FORBS
AT THE RANCH

A Forb is a non-wooded, broad-leaved plant other than a grass, especially one growing in a field, prairie, or meadow.  Commonly called a weed.  A more scientific definition follows: Herbaceous plant other than those in the Gramineae (true grasses), Cyperaceae (sedges), and Juncaceae (rushes) families, i.e., any nongrass-like plant having little or no woody material.

Dick-Peddie provided a listing of the major plants comprising the Desert Grassland in New Mexico, the portion of southeastern New Mexico where The Ranch is located.  The following checklist of Forbs were presented by Dick-Peddie as part of the major plants (* = diagnostic plant) of the Desert Grasslands.  Additional species have been added to this list as they have been found near The Ranch.

CHECKLIST OF FORBS AT THE RANCH

Acrophilon repens - Russian Knapweed.  Introduced species from Eurasia.  Noxious.

Russian Knapweed

*A - Frailing Four-O-Clock

*Amaranthus palmeri - Careless Weed

*Ambrosia acanthicarpa - Burweed

Argemene squarrosa - Desert Prickly Poppy

Desert Prickly Poppy

Artemisia dracunculoides - False Tarragon

Artemisia ludoviciana - Louisiana Wormwood

*Astragalus wootonii - Wooton Loco

Atriplex powelli - ?

*Bahia absynthafolia - Field Bahia

*Baileya multiradiata - Desert Marigold

Boerhaavia spp. - Spiderling

Caesalpinia densiflora - Hog Potato

Caesalpinia depanocarpa - ?

*Cassia bauhunoides - Twin Leaf

Cassia roemeriana - Senna

*Chamaesaracha spp. - ?

Chenopodium incanum - ?

Cordylanthus wrightii - Club Flower

*Cryptantha crassisepala - Pains Hidden Flower

*Cryptantha micrantha - Desert Nut

*Cucurbita digitata - Cleft Leaf Gourd

Cucurbita foetidissima - Buffalo Gourd or Coyote Melon

Buffalo Gourd

*Desmanthes cooleyi - Bundle Flower

Dithyrea wislizenii - Spectacle Pod

Dyssodia acerosa - Dog Weed

Erigeron sp. - Flea Bane

*Eriogonum abertianum - ?

Eriogonum jamesii - Antelope Sage

*Eriogonum rotundifolia - ?

*Eriogonum tricopes - ?

Erodium circutarium - Filaree

Euphorbia albomarginata - Rattlesnake Weed

Euphorbia fendleri - ?

*Evolvulus nuttallianus - ?

*Froelichia gracilis - Cotton Weed

*Gaillardia pulchella - Blanket Flower

*Gnaphalium chilense - Cottony Everlasting

*Gomphrena caespitosa - Ball Clover.

Haplopappus gracilis - Golden Weed

*Hedeoma spp. - False Pennyroyal

Heterotheca latifolia - Telegraph Plant

*Ipomopsis longiflora - Pale Trumpets

*Ipomopsis pumila - ?

Iva ambrosiaefolia - Sump Weed

*Lepidium lasiocarpum - Peppergrass

Lesquerella fendleri - Fendler Bladderpod

*Lesquerella gordonii - Gordon Bladderpod

Leucelene ericoides - White Aster

*Linum aristatum - ?

*Lotus greenei - Deer Vetch

*Lotus neomexicana - ?

Machaerantha tanacetifolia - Tahoka Daisy

*Malacothrix fendleri - Desert Dandelion

*Melampodium leucanthum - Rock Daisy

*Mentzelia albicaulis - White Steam Stickleaf

*Nama hispidum - Purple Curl Leaf

Nerisyrenia camporum - ?

Notholaena sinuata - Wavy Cloak Fern

Nyctaginia capitata - Scarlet Musk Flower

Scarlet Musk Flower

*Oenothera caespitosa - Tufted Evening Primrose

Oenothera primiveris - Large Yellow Desert Evening Primrose

*Pectis angustifolia - Limoncillo

*Pectis papposa - Lemon Weed

*Penstemon fendleri - Fendler Beard Tongue

Perezia nana - Desert Holly

Phacelia corrugata - Scorpion Weed

*Plantago purshii - Wooly Indian Wheat

Portulaca oleracea - Common Purslane

*Psilostrophe tagetina - Paper Flower

Ratibida columnaris - Mexican Hat

Mexican Hat

*Rumex hymenosepalus - Canaigre

Salsola kali - Russian Thistle

Russian Thistle

*Schrankia occidentalis - Sensitive Brier

Selenocarpus diffusus - Spreading Moon Pod

*Sida leprosa - Scurfy Sida

Solanum elaeagnifolium - White Horse Nettle

White Horse Nettle

Solanum rostratum - Buffalo Bur

Buffalo Bur

Sphaeralacea coccinia - Red Globe Mallow

*Sphaeralacea incana - ?

*Sphaeralacea subhastata - ?

Talinum aurantiacum - Flame Flower

Tetraclea coulteri - ?

Thelesperma megapotamicum - Green Weed

*Tidestromia lanuginosa - Mouse Ear

*Verbena bipinnatifida - Dakota Verbena

Verbena wrightii - Desert Verbena

Desert Verbena

*Verbesina enceliodes - Crown Beard

Zephyranthes longiflora - Zephyr Lily

*Zinnia acerosa - ?

Zinnia grandiflora - Rocky Mountan Zinnia

REFERENCES

Dick-Peddie, W. A. 1993.  New Mexico Vegetation: Past Present and Future.  Univ. New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico.