Larrea tridentata (de Candolle) Covillek
Creosote Bush
Zygophyllaceae - Zygophyllales
[Plants of San Diego County HOME]
Protologue: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 4: 75 (1893)
Pronunciation: Lár-re-a tri-den-tà-ta
Etymology: after Bishop Juan Antonio Hernández Perez de Larrea (1731-1803),
a Spanish clergyman at Valladolid and patron of the sciences
+ tri-, three, + dentate, toothed,
in reference to the appendages of the two leaf lobes plus that of the leaf apex
Jepson eFlora Treatment
SD County Synoptic Voucher
Interesting paper on cytotypes of Larrea tridentata: Laport, R. G., et al. 2012. Systematic Botany 37:153-164.
Distribution:
LEFT: S.D. County Plant Atlas (http://sdplantatlas.org). MIDDLE: CCH2 (http://cch2.org). RIGHT: GBIF (https://www.gbif.org). Accessed 23 Mar 2020.
Images:
Larrea tridentata
A desert shrub dominant in Creosote Bush scrub, common in bajadas (alluvial fans).
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Note opposite, 2-cleft leaves, each apically mucronate, with minute, apical extension (the 3rd tooth of "tridentata")
Also note prominent, brownish stipules. Vegetative parts of the plant are covered with a resinous secretion, hence the common name.
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Note caducous (falling prematurely) sepals, whose adaxial surfaces are yellow, and twisted petals. Ovaries and fruits are white-pilose.
Fruits split into 1-seeded units, a schizocarp.
| Cal Photos images | Google images |