Ethnobotanist, Naturalist and Wildlife Biologist Vincent Pinto has recorded 208 species of wild plants at Raven’s Nest Nature Sanctuary as of Monsoon 2026! An outstanding number of species for our 42-acre Nature Preserve which reflect Vincent’s relentless Sky Islands Conservation strategies since 2008.
Monsoon 2026 has been spectacular at Raven’s Nest Nature Sanctuary!
Raven’s Nest Nature Sanctuary serves as a microcosm of monsoonal effects on biodiversity in our Sky Islands region at large. Our 42-acre preserve has received over 7 inches of July rain – an excellent start to the monsoon. This set plants off and running – key components to our overall species richness as they furnish food, shelter, and nesting sites for various species of wildlife. With the deep soaking rains of July the ground sprung to life. Within days bare soil was transformed by a delicate patina of native vegetation. Leading the way were sprouts of the annual Palmer’s amaranth.
With continued rains, these summer specialists will develop into tall plants proffering calorically rich seeds to birds and mammals alike – a vital resource to see them through leaner winter months. Sunflower weed, Bolivian cilantro, and various morning glories also initiated their life cycle in July, promising nectar to butterflies and other pollinators as well as forage for deer. Given the swift response of many warm-season plants to soil moisture, some species began to flower soon after the rains began. Perhaps my favorite one, growing along south-facing canyon slopes at our preserve, is mala mujer. For those of you deficient in Spanish, this translates to “bad woman” – a clear allusion to the violently stinging hairs covering this shrubby relative of cassava. Nevertheless, the showy white flowers were heavily visited by many species of butterflies.
Meanwhile, Palmer agaves truly stole the show, luring in a plethora of birds to their towering flower stalks. Both hooded and Bullock’s orioles, pyrrhuloxias, Lucy’s warblers, various hummingbirds, house finches, and others partook of this monsoon nectar feast. Though spring is rightly touted as a birder’s paradise in the Sky Islands, monsoon birding is also a profoundly enriching experience.
2026 RARE WILD PLANT DISCOVERY
In mid-July 2026, Vincent discovered a hyper-rare plant at Raven’s Nest Nature Sanctuary. It is so vanishingly rare in the U.S. that it is only known from a handful of localities nearby our preserve. Botanists are actually still identifying the plant and thus far only have the generic latin name, not the specific one yet!
So far it is known as Polystemma, formerly Matlea, or Vulture’s Star for its common name. As the attached phot shows, it’s a real beauty! The red flowers may attract carrion-loving insects, given the unusual hue and odd odor of the blooms.
2026 Wild Plant List
TREES
CANNABACEAE
Celtis pallida – Spiny Hackberry
Celtis reticulata – Netleaf Hackberry
CUPRESSACEAE
Juniperus arizonica – Arizona Juniper
FABACEAE
Eysenhardtia orthocarpa – Western Kidneywood
Prosopis velutina- Velvet Mesquite
Senegalia greggii – Gregg’s Catclaw
SHRUBS
ACANTHACEAE
Anisacanthus thurberi – Desert Honeysuckle
AMARANTHACEAE
Atriplex sp. – Saltbush
APOCYNACEAE
Macrosiphonia brachysiphon – Rock Trumpet
ASTERACEAE
Baccharis pteronioides – Yerba de Pasmo
Baccharis sarothroides – Desert Broom
Brickellia sp. – Brickellbush
Gutierrezia microcephala – Threadleaf Snakeweed
Isocoma tenuisecta – Burroweed
Trixis califonica – Trixis
Zinnia acerosa – Desert Zinnia
EUPHORIACEAE
Cnidoscolus angustifolia – Mala Mujer
FABACEAE
Acacia angustissima – Fern Acacia
Calliandra eriophylla – Fairy Duster
Dalea sp. – Prarie Clover
Mimosa aculeaticarpa – White-ball Catclaw Mimosa
Mimosa dysocarpa – Pink Catclaw Mimosa
FOUQUIERIACEAE
Fouquieria splendens
KRAMERIACEAE
Krameria erecta – Littleleaf Ratany
MALVACEAE
Gossypium thurberi – Wild Cotton
Hibiscus coulterii – Desert Hibiscus
NYCTAGINACEAE
Commicarpus scandens – Climbing Wartclub
SOLANACEAE
Lycium berlandieri – Berlandier’s Wolfberry
RHAMNACEAE
Zizyphus obtusifolia – Greythorn
VERBENACEAE
Aloysia wrightii – Beebrush
VINES
APOCYNACEAE
Polystemma (pilosum)//formerly Matlea – Vulture’s Star – hyper-rare in U.S.
Sarcostemma cynanchoides – Fringed Twinevine
ARISTOLOCHIACEAE
Aristolochia watsonii – Watson’s Dutchman’s Pipe
CONVOLVULACEAE
Cuscuta erosa – Sonoran Dodder
Ipomoea barbatisepala – Canyon Morning-glory
Ipomoea cristulata – Tans-Pecos Morning-glory
Ipomoea hederacea – Ivy-leaf Morning-glory
Ipomoea ternifolia – Three-leaf Morning-glory
Ipomoea thurberi – Thurber’s Morning-glory
CUCURBITACEAE
Apodanthera undulata – Loco Melon
Cucurbita digitata – Fingerleaf Gourd
Echinopepon wrightii – Wild Balsam Apple
EPHORBIACEAE
Manihot angustiloba – Narrow-leafed Cassava
MALPIGHIACEAE
Janusia gracilis – Slender Janusia
FORBS
ACANTHACEAE
Carlowrightia arizonica – Arizona Carlowrightia
Elytraria imbricata – Purple Scalystem
Tetramerium nervosum – Hairy Fournwort
AIZOACEAE
Trianthema portulacastrum – Desert Horse Purslane
AMARANTHACEAE
Amaranthus palmeri – Careless Weed
Amaranthus torreyi – Torrey’s Amaranth
Chenopodium neomexicanum – NM Goosefoot
Froelichia arizonica – AZ Snake-cotton
Gomphrena caespitosa – Tufted Globe Amaranth
Gomphrena sonorae – Sonoran Globe Amaranth
Guilleminea densa – Small Matweed
APIACEAE
Bowlesia incana – Hairy Bowlesia
Daucus pusillus – American Wild Carrot
Spermolepis echinata – Bristly Scaleseed
APOCYNACEAE
Asclepias nyctaginifolia – 4 O’clock-leafed Milkweed
ARACEAE
Lemna minor – Common Duckweed
ASPARAGACEAE
Dichelostemma capitatum – Bluedicks
Milla biflora – Mexican Star
ASTERACEAE
Acourtia Wrightii. – Brownfoot
Ambrosia sp. – Ragweed
Bahia absinthifolia – Hairy-seed Bahia
Bidens leptocephala – Few-flower Beggarticks
Brickellia sp. – Brickelbush
Cirsium neomexicanum – New Mexico Thistle
Conyza canadensis – Canadian Horseweed
Diaperia verna – Spring Cudweed
Erigeron divergens – Spreading Fleabane
Erigeron neomexicanus – New Mexico Fleabane
Erigeron oreophilus – Chaparral Fleabane
Heliomeris longifolia – Long-leaf False-goldeneye
Lactuca serriola – Prickly Lettuce
Machaeranthera tagetina – Mesa Tansy-aster
Malacothrix clevelandii – Cleveland’s Desert Dandelion
Malacothrix fendleri – Fendler’s Desert Dandelion
Parthenice mollis – Annual Monsterwort
Porophyllum ruderale – Yerba Porosa
Pseudognaphalium canescens – Pearly Everlasting
Pseudognaphalium leucocephalum – White Cudweed
Rafinesquia neomexicana – New Mexico Chickory
Stephanomeria exigua – Small Wirelettuce
Stephanomeria pauciflora – Brown-plume Wirelettuce
Tithonia thurberi – Arizona Sunflower-weed
Uropappus lindleyi – Silver Puffs
Xanthisma gracile – Grass-leaf Sleepy Daisy
BIXACEAE
Amoreuxia palmatifida – Saya
BORAGINACEAE
Amsinckia menziesii – Small-flower Fiddleneck
Cryptantha barbigera – Bearded Cat’s-eye
Eremocarya micrantha – Lesser Alley Cat’s-eye
Cryptantha pterocarya – Wing-nut Cat’s-eye
Eucrypta micrantha – Dainty Desert Hideseed
Nama hispidum – Bristly Nama
Pectocarya recurvata – Curve-nut Combseed
Phacelia affinis – Limestone Phacelia
Phacelia arizonica – Arizona Phacelia
Phacelia distans – Distant Phacelia
Plagiobothrys arizonicus – Arizona Popcorn Flower
BRASSICACEAE
Descurainia pinnata – Western Tansy-mustard
Lepidium lasiocarpum – Hairypod Pepperwort
Thysanocarpus curvipes – Sand Fringepod
CARYOPHYLLACEAE
Cerastium texanum – Texas Chickweed
CLEOMACEAE
Polanisia dodecandra – Red-whisker Clammyweed
COMMELINACEAE
Commelina erecta – White-mouth Dayflower
CONVOLVULACEAE
Evolvulus alsinoides – Slender Dwarf Morning-glory
Evolvulus arizonicus – Wild Dwarf Morning-glory
EUPHORBIACEAE
Acalypha ostryifolia – Pineland Three-seed-mercury
Chamaesyce spp. – Sandmat
Euphorbia cyathophora – Wild Poinsettia
Euphorbia heterophylla – Mexican Fireplant
Jatropha macrorhiza – Ragged Nettle-spurge
FABACEAE
Astragalus nothoxys – Sheep Milk-vatch
Astragalus sp. – Milk-vetch
Chamaecrista nictitans – Partridge-pea
Desmanthus cooleyi – Bundle-flower
Lotus humistratus (= Acmispon brachycarpus) – Foothill Deervetch
Lupinus concinnus – Bajada Lupine
Lupinus sparsiflorus – Desert Lupine
Rhynchosia minima – Least Snout-bean
Senna bauhinioides – Shrubby Wild Sensitive-plant
Senna hirsuta – Hairy Senna
Tephrosia vicioides – Pink Hoary Pea
GERANIACEAE
Erodium texanum – Texas Stork’s-bill
LILIACEAE
Calochortus kennedyi – Mariposa Lilly
LOASACEAE
Mentzelia albicaulis – White-stem Blazingstar
Mentzelia multiflora – Adonis Blkjalazingstar
MALVACEAE
Abutilon mollicomum – Sonoran Indian Mallow
Abutilon reventum – Yellow-flower Indian-mallow
Anoda cristata – Crested Anoda
Rhynchosida physocalyx – Buffpetal
Sida abutifolia – Spreading Fanpetals
MARTYNIACEAE
Proboscidea altheifolia – Perennial Devil’s Claw
Proboscidea parviflora – Annual Devil’s Claw
MONTIACEAE
Calandrinia ciliata – Fringed Redmaids
Phemeranthus aurantiacus – Orange False Flameflower
NYCTAGINACEAE
Allionia incarnata – Trailing Windmills
Boerhavia coccinea – Scarlet Spiderlings
Boerhavia intermedia. – Fivewing Spiderling
ONAGRACEAE
Camissonia californica – California Suncup
Oenothera primiveris – Desert Evening Primrose
PAPAVERACEAE
Argemone pleiacantha – Southwestern Prickly-poppy
Corydalis aurea – Golden Smoke
Eschscholzia californica – California Poppy
PLANTAGINACEAE
Nuttallanthus texanus – Texas Toadflax
Plantago patagonica – Wooly Plantain
POLEMONIACEAE
Eriastrum diffusum – Miniature Woolstar
Gilia flavocincta – Yellowthroat Gilia
Gilia mexicana – Mexican Gilia
Linanthus bigelovii – Bigelow’s Desert Trumpets
POLYGONACEAE
Eriogonum abertianum – Abert’s Buckwheat
Eriogonum polycladon – Skeleton Weed
Eriogonum wrightii – Bastard Sage
PORTULACACEAE
Portulaca suffrutescens – Shrubby Purslane
Portulaca umbraticola – Wing-pod Purslane
PRIMULACEAE
Androsace occidentalis – Western Rock Jasmine
RANUNCULACEAE
Delphinium scaposum – Bare-stem Larkspur
RUBIACEAE
Galium sp. – Bedstraw
SOLANACEAE
Datura wrightii – Sacred Datura
Physalis pubescens – Husk Tomato
Solanum rostratum – Buffalobur Nightshade
TALINACEAE
Talinum paniculatum – Jewels of Opar
ZYGOPHYLLACEAE
Kallstroemia grandiflora – Arizona Caltrop
Kallstroemia parviflora – Warty Caltrop
GRASSES
POACEAE
Aristida purpurea – Purple Three-awn
Aristida ternipes – Spider Grass
Bothriochloa barbinodis – Cane Beardgrass
Bouteloua aristidoides – Needle Grama
Bouteloua chondrosioides – Spruce-top Grama
Bouteloua curtipendula – Side-oats Grama
Bouteloua gracilis – Blue Grama
Bouteloua hirsuta – Hairy Grama
Bouteloua rothrockii – Rothrock Grama
Cenchrus spinifex – Coastal Sandbur
Chloris virgata – Feather Fingergrass
Digitaria californica – Arizona Cottontop
Digitaria pubiflora – Western Witchgrass
Elymus elymoides – Western Bottle-brush Grass
Enneapogon desvauxii – Nine-awn Grass
Eragrostis cilianensis – Stink Grass
Eriochloa acuminata – Taper-tip Cup grass
Heteropogon contortus – Tanglehead
Hilaria belangeri – Curly-mesquite
Leptochloa dubia – Green Sprangletop
Muhlenbergia fragilis – Delicate Muhlly
Panicum hirticaule – Mexican Panic Grass
Panicum obtusum – Vine Mesquite
Setaria leucopila – Plains Bristlegrass
Sporobolus cryptandrus – Sand Dropseed
Sporobolus wrightii – Big Sacaton
Zuloagaea bulbosa – Bulb Panicgrass
CACTI & OTHER SUCCULENTS
ASPARAGACEAE
Agave palmeri – Palmer Agave
Dasylirion wheeleri – Sotol
Yucca elata – Soaptree Yucca
Yucca madrensis – Mountain Yucca
CACTACEAE
Coryphantha vivipara – Pinapple Cactus
Cylindropuntia spinosior – Cane Cholla
Cylindropuntia fulgida – Jumping Cholla
Cylindropuntia versicolor – Staghorn Cholla
Echinocerus fendleri – Pink-flower Hedgehog
Echinocerus rigidissimus – Rainbow Hedgehog
Ferocactus wislizeni – Fishhook Barrel Cactus
Mammalaria macdougalii – Pancake Cactus
Opuntia engelmannii – Engelmann’s Prickly Pear
Opuntia phaeocantha – Variable Prickly Pear
Opuntia Santa-rita – Santa Rita Prickly Pear
FERNS
PTERIDACEAE
Astrolepis sinuata – Wavy Cloak Fern
