Creosote

Description:

The Creosote is a desert shrub of extremely high drought tolerance and one of the most important plants in the ecology of the desert Southwest. It has yellow flowers in the spring after some rain and the fruits are small and covered in white hair. Regrowth potential from seeds however, is low and the bushes survive more by clonal regeneration. Individual plants can live 100 to 200 years and the clones can therefore form individuals of several thousand years of age. The oldest clone colony known is about 11,700 years old. The leaves are small and waxy, which enhance their drought resistance. They are shaped a little like the hooves of a deer (see first picture). Many animals and insects (and some cacti) are dependent on this species. It has the capability of inhibiting the growth of plants around it, thus increasing its own use of any available water. The plants can cover thousands of miles of desert. This plant has been losing ground to the irrigation and inhabitation of desert lands by man and crops. Family Zygophyllaceae. A truly fascinating plant which is also of medicinal importance (https://arizonadailyindependent.com/2014...). The petroleum derivative called creosote does not come from this plant.

Habitat:

Open desert south of Bunkerville, Nevada.

Notes:

The small leaves are drought resistant due to a waxy coating, rain however volatilizes the wax, emitting a pleasant odor which desert dwellers call the "smell of rain". If you cup some leaves in your hands and breathe on them, the moisture in your breath is enough to volatilize the wax and release the smell. See this very interesting article about the Creosote (https://arizonadailyindependent.com/2014...) See also: http://archive.bio.ed.ac.uk/jdeacon/dese... http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-cali...