| Abronia fragrans | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Nyctaginaceae |
| Genus: | Abronia |
| Species: | A. fragrans |
| Binomial name | |
| Abronia fragrans | |
Abronia fragrans, the sweet sand-verbena, snowball sand-verbena, prairie snowball or fragrant verbena, [1] [2] is a species of sand verbena.
Abronia fragrans, sweet sand-verbena, is an herbaceous perennial with an upright or sprawling growth habit, reaching 8–40 inches (about 20–102 cm). [2] It grows from a taproot with sticky, hairy stems growing from 7.1 inches to 3.3 feet (18–100 cm) long.
The flowers consist of 4 to 5 petaloid sepals and sepaloid bracts with a tubular corolla borne in clusters of 25 to 80 at the ends of stems. The blossoms are usually white but may be green-, lavender-, or pink-tinged. The sticky leaves are simple and opposite, up to 3.5" (8.89 cm) long and 1.2" (3 cm) wide, and elliptical or linear. The fruits are egg-shaped achenes about 0.1" (.25 cm) long, lustrous, and black or brown. The achene is enclosed within a leathery top-shaped calyx base [3] which may or may not be winged. [4]
The flowers of this plant open in the evening and close again in the morning, a habit which gives the Nyctaginaceae family its common name of four o' clocks. [5] The blossoms are a pure white throughout most of its range, but in southern areas they sometimes have a slight blush of lavender-pink. The flowering recurs irregularly from June until late fall. [6]
There is dispute as to the classification of Abronia fragrans, with some recognizing Abronia elliptica as a separate species (Kartesz, Weber) and others believing that the two are the same plant (Welsh). The separation of the two species is based on variances of several characteristics including the shape of the fruit, the hairiness of various parts of the plants, and rhizomatous spreading. [7]
This species was collected by Thomas Nuttall in 1834 near the Platte River and was named by him in Hookers 1853 description. [7] The species name, fragrans, means 'fragrant' and refers to the sweet smell of the blossoms, while the genus name is from the Greek "abros" meaning delicate. [5]
The native range of sweet sand-verbena extends from Northern Arizona to western Texas and Oklahoma north through the Rocky Mountain and western plains regions of the United States and south to Chihuahua, Mexico. [4] Sweet sand-verbena occurs in prairies, plains, and savannas where it can be found growing in loose, dry, sandy soils. [2]
Sweet sand-verbena is grown in gardens for its attractive blossoms and fragrance, and to attract butterflies. [2] In garden settings it is not as exacting of soil requirements as it is in the wild. [6]
The Indigenous peoples of the Southwest use the plant as a wash for sores and insect bites, to treat stomachache, and as an appetite booster. [3] Among the Navajo, it is used medicinally for boils [8] and taken internally when a spider was swallowed. [9] The Kayenta Navajo use it as a cathartic, for insect bites, as a sudorific, as an emetic, for stomach cramps, and as a general panacea. [10] The Ramah Navajo use it as a lotion for sores or sore mouth and to bathe perspiring feet. [11]
The Keres mix ground roots of the plant with corn flour, and eat to gain weight. [12] They also use this mixture to keep from becoming greedy, [12] and they make ceremonial necklaces from the plant. [12]
The Ute use as a roots and flowers for stomach and bowel troubles, [13] whereas the Zuni use the fresh flowers alone for stomachaches. [14] The Acoma [15] and the Laguna mix the ground roots with cornmeal and eat the mixture as food. [15]
Abronia umbellata is a flowering annual plant which is native to western North America. Other common names include beach sand verbena and purple sand verbena.
Baccharis salicifolia is a blooming shrub native to the sage scrub community and desert southwest of the United States and northern Mexico, as well as parts of South America. Its usual common name is mule fat; it is also called seepwillow or water-wally. This is a large bush with sticky foliage which bears plentiful small, fuzzy, pink or red-tinged white flowers which are highly attractive to butterflies. The long pointed leaves may be toothed and contain three lengthwise veins. It is most common near water sources.
Lithospermum incisum is a species of flowering plant in the borage family known by several common names, including fringed puccoon, narrowleaf stoneseed, fringed gromwell, narrowleaf puccoon, and plains stoneseed. It is native to much of central Canada and the United States, where it is known from many types of habitat, but particularly piñon-juniper woodland. It is a hairy perennial herb growing from a narrow brown to black taproot and woody caudex. It produces a cluster of stems up to about 30 centimeters long. The stems are lined with narrow, pointed leaves up to 6 centimeters long. The slender, trumpet-shaped flowers are pale to bright yellow or gold, and may approach 4 centimeters long. The corolla face is 1 to 2 centimeters wide, its lobes sometimes ruffled. The smaller cleistogamous (closed) flowers are the main producers of seed.
Abronia villosa is a species of sand-verbena known by the common names desert sand-verbena and chaparral sand-verbena. It is in the four o'clock plant family (Nyctaginaceae). It is native to sandy areas in the deserts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, associated with creosote-bush and coastal-sage scrub habitats.
Eriogonum jamesii is a species of wild buckwheat known by the common name James' buckwheat and antelope sage. It is native to the southwestern United States, being found in: Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Nebraska.
Abronia ammophila, the Yellowstone sand verbena, or Wyoming sand verbena, is a plant unique to Yellowstone National Park lakeshores and is endemic to the park. Part of the "Four o'clock" family (Nyctaginaceae), the abronia ammophila is best suited in sandy soils and lake shores.
Dieteria canascens is an annual plant or short lived perennial plant in the family Asteraceae, known by the common names hoary tansyaster and hoary-aster.
Machaeranthera tanacetifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names tansyleaf tansyaster and Tahoka daisy.
Yucca glauca is a species of perennial evergreen plant, adapted to xeric (dry) growth conditions. It is also known as small soapweed, soapweed yucca, Spanish bayonet, and Great Plains yucca.
Zinnia grandiflora is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names Rocky Mountains zinnia and plains zinnia. It is native to the southwestern and south-central United States and northern Mexico.
Dalea candida is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common name white prairie clover. It is native to North America, where it can be found throughout central Canada, the central United States, and northern Mexico. It can sometimes be found outside its range as an introduced species. It grows in many types of habitat, including several types of prairie, foothills, woods, forests, and disturbed areas.
Commelina dianthifolia, known as the birdbill dayflower, is a perennial herb native to mountains in the south-western United States and northern Mexico. Petals are blue while sepals are green. The inflorescence is a scorpioid cyme and it is subtended by a boat-like spathe.
Fendlera rupicola, commonly known as the cliff fendlerbush or the false mockorange, is a shrub that grows in dry locations in the south central mountain regions of North America.
Abronia, the sand-verbenas or wild lantanas, is a genus of about 20 species of annual or perennial herbaceous plants in the family Nyctaginaceae. Despite the common names, they are not related to Verbena (vervains) or lantanas in the family Verbenaceae. They are closely allied with Tripterocalyx.
Psilostrophe tagetina is a flowering plant in the daisy family known by the common name woolly paperflower. It is native to Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and northwestern Mexico.
See also Zuni ethnobotany, and Native American ethnobotany.
This is a list of plants and how they are used in Zuni culture.
Agastache pallidiflora, commonly known as New Mexico giant hyssop or Bill Williams Mountain giant hyssop, is a plant in the mint family.
Symphyotrichum falcatum is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. Commonly called white prairie aster and western heath aster, it is native to a widespread area of central and western North America.
The Keres people are one of the Pueblo peoples. They speak English, Keresan languages, and in one pueblo Keresan Sign Language.
