Cercidium

Lower elevation areas are dominated by dense communities of creosote and white bursage, but on slopes and higher portions of bajadas, subtrees such as palo verde (Cercidium floridum, C. microphyllum) and ironwood (Olneya tesota), saguaros (Carnegiea gigantia), and other tall cacti are abundant.

Sonoran desert 2009

Where the dunes allow for slight inclination of the slope, species of mesquite (Prosopis), Cercidium, palo fierro (Olneya tesota), Candalia, Lycium, choya (Opuntia), Fouquieria, jécota (Hymenoclea) and Acacia are favored.

Sonoran desert 2009

Blue palo verde (Cercidium floridum) grows mostly along washes.

Seed dispersal of desert plants 2009

A couple of exceptions are brittlebush when it occurs in pure stands, and extensive woodlands of foothill palo verde (Cercidium microphyllum).

Adaptations of desert plants 2009

It has also been demonstrated that ironwood (Olneya tesota) and palo verde (Cercidium floridum) nursing relationships promote diversification and increase richness of other plants in arid ecosystems.

Sonoran desert 2009

Away from the Gulf influence in the area surrounding the Pinacate Encelia farinosa, Larrea tridentata, and cacti species such as Olneya, Cercidium, Prosopis, and Fouquieria again dominate the desert.

Sonoran desert 2009

The tetecho (Neobuxbaumia tetetzo) have a well-developed lower stratum composed of Mimosa luisana, Prosopis laevigata, Cercidium praecoxs, and Acacia coulteri, among others.

Tehuacán Valley matorral 2007

Some examples are associations of Stronium graveolens with Tabebuia billbergii, Haematoxylon brasiletto with Melochia tomentosa, Libidibia coriaria with Cordia curassavica, Bursera glabra with Castela erecta, Vitex cymosa with Libidibia coraria, Mimosa cabrera with Cordia curassavica, Bursera tomentosa with Bursera graveolens, and Castela erecta with Cercidium praecox.

Guajira-Barranquilla xeric scrub 2008

Species that serve to separate the Mojave from the Sonoran desert include such widespread Sonoran species as ironwood (Olneya tesota), blue Palo Verde (Cercidium florium), and chuparosa (Justica californica).

Mojave desert 2008

Characteristic Sonoran species on the islands are the palo verde Cercidium spp., elephant tree Bursera microphylla, desert ironwood Olneya tesota, limberbush Jatropha spp., ocatillo Fouquieria diguetti, white bursage Ambrosia spp. and cacti such as the columnar cardon Pachycerus pringlei, viejito Mammillaria capensis, cholla Opuntia cholla and prickly pears Opuntia spp.

Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California, Mexico 2008