plant keys & lists

This page provides you with plant checklists, plant keys,
and special plant information
about the flora in the
Four Corners states of Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado.

The following table provides you with:
1) Plant lists compiled on Native Plant Society field trips in the Four Corners area.
2) Plant lists compiled by Native Plant Society members on their own private trips.
3) Checklists of plants known to occur in certain regions, for instance, the "Alpine Checklist".

Lists are in easily printed PDF format. Click on the number in either the family or genus column to print an alphabetized list.

Please note the following about the plant lists:
1) Some plants on the lists were quite common in the area surveyed; some were uncommon or even rare. The abundance of each plant is not always indicated on the lists.
2) Lists may have errors for a number of reasons, including mistaken identification.
3) Scientific plant names on the field trip plant lists may vary from those names presently accepted because some plant names have changed since the lists were compiled. Most plant names conform to various editions of Weber and Wittmann's Colorado Flora: Western Slope.

Location	Date	Leaders	Recorders	# of pages alphabetized by family	# of pages alphabetized by genus	Comments
Alpine Checklist for the Western San Juan Mountains of Colorado		Compiled by John Bregar		7		This is a compilation of a number of plant lists from several alpine areas in the Western San Juan Mountains.
American Basin, Uncompahgre Mts., W. of Lake City	8/11/1995	Gay Austin	Stanley Smookler	2	2	Hike through American Basin to Sloan Lake, 11300 ft. to 12000 ft.
Beautiful Mt, Navajo Reservation, New Mexico	5/29/2010	Arnold Clifford	Many trip participants		3
Black Rock Canyon, Carrizo Mts., Arizona	6/9/2001	Arnold Clifford, Sandy Friedley, Charlie King	Mary Kemp	3	2	Comments: Plants of special interest include Astragalus calycosus, A. coltonii, Erigeron argentius, Heuchera rubescens, Petrophyton ceaspitosum, Phlox austromontana, P. cluteana. E = endemic to Colorado; I = introduced; G or S+# = global occurrences, 1 = < 5, 2 = 6-20, 3 = 21-100 populations, 4 or 5 = secure but rare in parts of range, esp. at periphery; LE or LT = listed as endangered or threatened
Bridal Veil Creek Trail, Telluride	2010	Connie Colter & Al Schneider	Betty Schneider	2		The list covers only the first 1 1/2 miles of the Trail and will be added to in future years.
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument	2002-2011	Leslie Stewart, Chief Ecologist of the Canyons of the Ancients & Al Schneider		7	7	This plant list was compiled from ~2002-2007 by staff of the BLM in Dolores, Colorado. Al Schneider updated the list and added species from ~2005-2011.
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, Sand Canyon	5/13/1995	Leslie Stewart, Sue Komarek	Leslie Stewart	3	2	Trip to feature plant communities.
Cedar Mesa & vicinity: SE Utah from Natural Bridges to Valley of the Gods	5/15/1991	Rick Brune, Loraine Yeatts	Loraine Yeatts	5	4	Site: A = Arch Canyon, BS = blow sand site N. of Bluff, CC = Cow Can., CM = Cedar Mesa, CR = Comb Ridge at UT hwy163, CW = Comb Wash camp at mouth of Arch Can., CW163 = Comb Wash at UT hwy 163, MC = Mule Can., NB = Natural Bridges, SI = Sand Island, VG = Valley of the Gods. Rare or endangered plants: Asclepias cutleri, Astragalus cronquistii, Erigeron kachinesis, Eriogonum clavellatum.
Chuska Mts., New Mexico-Arizona Border	8/7/2001	Arnold Clifford, Sandy Friedley, Charlie King	Scott Ellis, Loraine Yeatts	5	4	Comments: Tohatchi, NM, north along spine of Chuska Mts., to Red Rock, Az, to US 666 and Shiprock, NM Plants of special interest: Astragalus chuskanus, endemic to Chuska Mts., Lesquerella navajoensis, Lysimachia hybridum, Cryptantha setosissima, Mentzelia sp. nov. I = introduced; G or S+# = global occurrences, 1 = < 5, 2 = 6-20, 3 = 21-100 populations, 4 or 5 = secure but rare in parts of range, esp. at periphery; LE or LT = listed as endangered or threatened
CO Nat'l Mon., Ute Canyon	5/19/2001	Bob Clarke	Bob Clarke	3	2	Comments: E = endemic to Colorado; I = introduced; G or S+# = global occurrences, 1 = < 5, 2 = 6-20, 3 = 21-100 populations, 4 or 5 = secure but rare in parts of range, esp. at periphery; LE or LT = listed as endangered or threatened
De-Na-Zin Wilderness, New Mexico	4/23/2007	Clifford & Schneider	Yeatts, Turner, Bregar, Ward	3	3
Delta and vicinity. (Also see "Escalante")	5/27/1979	Jim Ratzloff, Scott Ellis	Jim Ratzloff	4	3	Field trip to observe Mancos shale vegetation between Paonia & Delta and visit hanging garden sites of Escalante Canyon, west of Gunnison River after a year of exceptional rain. . = plants of extremely restricted distribution or endemics limited to area visited.
Dinosaur National Monument	5/1/1993	Lynne Riedel	Loraine Yeatts	3	3	* = not in bud, bloom, or fruit
Dinosaur National Monument	5/11/1996	Tamara Naumann	Loraine Yeatts	3	2	Trip route followed road N from Monument Headquarters to Harpers Corner with stops at following overlooks & trails. P = Plug Hat Butte, E = Escalante Overlook, C = Canyon Overlook, F = Fremont rockart site, I = Island Park Overlook & trail, H = Harpers Corner Trail Plants of Special Concern: Oreocarya rollinsii, Boechera fernaldiana Peripheral: Fritillaria pudica New records for DINO: Holosteum umbellatum, Ranunculus jovis
Dolores River, Bradfield Bridge Area	5/21/1994	Leslie Stewart	Leslie Stewart	3	3	ADV = non-native Sites visited: 1 = Dolores R.; 2 = dry west facing hillside next to Dolores R.; 3 = Pinon Juniper flat above Narraguinnep Creek
Escalante Canyon near Delta	9/7/2008	Peggy Lyon	Theron Hunter and Loraine Yeatts	3	2
Eureka Gulch, Silverton	7/18/2009	John Bregar	John Bregar	4	3	112 species observed
Farmington, NM and vicinity	5/16/1998	Ken Heil, Mark Porter	Loraine Yeatts, Arnold Clifford, Bill Jennings	4	3	Comments: Ken Heil, San Juan College, Mark Porter, Santa Ana College, PLM specialist, Arnold Clifford, Ecosphere botanist, and Carolyn Crawford, ASC specialist, led premier tour of rare plant sites: 1=San Juan College & vicinity, 3=BLM Critical Habitat, 4=Hogback, 5=Bloomfield vicinity, 6=La Boca. Plant encountered at but not necessarily restricted to listed site number. Rare plants: Penstemon breviculus, Asclepias sanjuanensis, Sclerocactus mesae-verde, S. cloveriae sp. brackii, Pediocactus knowltonii, Astragalus humillimus, A. proximus, Gilia formosa. = not in bloom.
Five Springs Farm, Monument Canyon	2009-2011	Dana Price	Price Family & Al Schneider	4
Four Corners, Montezuma County	5/28/1995	Richard Moseley & Charlie King	Richard Moseley, Charlie King, Susan Komarek	4	3	Trip to 1 = Mesa Verde National Park; 2 = Mancos shale sites S of Pagosa; 3 = Pizza Hut site w of Pagosa; 4 = Chimney Rock site. = endemic species
Gold Knob, La Sal Mountains, Utah	7/31/2010	Mindy Wheeler	Bill Gray with Al & Betty Schneider	4		Plant Survey for Grand Canyon Trust
Grand Mesa Fen Inventory	8/19/2000	Bob Clarke	Bob Clarke	2	1	Comments: Trip to Kannah Creek headwaters E = endemic to Colorado; I = introduced; G or S+# = global occurrences, 1 = < 5, 2 = 6-20, 3 = 21-100 populations, 4 or 5 = secure but rare in parts of range, esp. at periphery; LE or LT = listed as endangered or threatened
Gunnison Basin Lichens	5/30/1998	Sally White, Larry St. Clair	Sally White		1	Site: Dry Gulch, 6 mi. E of Gunnison, 1/4 mi E on power line road near sandstone outcrop List reviewed by Dr. Larry St. Clair
Hovenweep Ruins	5/9/1998	Leslie Stewart	Leslie Stewart	5	3	Trip highlighting flora of Hovenweep National Monument ADV = non native
Kennebec Pass, La Plata Mountains	7/30/1994	Sue Komarek	Sue Komarek, Leslie Stewart	2	2
Lake Hope Trail	July 28, 2011	Connie Colter & Al Schneider	Betty Schneider	2		This list covers a bit less than the first two miles of the trail. The list will be added to in future years.
Lizard Head Trail	2000-2011	Al Schneider	Al & Betty Schneider & Connie Colter		2
Lone Mesa State Park	2008-2011	Al Schneider & Peggy Lyon	Al Schneider & Peggy Lyon	Several pages; configure your printer.
Mesa Verde National Park, Prater Ridge Trail	5/20 & 6/17, 2006	Al Schneider	Al Schneider, Leslie Stewart, Mary Kemp	3	2	Found Fritillaria atropurpurea and Iliamna grandiflora, rare plants for Mesa Verde
Mesa Verde National Park	6/10/1995	Dick Moseley, Charlie King	Marian J. Rohman, Charlie King	4	3	Rare plant tour with Marilyn Colyer
Montezuma County: Haycamp Mesa and Hovenweep National Monument	5/28/1983	Carol Brandt	Velma Richards, Loraine Yeatts	3	3	Haycamp Mesa, T37N R14W S10,17,18 along road, USGS map 7.5' Dolores East, CO. Hovenweep, Montezuma Co, CO & San Juan Co., UT, USGS map 15' Cajon Mesa, UT.
Narraguinnep Canyon RNA compilation list: 2000-2010	2001-2010	Leslie Stewart and Al & Betty Schneider	Leslie Stewart and Al & Betty Schneider	3		This plant list is a compilation of lists made by USFS Ecologist, Leslie Stewart, and Narraguinnep Natural area Stewards, Al & Betty Schneider from 2000-2010.
Narraguinnep Canyon RNA, NW of Cortez	6/17/2001	Leslie Stewart	Leslie Stewart	4	3	Trip to explore Narraguinnep Canyon and contribute to plant species list for Forest Service RNA I = introduced alien species.
Opal Lake, south of Pagosa Springs	7/10/2010	Susan Halabrin	Bob Powell	8
Owl Creek Pass near Ridgway	7/14/2007	Peggy Lyon & Al Schneider	Peggy Lyon & Al Schneider	4	3	Plants recorded along road to Owl Creek Pass and along Courthouse Trail.
Pagosa Peak, N of Pagosa Springs	7/31/1999	Charley King, Richard E. Moseley, Jr.	Charley King, Richard E. Moseley, Jr.	4	3	Trip to Nichol's Draw uplands and wetlands on slopes of Pagosa Peak I = Piedra Rd. roadside near Hatcher Lake II = Perry Dr. roadside near Jack's Pasture Rd.
Pagosa Springs, west of	6/11/1994	Dick Moseley, Charlie King	Leslie Stewart	4	3	Trip in Pagosa Springs area: 1 = Mancos Shale site ca. 2 mi S of intersection US160 & US84; 2 = Turkey Springs area on Newt Jack rd. off Piedra road ca. 7 mi NW of US 160; 3 = Piedra R. Canyon, S of Piedra road bridge at Hinsdale Co. line; A = non-native, E = endemic
Pass Creek Trail, Coal Bank Pass north of Durango	2005-2010	Travis Ward, Al Schneider, Bob Powell	Travis Ward, Al Schneider, Bob Powell	2		This list will be updated with common names added late in 2010.
Placer Gulch Alpine, north of Silverton	July 20, 2011	John Bregar	John Bregar and group	8
Rabbit Valley & Vicinity, W of Grand Junction along I-70 near Utah border	5/20/2000	Plateau Chapter, Peggy Lyon	Gay Austin	2	2	Comments: E = endemic to Colorado; I = introduced; G or S+# = global occurrences, 1 = < 5, 2 = 6-20, 3 = 21-100 populations, 4 or 5 = secure but rare in parts of range, esp. at periphery; LE or LT = listed as endangered or threatened
Sewemup Mesa, near Gateway	5/29/1994	Walter A. Kelley	Loraine Yeatts	2	2	Map: 7.5' Roc Creek & Red Canyon quads; ADV = adventive, END = endemic. Comments: From hwy.141 along Dolores R. near S. end of mesa, hike follows obscure trail up cliff to a rimrock & slickrock Pinyon-Juniper-Oak desert shrub community with great views.
Stony Pass	7/17/2010	John Bregar	Trip Participants	7		120 species observed
Unaweep Canyon, between Gateway and Whitewater	8/10/1991	Scott Ellis	Bob Powell	2	2	WM = wet meadow, MM = Meadow margins, DG = disturbed ground, PJ = Pinyon-Juniper woodland.
Uncompahgre Wilderness, West of Ridgway	8/10/1995	Gay Austin	Stanley Smookler	3	3	Trip route followed trail to Uncompahgre Peak, starting at 11400 ft. elev. to +1200 ft.
Utah Hanging Gardens, NW of Bluff Utah	7/29/2000	Arnold Clifford, Sandy Friedley, Charlie King	Loraine Yeatts	2	1	Comments: Due to dry conditions and season, most plants not blooming; no comprehensive plant list made Special plants: Primula specuicola, Epipactis gigantea, Anticlea (Zygadenus) vaginata, Erigeron kachinesis, Phacelia indecora, habenaria zoethcina Sites: b = alcove in Bluff sandstone, j = John's Canyon (limestone stream bank terraces in Lower Rico Form.), r = Road Canyon (Cedar Mesa Sandstone vertical cliff seeps)
Vallecito Creek, East of Durango	7/15/1995	Sandy Friedley	Sandy Friedley, Leslie Stewart	4	3	Trip to visit plant communities of Vallecito Creek.
Wolf Creek Pass	8/5/1995	Dick Moseley, Sara Brinton, Charlie King	Dick Moseley, Sara Brinton, Charlie King	2	2	Trip to high subalpine and alpine plant communities near Lobo Overlook and above Wolf Creek Pass.