. There have been multiple iNaturalist observations of buffalo gourd in Coconino National Forest in the last month, so be on the lookout! Happy Gourd Season!

If you would like a tutorial on how to use the iNaturalist application to observe plants, then this video is for you: https://youtu.be/QsG7aykplDQ

Apologies for the shaking camera and background noise (I had my kids with me when making the video)!

Have a fantastic day!
--Sara

Broom snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae) is a bright golden flower in the Aster family and
blooms May-October. It’s found on most western landscapes and is a hardy low-growing shrub
with resinous twigs. Bundles of the woody twigs have been used as brooms giving this common
plant its name.

The plant is strongly aromatic and includes some organic compounds that are poisonous to
grazing sheep and cattle. It has therefore been associated with landscapes that are overgrazed
since it’s the only thing left when these domestic ungulates have eaten everything else.
Interestingly, this is in contrast to wild ungulates such as mule deer, elk and pronghorns who
often eat this plant. Pronghorns are particularly partial to Broom snakeweed which can
comprise up to 30% of their diet! Broom snakeweed is also the host plant for native moth and
butterfly species.

This plant was most recently observed on iNaturalist just 9 days ago in the Apache-Sitgreaves
National Forest! It’s blooming right now, so get out there and record some observations!

Check out the leaderboard statistics for September:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmMjR1m23C4&feature=youtu.be

Rocky mountain bee plant is a widespread beautiful flower that grows from British Columbia throughout the west and southwest United States. It’s bright pink ball-like flower clusters stand out on the landscape in mid-late summer. In strong monsoon years, it’s especially prevalent in Northern Arizona this time of year, but without the monsoons this year the flowering was earlier and less vibrant up on the Colorado Plateau. You still might see their wacky green bean shaped fruits if you look closely! As you might imagine from the name, pollinators love this plant, from bees, to butterflies, to hummingbirds! Birds also eat the seeds of the plant after ripening.

Be sure to take an iNaturalist observation if you see any late flowers or seed pods of this common western plant.

Arizona black walnut is found throughout the southwest in AZ, NM, UT, parts of OK and TX, and northwest Mexico. The Arizona walnut is common in riparian areas in these dry desert states. Their growth form is a small to medium tree and they can live for up to 400 years! This species is usually found along streams growing with other riparian species such as Fremont Cottonwood, Goodding's Willow, and Arizona Sycamore.

These trees are particularly famous for their walnuts which provide food sources of wildlife and humans and are used for paints, however their wood is also prized for making furniture and even their twigs and bark are used for dyes. Squirrels, birds, and deer all eat the walnuts which serve as a crucial source of protein and fat for wildlife in the fall. Keep your eye out this fall for Arizona walnuts! You’ll notice their distinct compound leaves, and all the walnuts falling to the ground as the autumn progresses. We’d love to get some more observations of this ecologically and tribally important species on our iNaturalist project!

Follow this link for the current top observers for TNBRC: https://youtu.be/vflwiwkjGy0

Have a great weekend!

--Sara

Follow this link for the current top observers for TNBRC: https://youtu.be/k71eB9TBnkE

Have a great weekend!