Forbs and Woody Plants

25 Major Rangeland Plants

By Karen Launchbaugh

Forbs & Woody PlantFORBS     

Desert Merigold Perennial NativeLeafy Spurge Perennial Introduced & NoxiousTailcup Lupine Perennial NativeTall Larkspur Perennial NativeSpotted Knapweed Perennial Introduced & NoxiousWestern Yarrow Perennial Native

WOODY PLANTS    

Big Sagebrush Perennial NativeCoyote Willow Perennial NativeCreosote Perennial NativeDeerbrush Perennial NativeHoney Mesquite Perennial NativeJuniper Perennial NativeSalt Cedar Perennial Introduced & NoxiousShadscale Saltbrush Perennial NativeWinterfat Perennial Native

Hairy Leaves

Mostly Basal

Leaves

Desert Marigold• Perennial• Native

Composite flower with Disk flowers and Ray flowers

Page from North American Wildland Plants by Stubbendieck, Hatch and Landholt

Desert Marigold• Desert wildflower• High ornamental value

Composite flower with Disk flowers and Ray flowers

High ornamental value

Leafy Spurge• Introduced• Perennial

University of Idaho Stillinger Herbarium (http://www.pnwherbaria.org)http://www.ag.ndsu.edu

Leafy Spurge• Milky resin• Noxious Weed

Thad Berrett

Thad Berrett

Tailcup Lupine• Perennial• Native

Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission – drawing by Beverly Jaquish

Raceme seed heads

Palmate compound leaves

University of Idaho Stillinger Herbarium (http://www.pnwherbaria.org)

Tailcup Lupine• Poisonous plant

contains alkaloids

Jennifer Peterson

Jennifer Peterson

Tall Larkspur• Perennial• Native

Palmate dividedleaves

Raceme seed heads

University of Idaho Stillinger Herbarium (http://www.pnwherbaria.org

Tall Larkspur• Poisonous plant contains

alkaloids

** Poisonous – This plant contains a potent alkaloid. More animals die from this plant than from any other in North America

Purple flowers

Palmately divided leaves

Sheri Hagwood, BLM

Spotted Knapweed• Perennial• Introduced

K. Launchbaugh Jen Peterson

K.

La

un

chb

au

gh

www.usu.edu/weeds/plant_species/weedspecies/spottedknap.html

Composit Seedhead with Disk flowers

Montana State University Herbarium (http://www.pnwherbaria.org

Spotted Knapweed• Noxious weed• Distinct “spots”

K. Launchbaugh

Jen Peterson

K.

La

un

chb

au

gh

K. Launchbaugh

Western Yarrow• Perennial• Native

Umbrella-shaped inflorescence

rhizomatous

University of Idaho Stillinger Herbarium (http://www.pnwherbaria.org

Western Yarrow• Widely range of occurrence• Medicinal Value

deeply divided fern-like leaves

Jennifer Peterson

Jennifer Peterson

J. Peterson

Big Sagebrush• Perennial• Native Leaves with

3-tipped ends

Montana State University Herbarium (http://www.pnwherbaria.org

Big Sagebrush• Several sagebrush obligate

species like Sage-grouse and Sage Thrashers

Narrow wedge-shaped leaves with 3 tips

Flowers have no petals; same color as leaves

Coyote (Sandbar) Willow• Perennial• Native

K. Launchbaugh

K. LaunchbaughK. Launchbaugh

University of Idaho Stillinger Herbarium (http://www.pnwherbaria.org

Coyote (Sandbar) Willow• Important Riparian Plant

K. Launchbaugh

K. LaunchbaughK. Launchbaugh

Creosote• Perennial• Native

K. Launchbaugh

Leaves with 2 leaflets

Field Book Of Western Wild Flowers, by Margaret Armstrong

Fuzzy Seeds

Utah Valley Sate College Herbarium (http://www.pnwherbaria.org

Creosote• Desert Shrub

Leaves with 2 leaflets

K. Launchbaugh

Yellow flowers withhairy seedsK. Launchbaugh

Deerbrush• Perennial• Native

Field Book Of Western Wild Flowers, by Margaret Armstrong

Leaves have 3 main veins

Western Washington University Herbarium (http://www.pnwherbaria.org

Deerbrush• Chaparral Shrub

Sclerophyllous leaves

www.blm.gov

Honey Mesquite• Perennial• Native•

Pinately Compound Leaves Utah Valley State College Herbarium (http://www.pnwherbaria.org

Honey Mesquite• Legume• Shrub of SW Desert

Nutritious Seed Pods

Juniper• Perennial• Native

Leaves look like overlapping scales

University of Idaho Stillinger Herbarium (http://www.pnwherbaria.org

Juniper• Invasive on rangelands• Important winter wildlife

habitat

Evergreen (non-deciduous)

Saltcedar• Perennial• Introduced as ornamental

K. Launchbaugh

K. Launchbaugh

K. Launchbaugh

Utah Valley State College Herbarium (http://www.pnwherbaria.org

Saltcedar• Introduced as ornamental• Highly invasive riparian

plant.

K. Launchbaugh

K. Launchbaugh

K. Launchbaugh

Shadscale Saltbrush• Perennial• Native

Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission – drawing by Beverly Jaquish

Alternate leaves

University of Idaho Stillinger Herbarium (http://www.pnwherbaria.org

Shadscale Saltbrush• Major plant of

salt-desert shrub regionOvate or obovate leaves;

circular like a rounded scale

Winterfat• Perennial• Native

Suffrutescent (“half-shrub”) that dies back to woody base each season

Montana State University Herbarium (http://www.pnwherbaria.org

Winterfat• Important half-shrub

for winter forage value

Enrolled leaf margin

Hairy leaf surface