Introduction

The twelfth botanizing trek for the “Love of Grass” gathered September 4, 2019 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. From https://www.visitalbuquerque.org:  “The social and economic character of Albuquerque is the result of many different forces, perhaps none as important as the centuries of history that have shaped the city. Starting with the Native Americans who have lived here for thousands of years, and continuing through Albuquerque’s official founding in 1706, the city has grown into a multicultural metropolis of nearly a million people. While the modern city of Albuquerque is a center of high-tech industry and research, it retains vital connections to the past, such as the ancient rock carvings at Petroglyph National Monument, the historic Old Town Plaza and the trail of vintage neon signs along Route 66.”

“The first Spanish explorers arrived in Albuquerque in approximately 1540 under General Francisco de Coronado. In 1706, a group of colonists were granted permission by King Philip of Spain to establish a new villa (city) on the banks of the Rio Grande. The colonists chose a spot at the foot of the mountains where the river made a wide curve, providing good irrigation for crops and a source of wood from the bosque (the cottonwoods, willows and olive trees that grow along the river). The colony’s governor, Francisco Cuervo y Valdés, penned a letter to the Duke of Alburquerque back in Spain to report their newly founded villa, named La Villa de Alburquerque in honor of the duke. Over the centuries, the first “r” was dropped, leaving Albuquerque spelled as it is today.”

The physical characteristic of the state New Mexico has also been the result of many different forces. From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Grande_rift:  The Rio Grande rift is a north-trending continental rift zone. It separates the Colorado Plateau in the west from the interior of the North American craton on the east. The rift extends from central Colorado in the north to the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, in the south. The rift zone accounts for much of the topographic relief variations in  New Mexico  consists of four basins that have an average width of 50 kilometers.” The rift accounts for much of the stark topographic relief of the state, as shown in the picture to the left. Our inventory sites included several of these relief variations.

Our inventory mission at each site remained the same as previous treks; we identify every plant within a reasonable area, sometimes up to several acres, and leave only when satisfied that this had been accomplished. Time always seems to work against us. Although having ample on-board references, tedious hours of field identification proves impractical, therefore we may identify the genus, sometimes family, and take specimens for later identification. Species and common names in this report are generally are taken from PLANTS (http://plants.usda.gov). Sometimes common names do not match those frequently used in the region of the trek. We were fortunate on this trek in having two team members with plant materials work experience in New Mexico, one actually a native of the State.

During the six days of inventorying the team traveled 1,415 miles, inventoried 11 sites, identifying 573

plants of 385 species.  The following table lists the most frequently encountered species, all native to the region inventoried.  Frequencies were lower compared to previous treks due to more diverse inventory sites, from desert to mountainous ecozones.  Of the 385 species encountered, only 46 were non-native.  Compared to last year’s inventory in the Corn Belt, of the 326 species encountered, 83 were non-native, reflecting a higher prevalence of agricultural weeds.

Common  Name	Scientific Name	Count
Skunkbush sumac	Rhus trilobata Nutt.	6
Sand dropseed	Sporobolus cryptandrus (Torr.) A. Gray	6
Fourwing saltbush	Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt.	5
Canadian horseweed	Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronquist	5
Stretchberry	Forestiera pubescens Nutt.	5
Small-leaf pussytoes	Antennaria parvifolia Nutt.	4
Sand sage	Artemisia filifolia Torr.	4
Ragleaf bahia	Bahia dissecta (A. Gray)	4
Silver beardgrass	Bothriochloa laguroides (DC.) Herter	4
Blue grama	Bouteloua gracilis (Willd. ex Kunth) Lag. ex Griffiths	4
Squirreltail	Elymus elymoides (Raf.) Swezey	4
Apache plume	Fallugia paradoxa (D. Don) Endl. ex Torr.	4
Honey mesquite	Prosopis glandulosa Torr.	4
Silverleaf nightshade	Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav.	4

The team was surprised and pleased with the gift provided each team member by Larry Holzworth, the T-shirt shown on the left.

The location or time of the 2020 trek was unresolved upon return to Albuquerque on September 10th, although several options were discussed. However, sometime by late winter the yearning to roam wildlands and plains in search of that last species will burst forth from a trekker and a consensus will quickly coalesce.

As with many maturing traditions a pre or post session is frequently held. Fortunately, two former managers of the Los Lunus PMC were in our mist as we assembled in Albuquerque; Wendall Oaks (1978-1992) and Greg Fenchel (1992–2014).  Still daylight on the 10^th, Wednesday evening off we went to see how the PMC had developed Planning Riparian Treatments in New Mexico. We visited a site along the Rio Grande, where several large plantings were made. The Publication is available on their web site showing results.

This introduction would not be complete without pats on the back to the trekkers shouldering the identification load, those imparting site knowledge and background, those handling logistics, those providing levity, and those with sage advice and counsel.

Table of Contents 

Introduction 3

Day 1 – Thursday, September 5, 2019 5

Inventory Site 1 – Bandelier National Monument, Los Alamos County, New Mexico 5

Inventory Site 2 – Valles Caldera National Preserve, Sandoval County, New Mexico 8

Day 2 – Friday, September 6, 2019 11

Inventory Site 3 – Mount Taylor, Cibola County, New Mexico 11

Inventory Site 4 – El Malpais National Conservation Area, Ciboa County, New Mexico 13

Day 3 – Saturday, September 7, 2019 17

Inventory Site 5 – Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro County, New Mexico 17

Day 4 – Sunday, September 8, 2019 20

Inventory Site 6 – Valley of Fires Recreation Area, Lincoln County, New Mexico 20

Inventory Site 7 – Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Chavez County, New Mexico 23

Day 5, September 9, 2019 25

Inventory Site 8 – Lincoln National Forest, Otero County, New Mexico 25

Inventory Site 9 – Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, Dona Ana County, New Mexico 27

Day 6, September 10, 2019 30

Inventory Site 10 – Dreesen Conservation Plant Arboretum, Valencia County, New Mexico 30

Inventory Site 11 – Los Lunus Plant Materials Center, Valencia County, New Mexico 32

Epilogue 33

Day 1 – Thursday, September 5, 2019

Inventory Site 1 – Bandelier National Monument, Los Alamos County, New Mexico

Inventory sites 1 and 2 are located in the Southern Rocky Mountains and Foothills Major Land Resource Area (MLRA). Average annual precipitation ranges from 14 to 32 inches. Summer rainfall commonly occurs as high-intensity, convective thunderstorms. About half of the annual precipitation occurs as snow in winter; the proportion increasing with elevation. Average annual temperature ranges from 26 to 54 degrees F. The freeze-free period averages 135 days. Nearly 70 percent of this area is federally owned. The rest consists of farms, ranches, or other private holdings. Nearly all of the land in this MLRA is in natural vegetation. Grazing, forestry, recreation, and watershed are the main uses, plus small areas of hayland and pasture. 

From the National Park Service, “Bandelier’s human history extends back for over 10,000 years when nomadic hunter-gatherers followed migrating wildlife across the mesas and canyons. By 1150 CE Ancestral Pueblo people began to build more permanent settlements. Reminders of these past times are still evident in the park as are the strong ties of the modern Pueblo people. By 1550 the Ancestral Pueblo people had moved from their homes here to pueblos along the Rio Grande (Cochiti, San Felipe, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, Santo Domingo).”

“In the mid-1700’s Spanish settlers with Spanish land grants made their homes in Frijoles Canyon. In 1880 Jose Montoya of Cochiti Pueblo brought Adolph F. A. Bandelier to Frijoles Canyon. Montoya offered to show Bandelier his people’s ancestral homelands.”

“In 1916 legislation to create Bandelier National Monument was signed by President Woodrow Wilson. In 1925 Evelyn Frey and her husband, George, arrived to take over the Ranch of the 10 Elders that had been built by Judge Abbott in 1907. Between 1934 and 1941 workers from the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) worked from a camp constructed in Frijoles Canyon. Among their accomplishments is the road into Frijoles Canyon, the current visitor center, a new lodge, and miles of trails. For several years during World War II the park was closed to the public and the Bandelier lodge was used to house Manhattan Project scientists and military personnel.”

Following a brief visit to the Visitors Center we proceeded to our inventory site along Burnt Mesa Trail, 2-3 miles to the west.  The site contains well drained Jemez loam formed as slope alluvium from volcanic tuff, and Cajete and Cypher extremely gravelly coarse sandy loams formed from weathered pumice.  The site supports mixed conifer and ponderosa pine forest ecological sties.  Annual precipitation 19.2 inches.

Scientific Name	Common Name	Type	Origin
Agrostis scabra Willd.	rough bentgrass	Graminoid	Native
Aliciella pinnatifida (Nutt. ex A. Gray) J.M. Porter	sticky gilia	Forb	Native
Allium cernuum Roth	nodding onion	Forb	Native
Ambrosia acanthicarpa Hook.	flatspine bur ragweed	Forb	Native
Aristida purpurea Nutt.	purple threeawn	Graminoid	Native
Artemisia campestris L.	field sagewort	Forb	Native
Artemisia dracunculus L.	tarragon	Forb	Native
Artemisia frigida Willd.	prairie sagewort	Forb	Native
Asclepias viridiflora Raf.	green comet milkweed	Forb	Native
Bahia dissecta (A. Gray)	ragleaf bahia	Forb	Native
Bouteloua gracilis (Willd. ex Kunth) Lag. ex Griffiths	blue grama	Graminoid	Native
Bouteloua hirsuta Lag.	hairy grama	Graminoid	Native
Bromus inermis Leyss.	smooth brome	Graminoid	Introduced
Bromus porteri J.M. Coult.	Porter brome	Graminoid	Native
Bromus tectorum L.	cheatgrass	Graminoid	Introduced
Carex praegracilis W. Boott	clustered field sedge	Graminoid	Native
Castilleja integra A. Gray	wholeleaf Indian paintbrush	Forb	Native
Cercocarpus montanus Raf.	alderleaf mountain mahogany	Shrub	Native
Chenopodium pratericola Rydb.	desert goosefoot	Forb	Native
Cirsium undulatum (Nutt.) Spreng.	wavyleaf thistle	Forb	Native
Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten.	bull thistle	Forb	Introduced
Dalea leporina (Aiton) Bullock	foxtail prairie clover	Legume	Introduced
Dalea polygonoides A. Gray	sixweeks prairie clover	Legume	Native
Elymus elymoides (Raf.) Swezey	squirrel tail	Graminoid	Native
Elymus lanceolatus (Scribn. & J.G. Sm.) Gould	thickspike wheatgrass	Graminoid	Native
Erigeron divergens Torr. & A. Gray	spreading fleabane	Forb	Native
Erigeron formosissimus Greene	beautiful fleabane	Forb	Native
Eriogonum cernuum Nutt.	nodding buckwheat	Forb	Native
Eriogonum jamesii Benth.	James’ buckwheat	Forb	Native
Eriogonum racemosum Nutt.	redroot buckwheat	Forb	Native
Fallugia paradoxa (D. Don) Endl. ex Torr.	Apache plume	Shrub	Native
Forestiera pubescens Nutt.	stretchberry	Shrub	Native
Geranium caespitosum James	pineywoods geranium	Forb	Native
Grindelia squarrosa (Pursh) Dunal	curlycup gumweed	Forb	Native
Gutierrezia sarothrae (Pursh.) Britton & Rusby	broom snakeweed	Shrub	Native
Heterotheca villosa (Pursh) Shinners	hairy false goldenaster	Forb	Native
Juniperus monosperma (Engelm.) Sarg.	oneseed juniper	Tree	Native
Juniperus scopulorum Sarg.	Rocky Mountain juniper	Tree	Native
Koeleria macrantha (Ledeb.) Schult.	prairie junegrass	Graminoid	Native
Lappula occidentalis (S. Watson) Greene	flatspine stickseed	Forb	Native
Liatris punctata Hook.	dotted blazing star	Forb	Native
Linum neomexicanum Greene	New Mexico yellow flax	Forb	Native
Lupinus caudatus Kellogg ssp. argophyllus	tailcup lupine	Legume	Native
Lupinus kingii S. Wats.	King’s lupine	Legume	Native
Lygodesmia juncea (Pursh) D. Don ex Hook.	rush skeletonplant	Forb	Native
Madia glomerata Hook.	mountain tarweed	Forb	Native
Muhlenbergia montana (Nutt.) Hitchc.	mountain muhly	Graminoid	Native
Orthocarpus purpureoalbus A. Gray ex S. Watson	purplewhite owl’s-clover	Forb	Native
Pascopyrum smithii (Rydb.) Á. Löve	western wheatgrass	Graminoid	Native
Penstemon jamesii Benth.	James’ beardtongue	Forb	Native
Penstemon rydbergii A. Nelson	Rydberg’s penstemon	Forb	Native
Penstemon secundiflorus Benth.	sidebells penstemon	Forb	Native
Pinus ponderosa P. & C. Lawson	ponderosa pine	Tree	Native
Plantago lanceolata L.	narrowleaf plantain	Forb	Introduced
Plantago patagonica Jacq.	wooly plantain	Forb	Native
Poa fendleriana (Steud.) Vasey	muttongrass	Graminoid	Native
Potentilla crinita A. Gray	bearded cinquefoil	Forb	Native
Psoralidium tenuiflorum (Pursh) Rydb.	slimflower scurfpea	Legume	Native
Quercus gambelii	Gambel oak	Shrub	Native
Quercus turbinella Greene	Sonoran scrub oak	Shrub	Native
Quercus xpauciloba Rydb.	wavyleaf oak	Shrub	Native
Rhus trilobata Nutt.	skunkbush sumac	Shrub	Native
Ribes cereum Douglas	wax current	Shrub	Native
Robinia neomexicana A. Gray	New Mexico locust	Shrub	Native
Rosa woodsii Lindl.	Wood’s rose	Shrub	Native
Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash	little bluestem	Graminoid	Native
Sisymbrium altissimum L.	tall tumblemustard	Forb	Introduced
Sporobolus cryptandrus (Torr.) A. Gray	sand dropseed	Graminoid	Native
Symphyotrichum ericoides (L.) G.L. Nesom	white heath aster	Forb	Native
Symphyotrichum laeve (L.) Á. Löve & D. Löve	smooth blue aster	Forb	Native
Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D.R. Dewey	intermediate wheatgrass	Graminoid	Introduced
Tragopogon dubius Scop.	yellow salsify	Forb	Introduced
Verbascum thapsus L.	common mullein	Forb	Introduced
Vicia americana Muhl. ex Willd.	American vetch	Legume	Native

Inventory Site 2 – Valles Caldera National Preserve, Sandoval County, New Mexico

About 1.25 million years ago, a spectacular volcanic eruption created the 13-mile wide circular depression at this location in northern New Mexico.  Per National Parks Conservation Association, Valles Caldera is “an unparalleled geological and recreational gem in the high elevations of northern New Mexico’s Jemez Mountains. The park showcases one of the world’s best examples of a resurgent caldera—a circular volcano with an uplifted center floor.  After the initial caldera forming eruption at Valles, the Redondo Peak resurgent dome was uplifted beginning around 1 million years ago. The circular topographic rim of the caldera measures 13.7 miles (22.0 km) in diameter. The beautiful streams, high mountain peaks, lush grasslands, old-growth timber, rich cultural and tribal heritage, and abundant wildlife make these 90,000 acres a wonderland of adventure with great scientific value.”

From Wikipedia, “The Valles Caldera Preservation Act of 2000 signed by President Clinton on July 25, 2000, created the Valles Caldera National Preserve. The legislation provided for the federal purchase of this historical ranch nestled inside a volcanic caldera, with funds coming from the Land and Water Conservation Fund derived from royalties the US government receives from offshore petroleum and natural gas drilling” 

This circular volcano, while limited in plant diversity certainly offers a unique ecological site. The caldera floor lacks trees, the poorly drained soils favoring shallow rooted grasses and forbs.  Dominant soils are Vastine and Jarola silt loams, poorly drained with water table at 12-36 inches, supporting mountain grassland and meadow ecological sites.  Annual precipitation 25.0 inches.  

The Visitors Center was small. Following a brief visit there the inventory proceeded, representing an inventory cross section of the site from the tree line into the floor of the Caldera.  Species diversity increased as one left the caldera floor to higher ground.

Scientific Name	Common Name	Type	Origin
Achillea millefolium L.	common yarrow	Forb	Native
Achnatherum lemmonii (Vasey) Barkworth	Lemmon’s needlegrass	Graminoid	Native
Agrostis scabra Willd.	rough bentgrass	Graminoid	Native
Anaphalis margaritacea (L.) Benth.	pearly everlasting	Forb	Native
Antennaria parvifolia Nutt.	small-leaf pussytoes	Forb	Native
Arabis drummondii A. Gray	Drummond’s rockcress	Forb	Native
Argentina anserina (L.) Rydb.	silverweed cinquefoil	Forb	Native
Arnica chamissonis Less.	Chamisso arnica	Forb	Native
Artemisia carruthii Alph. Wood ex Carruth.	Carruth’s sagewort	Forb	Native
Artemisia frigida Willd.	prairie sagewort	Forb	Native
Blepharoneuron tricholepis (Torr.) Nash	pine dropseed	Graminoid	Native
Bouteloua gracilis (Willd. ex Kunth) Lag. ex Griffiths	blue grama	Graminoid	Native
Bromus arvensis L.	field brome	Graminoid	Introduced
Carex duriuscula C.A. Mey.	Needleleaf sedge	Graminoid	Native
Carex geophila Mack.	White Mountain sedge	Graminoid	Native
Carex occidentalis L.H. Bailey	western sedge	Graminoid	Native
Castilleja integra A. Gray	wholeleaf Indian paintbrush	Forb	Native
Dasiphora fruticosa (L.) Rydb	shrubby cinquefoil	Shrub	Native
Deschampsia cespitosa (L.) Beauv.	Tufted hairgrass	Graminoid	Native
Elymus elymoides (Raf.) Swezey	squirrel tail	Graminoid	Native
Elymus trachycaulus (Link) Gould ex Shinners	slender wheatgrass	Graminoid	Native
Erysimum asperum (Nutt.) DC.	western wallflower	Forb	Native
Festuca arizonica Vasey	Arizona fescue	Graminoid	Native
Gentiana affinis Griseb.	pleated gentian	Forb	Native
Heterotheca villosa (Pursh) Shinners	hairy false goldenaster	Forb	Native
Hordeum brachyantherum Nevski	meadow barley	Graminoid	Native
Hordeum pusillum Nutt.	little barley	Graminoid	Native
Iris missouriensis Nutt.	Rocky Mountain iris	Forb	Native
Iva axillaris Pursh	povertyweed	Forb	Native
Juncus arcticus Willd. subsp. littoralis (Engelm.) Hultén	mountain rush	Graminoid	Native
Juniperus communis L.	common juniper	Shrub	Native
Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam.	sweetclover	Legume	Introduced
Muhlenbergia montana (Nutt.) Hitchc.	mountain muhly	Graminoid	Native
Muhlenbergia ramulosa (Kunth) Swallen	green muhly	Graminoid	Native
Orthocarpus luteus Nutt.	yellow owl’s clover	Forb	Native
Penstemon barbatus (Cav.) Roth	beardlip penstemon	Forb	Native
Penstemon linarioides A. Gray	toadflax penstemon	Forb	Native
Penstemon rydbergii A. Nelson	Rydberg’s penstemon	Forb	Native
Phleum pratense L.	timothy	Graminoid	Introduced
Phlox hoodii Richardson	spiny phlox	Forb	Native
Picea pungens Engelm.	blue spruce	Tree	Native
Pinus ponderosa P. & C. Lawson	ponderosa pine	Tree	Native
Poa pratensis L.	Kentucky bluegrass	Graminoid	Native
Polygonum aviculare L.	prostrate knotweed	Forb	Introduced
Ribes leptanthum A. Gray	trumpet gooseberry	Shrub	Native
Rosa woodsii Lindl.	Wood’s rose	Shrub	Native
Rumex crispus L.	curly dock	Forb	Introduced
Senecio eremophilus Richardson var. kingii (Rydb.) Greenm.	King’s ragwort	Forb	Native
Solanum triflorum Nutt.	cutleaf nightshade	Forb	Native
Solidago missouriensis Nutt.	Missouri goldenrod	Forb	Native
Trisetum spicatum (L.) K. Richt.	spike trisetum	Graminoid	Native
Verbascum thapsus L.	common mullein	Forb	Introduced
Achillea millefolium L.	common yarrow	Forb	Native

We departed the site in late afternoon, heading west and then south to NM 550, then east to Bernallilo and I-25. We enjoyed dinner in Albuquerque at Pape Felipe’s (Fenchel’s go-to restaurant), then stopping at a sandwich shop to purchase next day’s lunch, and on to the motel for the night.

Day 2 – Friday, September 6, 2019

Inventory Site 3 – Mount Taylor, Cibola County, New Mexico

Mount Taylor, located near Grants, sits atop one of the richest known reserves of uranium ore in the country. It is located in MLRA 39. Average annual precipitation ranges 15 to 30 inches in most of the area, as high as 43 inches in the mountains, and 37 inches at our inventory site on the mountaintop on the grassy south-facing side.  More than half of the precipitation occurs as high-intensity, thunderstorms during July, August, and September. Because of Pacific frontal storms, a second rainy season occurs from December to March. Snow falls in winter. The average annual air temperature is 36 to 55 degrees F. The freeze-free period averages 135 days and ranges from 60 to 205 days, decreasing in length with increasing elevation. The area has a history of intensive volcanism. Isolated outcrops of granite are more than 1 billion years old. About three-fourths of this area is federally owned. Most of the area is used for timber production or livestock grazing.

From Wikipedia, “Mount Taylor (Navajo: Tsoodził) is an inactive stratovolcano northeast of the town of Grants. It is the high point of the San Mateo Mountains and the highest point in the Cibola National Forest. It was named in 1849 for then president Zachary Taylor. Prior to that, it was called Cipolletti (tender onion) by the Spanish; the name persists as one name for the northern portion of the San Mateo Mountains, a large mesa. Mount Taylor is largely forested, rising like a blue cone above the desert below. Its slopes were an important source of lumber for neighboring pueblos.”

From the National Trust for Historic Preservation, “Located in the New Mexico’s San Mateo Mountains, Mount Taylor, with an elevation of nearly 12,000 feet, is a startlingly beautiful, sacred place. Visible from up to 100 miles away, the mountain has been a pilgrimage site for as many as 30 Native American tribes, with special significance for the Acoma people. Mount Taylor is rooted in Acoma’s history and traditions and is closely aligned with the tribe’s cultural identity.”  

It will be a long time before our team has a more exciting ride to an inventory site. Team member Hassell is native to the area and has kin folks living nearby, owning RZR all-terrain vehicles (pronounced) razors. Well, the Hassell provided two RZRs and one driver, our own Larry being the second driver, so to the top of the mountain we went. Once there, plant scribe Carlson, and others scampered the final 50 feet in elevation to the Mosca Lookout, recording plants as they went. This was our first ‘on the mountain’ inventory. After an appropriate time, we made our way down across the saddle and over to the southern facing grassy slope at the top of Mount Taylor.  There we could see the world and had our lunch, then continued and completed our inventory. 

A motivation for this inventory was the rumor that we could wallow in bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata), a plant dear to Carlson.  Zip, zero, none. Just oatgrass, fescue, junegras, wildrye, and squirreltail.  Bummed to no end Carlson beseeched the others to resolve the disappointment.  A few stops down the mountain on our return to Grants proved fruitless.  This would be an ongoing story. 

Scientific Name	Common Name	Type	Origin
Achillea millefolium L.	common yarrow	Forb	Native
Agrostis scabra Willd.	rough bentgrass	Graminoid	Native
Antennaria parvifolia Nutt.	small-leaf pussytoes	Forb	Native
Argentina anserina (L.) Rydb.	silverweed cinquefoil	Forb	Native
Arnica chamissonis Less.	Chamisso arnica	Forb	Native
Astragalus hallii A. Gray	Hall’s milkvetch	Legume	Native
Bahia dissecta (A. Gray)	ragleaf bahia	Forb	Native
Campanula rotundifolia  L.	bluebell bellflower	Forb	Native
Carex wootonii Mack.	Wooton’s sedge	Graminoid	Native
Corydalis aurea Willd.	scrambled eggs	Forb	Native
Danthonia parryi Scribn.	Parry’s oatgrass	Graminoid	Native
Elymus elymoides (Raf.) Swezey	squirrel tail	Graminoid	Native
Elymus trachycaulus (Link) Gould ex Shinners	slender wheatgrass	Graminoid	Native
Erigeron caespitosus Nutt.	tufted fleabane	Forb	Native
Erigeron formosissimus Greene	beautiful fleabane	Forb	Native
Festuca arizonica Vasey	Arizona fescue	Graminoid	Native
Festuca thurberi Vasey	Thurber’s fescue	Graminoid	Native
Heuchera parvifolia Nutt. ex Torr. & A. Gray	littleleaf alumroot	Forb	Native
Hymenoxys richardsonii   (Hook.) Cockerell	pinque rubberweed	Forb	Native
Iris missouriensis Nutt.	Rocky Mountain iris	Forb	Native
Koeleria macrantha (Ledeb.) Schult.	prairie junegrass	Graminoid	Native
Lathyrus lanszwertii Kellogg var. leucanthus (Rydb.) Dorn	Nevada pea	Legume	Native
Lupinus argenteus Pursh	silvery lupine	Legume	Native
Penstemon rydbergii A. Nelson	Rydberg’s penstemon	Forb	Native
Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm.	Engelmann spruce	Tree	Native
Poa fendleriana (Steud.) Vasey	muttongrass	Graminoid	Native
Potentilla hippiana Lehm.	woolly cinquefoil	Forb	Native
Ribes wolfii Rothr.	Wolf’s current	Shrub	Native
Taraxacum officinale F.H. Wigg.	common dandelion	Forb	Introduced
Vicia americana Muhl. ex Willd.	American vetch	Legume	Native

We drove on to Grants, said goodbye to our RZRs, heartedly thanked Wendell’s brother and cousins, and headed for our next inventory site mid-afternoon.

Inventory Site 4 – El Malpais National Conservation Area, Ciboa County, New Mexico

According to Wikipedia, “El Malpais National Conservation Area is a National Monument located in western New Mexico. The name El Malpais is from the Spanish term Malpaís, meaning badlands, due to the extremely barren and dramatic volcanic field, a dark lava flow covering much of the park’s area….  In the 1940s the Malpais lava field was one of the eight candidate sites considered by the Manhattan Project to test detonate the first atomic bomb. The Department of Defense did use the site as a bombing range to train pilots during World War II. After the war, the Bureau of Land Management became the administrator of the area. In 1987, President Reagan created El Malpais National Monument and designated it a unit of the National Park Service.” 

From US-Parks.com,“For more than 10,000 years people have interacted with the El Malpais landscape. Historic and prehistoric sites provide connections to past times. More than mere artifacts, these cultural resources are kept alive by the spiritual and physical presence of contemporary Indian groups, including the Puebloan peoples of Acoma, Laguna and Zuni, and the Ramah Navajo. These tribes continue their ancestral uses of El Malpais including gathering plant materials, paying respect, and renewing ties.” 

El Malpais is located in MLRA 35, the Colorado Plateaus, elevation mostly 4,250-4,950 feet in elevation, with annual precipitation ranging from 6-18 inches. Precipitation averages 12.2 inches annually at the inventory site, and most of that comes during July, August, and September. Most of the rainfall occurs as

high-intensity, convective thunderstorms late in summer. Light snow falls in winter, but it does not remain on the ground very long. The freeze-free period averages 215 days.  The area supports desert shrub and woodland vegetation. The inventory site soils are mapped as Rock Outcrop-Vessilla-Mion complex, 3-55% slopes, a shallow mixture of loam and sandy loams deposited by wind or downslope creep, our starting point the picnic tables on the small area of flat ground sandwiched between the lava flow and cliffs.  

Our route to this site was almost due south from Grants. The road traveled close to the stark cliffs seen above. We arrived at the South Narrows Picnic Area late afternoon and proceeded with the inventory. It was a warm, beautiful day and the inventory was as pleasant as our earlier picnic on Mount Taylor. 

Scientific Name	Common Name	Type	Origin
Abronia fragrans Nutt. ex Hook.	snowball sand verbena	Forb	Native
Achnatherum hymenoides (Roem. & Schult.) Barkworth	indian ricegrass	Graminoid	Native
Aletes sessiliflorus W.L. Theobald & C.C. Tseng	sessileflower Indian parsley	Forb	Native
Ambrosia psilostachya DC.	Cuman ragweed	Forb	Native
Antennaria parvifolia Nutt.	small-leaf pussytoes	Forb	Native
Aristida purpurea Nutt.	purple three-awn	Graminoid	Native
Artemisia campestris L.	field sagewort	Forb	Native
Artemisia carruthii Alph. Wood ex Carruth.	Carruth’s sagewort	Forb	Native
Artemisia dracunculus L.	tarragon	Forb	Native
Artemisia filifolia Torr.	sand sage	Shrub	Native
Artemisia frigida Willd.	prairie sagewort	Forb	Native
Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt.	fourwing saltbush	Shrub	Native
Baccharis salicifolia (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers.	mule-fat	Shrub	Native
Bouteloua gracilis (Willd. ex Kunth) Lag. ex Griffiths	blue grama	Graminoid	Native
Bouteloua hirsuta Lag.	hairy grama	Graminoid	Native
Brickellia grandiflora (Hook.) Nutt.	tasselflower brickellbush	Subshrub	Native
Bromus arvensis L.	field brome	Graminoid	Introduced
Bromus carinatus Hook. & Arn.	California brome	Graminoid	Native
Bromus inermis Leyss.	smooth brome	Graminoid	Introduced
Bromus lanatipes (Shear) Rydb.	woolly brome	Graminoid	Native
Bromus tectorum L.	cheatgrass	Graminoid	Introduced
Chenopodium pratericola Rydb.	desert goosefoot	Forb	Native
Cleome serrulata Pursh	Rocky Mountain bee plant	Forb	Native
Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronquist	Canadian horseweed	Forb	Native
Cylindropuntia imbricata (Haw.) F.M. Knuth	tree cholla	Shrub	Native
Cyperus schweinitzii Torr.	Schweinitz’s flatsedge	Graminoid	Native
Dimorphocarpa wislizeni (Engelm.) Rollins	touristplant	Forb	Native
Eriogonum annuum Nutt.	annual buckwheat	Forb	Native
Eriogonum cernuum Nutt.	nodding buckwheat	Forb	Native
Eriogonum hieraciifolium Benth.	hawkweed buckwheat	Subshrub	Native
Fallugia paradoxa (D. Don) Endl. ex Torr.	Apache plume	Shrub	Native
Festuca arizonica Vasey	Arizona fescue	Graminoid	Native
Forestiera pubescens Nutt.	stretchberry	Shrub	Native
Geranium lentum Wooton & Standl.	Mogollon geranium	Forb	Native
Grindelia nuda Alph. Wood	curlytop gumweed	Forb	Native
Helianthus petiolaris Nutt.	prairie sunflower	Forb	Native
Hesperostipa neomexicana (Thurb. ex J.M. Coult.) Barkworth	New Mexico feathergrass	Graminoid	Native
Heterotheca villosa (Pursh) Shinners	hairy false goldenaster	Forb	Native
Hordeum jubatum L.	foxtail barley	Graminoid	Native
Hymenopappus flavescens A. Gray	collegeflower	Forb	Native
Ipomopsis longiflora (Torr.) V.E. Grant	flaxflowered ipomopsis	Forb	Native
Juniperus scopulorum Sarg.	Rocky Mountain juniper	Tree	Native
Lepidium latifolium L.	broadleaved pepperweed	Forb	Introduced
Lepidium ramosissimum A. Nelson	manybranched pepperweed	Forb	Native
Linum puberulum (Engelm.) A. Heller	plains flax	Forb	Native
Lotus plebeius (Brandegee) Barneby	New Mexico bird’s-foot trefoil	Legume	Native
Lycurus setosus (Nutt.) C.G. Reeder	bristly wolftail	Graminoid	Native
Mentha arvensis L.	wild mint	Forb	Native
Mirabilis linearis (Pursh) Heimerl	narrowleaf four o-clock	Forb	Native
Monarda punctata L.	spotted beebalm	Forb	Native
Opuntia phaeacantha Engelm.	tulip pricklypear	Shrub	Native
Packera multilobata (Torr. & A. Gray ex A. Gray) W.A. Weber & Á. Löve	lobeleaf groundsel	Forb	Native
Pascopyrum smithii (Rydb.) Á. Löve	western wheatgrass	Graminoid	Native
Pericome caudata A. Gray	mountain tall-leaf	Forb	Native
Pinus edulis Engelm.	twoneedle pinyon	Tree	Native
Plantago patagonica Jacq.	woolly plantain	Forb	Native
Pleuraphis jamesii Torr.	James’ galleta	Graminoid	Native
Quercus gambelii	Gambel oak	Shrub	Native
Quercus xpauciloba Rydb.	wavyleaf oak	Shrub	Native
Rhus trilobata Nutt.	skunkbush sumac	Shrub	Native
Salsola kali L.	Russian thistle	Forb	Introduced
Schistophragma intermedia (A. Gray) Pennell	harlequin spiralseed	Forb	Native
Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash	little bluestem	Graminoid	Native
Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav.	silverleaf nightshade	Forb	Native
Solidago wrightii A. Gray	Wright’s goldenrod	Forb	Native
Sphaeralcea fendleri A. Gray	Fendler’s globemallow	Forb	Native
Sporobolus airoides (Torr.) Torr.	alkali sacaton	Graminoid	Native
Sporobolus contractus Hitchc.	spike dropseed	Graminoid	Native
Sporobolus cryptandrus (Torr.) A. Gray	sand dropseed	Graminoid	Native
Symphyotrichum falcatum (Lindl.) G.L. Nesom	white prairie aster	Forb	Native
Tetraneuris argentea (A. Gray) Greene	perkysue	Forb	Native
Thalictrum fendleri Engelm. ex A. Gray	Fendler’s meadow-rue	Forb	Native
Thelypodiopsis purpusii (Brandegee) Rollins	Purpus’ tumblemustard	Forb	Native
Thelypodium wrightii A. Gray	Wright’s thelypody	Forb	Native
Verbascum thapsus L.	common mullein	Forb	Introduced
Vitis arizonica Engelm.	canyon grape	Vine	Native
Yucca baccata Torr.	banana yucca	Shrub	Native

We were able to complete the inventory by early evening, returning to Grants to find lodging, and after recapping the day, to El Cafecito and dinner just before closing, 

Day 3 – Saturday, September 7, 2019

Our route from Grants, leaving at 8:15AM, to Bosque Del Apache Wildlife refuge was direct, traveling south on NM Route 117 to unmarked (mostly gravel) route, arriving in Pie Town, on route US 60, then east to Datil, where we stopped for gas and refreshments. Continuing east we drove on to Socorro and lunch at the Buckhorn Tavern in the hamlet of San Antonio, famous for its green chile cheeseburgers. From there a few miles south to the Bosque del Apache National Wildlfie Refuge, arriving mid-afternoon.

Inventory Site 5 – Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro County, New Mexico

From Wikipedia:  “The name of the refuge means “woods of the Apache” in Spanish, named for the Apache tribes that once camped in the forests along the Rio Grande. The heart of the refuge comprises approximately 3,800 acres of Rio Grande floodplain and 9,100 acres  of irrigated farms and wetlands. In addition to this, the refuge contains 44,300 acres  of arid grasslands and foothills of the Chupadera and San Pascual Mountains. About 30,000 acres of this is designated as wilderness. A twelve-mile-long loop road divided by a cutoff into a “Farm Loop” and “Marsh Loop” allows automobile drivers excellent views of wetland wildlife and raptors, and there are several short (1.5 to 10 miles) walking trails.  The road affords good views of the fields where crops are grown for the benefit of the birds under cooperative agreements with farmers. Adjacent to the Visitor’s Center, a desert plant garden is maintained.” 

From the National Park Service:  “Bosque Del Apache is situated between the Chupadera Mountains to the west and the San Pascual Mountains to the east, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1939 to provide a critical stopover for migrating waterfowl. The refuge is well known for the tens of thousands of cranes, geese, and ducks who winter here each year.”  

The Refuge is located in MLRA 42, Southern Desertic Basins, Plains, and Mountains. From NRCS:  “The average annual precipitation is 8 to 14 inches in the eastern and southern parts of this area and 12 to 18 inches in the northern and western parts. It is as much as 24 inches in a few scattered mountains. Most of the rainfall occurs as

high-intensity, convective thunderstorms from midspring to mid-autumn. This area does not receive significant amounts of winter precipitation. The average annual temperature is 50 to 71 degrees F decreasing to the north and in the higher elevations. The freeze-free period averages 230 days and ranges from 165 to 300 days, decreasing in length with elevation.” Annual precipitation at the Refuge averages 9.1 inches.  The soils along the two trails inventoried Anthony-Gila complex, 0-3% slopes, fine sandy loams to fine sands, stream alluvium derived from sandstones, well drained, water table at 28-42 inches.  The complex supports Deep Sand and Bottomland ecological sites, their climax communities dominated by warm season grasses, in particular giant sacaton.  

The two primary locations inventoried on the refuge were sites planted more than 20 years ago to several woody species several years ago in trials to suppress saltcedar.  The Los Lunas PMC supported these trials, results incorporated into PMC publications, such as “A Guide for Planning Riparian Treatments in New Mexico” and “Longstem Transplant Deep Planting”, and riparian management workshops.  The planted trees and shrubs remain evident today, as well as seeded herbaceous understory species, reflected in the following inventory species list.  

Scientific Name	Common Name	Type	Origin
Achnatherum hymenoides (Roem. & Schult.) Barkworth	indian ricegrass	Graminoid	Native
Almutaster pauciflorus (Nutt.) Á. Löve & D. Löve	alkali marsh aster	Forb	Native
Amorpha fruticosa L.	false indigo bush	Shrub	Native
Aristida purpurea Nutt.	purple three-awn	Graminoid	Native
Artemisia filifolia Torr.	sand sage	Shrub	Native
Asclepias subverticillata (A. Gray) Vail	horsetail milkweed	Forb	Native
Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt.	fourwing saltbush	Shrub	Native
Bassia scoparia (L.) A.J. Scott	burningbush	Forb	Introduced
Bothriochloa laguroides (DC.) Herter	Silver beardgrass	Graminoid	Native
Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr.	sideoats grama	Graminoid	Native
Chloris virgata Swartz.	feather fingergrass	Graminoid	Native
Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus (Hook.) Nutt.	yellow rabbitbrush	Shrub	Native
Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronquist	Canadian horseweed	Forb	Native
Dimorphocarpa wislizeni (Engelm.) Rollins	touristplant	Forb	Native
Distichlis spicata (L.) Greene	saltgrass	Graminoid	Native
Elaeagnus angustifolia L.	Russian olive	Tree	Introduced
Elymus elymoides (Raf.) Swezey	squirrel tail	Graminoid	Native
Ericameria laricifolia (A. Gray) Shinners	turpentine bush	Shrub	Native
Eriogonum rotundifolium Benth.	roundleaf buckwheat	Forb	Native
Forestiera pubescens Nutt.	stretchberry	Shrub	Native
Gaillardia pulchella Foug.	Indian blanket	Forb	Native
Grindelia nuda Alph. Wood	curlytop gumweed	Forb	Native
Helianthus annuus L.	common sunflower	Forb	Native
Lactuca serriola L.	prickly lettuce	Forb	Introduced
Lycium torreyi A. Gray	Torrey wolfberry	Shrub	Native
Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam.	yellow blossom sweetclover	Legume	Introduced
Mentzelia multiflora (Nutt.) A. Gray	Adonis blazingstar	Forb	Native
Muhlenbergia asperifolia (Nees & Meyen ex Trin.) Parodi	scratchgrass	Graminoid	Native
Panicum obtusum Kunth	vine mesquite	Graminoid	Native
Pascopyrum smithii (Rydb.) Á. Löve	western wheatgrass	Graminoid	Native
Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud.	common reed	Graminoid	Native
Physalis hederifolia A. Gray	groundcherry	Forb	Native
Pleuraphis jamesii Torr.	James’ galleta	Graminoid	Native
Pleuraphis mutica Buckley	tobosagrass	Graminoid	Native
Polygonum persicaria L.	spotted ladysthumb	Forb	Introduced
Populus deltoides W. Bartram ex Marshall ssp. wislizeni (S. Watson) Eckenwalder	Rio Grande cottonwood	Tree	Native
Populus fremontii S. Watson	Fremont cottonwood	Tree	Native
Populus nigra L.	Lombardy poplar	Tree	Introduced
Prosopis glandulosa Torr.	honey mesquite	Shrub	Native
Prosopis pubescens Benth.	screwbean mesquite	Shrub	Native
Psorothamnus scoparius (A. Gray) Rydb.	broom dalea	Legume	Native
Rhus trilobata Nutt.	skunkbush sumac	Shrub	Native
Salix exigua Nutt.	narrowleaf willow	Shrub	Native
Salix gooddingii C.R. Ball	Goodding’s willow	Tree	Native
Salsola kali L.	Russian thistle	Forb	Introduced
Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav.	silverleaf nightshade	Forb	Native
Solidago wrightii A. Gray	Wright’s goldenrod	Forb	Native
Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers.	Johnsongrass	Graminoid	Introduced
Sphaeralcea angustifolia (Cav.) G. Don	copper globemallow	Forb	Native
Sphaerophysa salsula (Pallas) DC.	alkali swainsonpea	Legume	Introduced
Sporobolus airoides (Torr.) Torr.	alkali sacaton	Graminoid	Native
Sporobolus contractus Hitchc.	spike dropseed	Graminoid	Native
Sporobolus cryptandrus (Torr.) A. Gray	sand dropseed	Graminoid	Native
Sporobolus giganteus Nash	giant sacaton	Graminoid	Native
Sporobolus wrightii Munro ex Scribn.	big sacaton	Graminoid	Native
Symphyotrichum falcatum (Lindl.) G.L. Nesom	white prairie aster	Forb	Native
Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb.	saltcedar	Tree	Native
Vachellia constricta (Benth.) Seigler & Ebinger	whitethorn acacia	Shrub	Native

Inventory complete, we departed back to Socorro in time to find dinner and lodging for the night.

Day 4 – Sunday, September 8, 2019

Inventory Site 6 – Valley of Fires Recreation Area, Lincoln County, New Mexico

Valley of Fires recreation area is located within and among the Malpais Lava Flow. From the Bureau of Land Management, “Approximately 5,000 years ago, Little Black Peak erupted and lava flowed 44 miles into the Tularosa Basin, filling the basin with molten rock. The resulting lava flow is four to six miles wide, 160 feet thick and covers 125 square miles. The lava flow is considered to be one of the youngest lava flows in the continental United States. From a distance, Valley of Fires appears as barren rock but when you walk through the nature trail there are many species of flowers, cactus, trees and shrubs typical of the Chihuahuan desert. Animals include bats, roadrunners, quail, cottontails, mule deer, barberry sheep, and lizards. It’s also a virtual birdwatcher’s paradise with great horned owls, burrowing owls, turkey vultures, hawks, gnat catchers, cactus wrens, sparrows and golden eagles.” Nature adjusts.

This inventory site resides in MLRA 70C – Central New Mexico Highlands.  Floor elevation ranges from 5,000-7,400 feet, to more than 8,000 feet in mountainous areas.  Annual precipitation ranges on the floor from 11-15 inches, at the inventory site 12.6 inches, to 26 inches in the mountains.  Inventory site soils are mapped as Lava flows-Lithic Haplocambids complex, 0-45% slopes, the latter characterized as weathered basalt residuum deposited by wind, sufficient to support plant roots.

The morning drive from Socorro of 75 miles put us on the site by mid-morning. The visual dominance of the lava suggested there would be very limited plant life, let alone diversity. There was an excellent trail meandering through the lava flow, which served as the inventory route. 

Scientific Name	Common Name	Type	Origin
Agave lechuguilla Torr.	lechuguilla	Forb	Native
Aloysia wrightii (A. Gray) A. Heller	Wright’s beebrush	Shrub	Native
Ambrosia acanthicarpa Hook.	flatspine bur ragweed	Forb	Native
Aristida havardii Vasey	Havard’s threeawn	Graminoid	Native
Artemisia dracunculus L.	tarragon	Forb	Native
Artemisia filifolia Torr.	sand sage	Shrub	Native
Asclepias latifolia (Torr.) Raf.	broadleaf milkweed	Forb	Native
Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt.	fourwing saltbush	Shrub	Native
Bahia dissecta (A. Gray)	ragleaf bahia	Forb	Native
Bothriochloa laguroides (DC.) Herter	Silver beardgrass	Graminoid	Native
Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr.	sideoats grama	Graminoid	Native
Bouteloua gracilis (Willd. ex Kunth) Lag. ex Griffiths	blue grama	Graminoid	Native
Brickellia grandiflora (Hook.) Nutt.	tasselflower brickellbush	Subshrub	Native
Chilopsis linearis (Cav.) Sweet	desert willow	Tree	Native
Chloris virgata Swartz.	feather fingergrass	Graminoid	Native
Chrysactinia mexicana A. Gray	damianita	Forb	Native
Cleome serrulata Pursh	Rocky Mountain bee plant	Forb	Native
Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronquist	Canadian horseweed	Forb	Native
Cylindropuntia imbricata (Haw.) F.M. Knuth	tree cholla	Shrub	Native
Dasylirion wheeleri S. Watson	common sotol	Shrub	Native
Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop.	hairy crabgrass	Graminoid	Introduced
Echinocereus coccineus Engelm.	scarlet hedgehog cactus	Shrub	Native
Ephedra cutleri Peebles	Cutler’s jointfir	Shrub	Native
Ephedra torreyana S. Watson	Torrey’s jointfir	Shrub	Native
Eragrostis mexicana (Hornem.) Link	Mexican lovegrass	Graminoid	Native
Eriogonum wrightii Torr. ex Benth.	bastardsage	Forb	Native
Erysimum inconspicuum (S. Watson) MacMill.	shy wallflower	Forb	Native
Fallugia paradoxa (D. Don) Endl. ex Torr.	Apache plume	Shrub	Native
Forestiera pubescens Nutt.	stretchberry	Shrub	Native
Garrya wrightii Torr.	Wright’s silktassel	Shrub	Native
Glandularia bipinnatifida (Nutt.) Nutt.	Dakota mock vervein	Forb	Native
Grindelia nuda Alph. Wood	curlytop gumweed	Forb	Native
Guaiacum angustifolium Engelm.	Texas lignum-vitae	Shrub	Native
Gutierrezia sarothrae (Pursh.) Britton & Rusby	broom snakeweed	Shrub	Native
Haploesthes greggii A. Gray	false broomweed	Forb	Native
Hesperostipa neomexicana (Thurb. ex J.M. Coult.) Barkworth	New Mexico feathergrass	Graminoid	Native
Hoffmannseggia glauca (Ortega) Eifert	Indian rushpea	Legume	Native
Juniperus monosperma (Engelm.) Sarg.	oneseed juniper	Shrub	Native
Lepidium alyssoides A. Gray	mesa pepperwort	Forb	Native
Leptochloa dubia (Kunth) Nees	green sprangletop	Graminoid	Native
Lycurus phleoides Kunth	common wolftail	Graminoid	Native
Lygodesmia juncea (Pursh) D. Don ex Hook.	rush skeletonplant	Forb	Native
Mahonia haematocarpa (Wooton) Fedde	red barberry	Shrub	Native
Melampodium leucanthum Torr. & Gray	plains blackfoot	Forb	Native
Muhlenbergia porteri Scribn. ex Beal	bush muhly	Graminoid	Native
Nolina texana S. Watson	Texas sacahuista	Shrub	Native
Opuntia phaeacantha Engelm.	tulip pricklypear	Shrub	Native
Parthenium incanum Kunth	mariola	Shrub	Native
Pectis angustifolia Torr.	lemonscent	Forb	Native
Penstemon thurberi Torr.	Thurber’s penstemon	Forb	Native
Phoradendron leucarpum (Raf.) Reveal & M.C. Johnst.	oak mistletoe	Shrub	Native
Pinus edulis Engelm.	twoneedle pinyon	Tree	Native
Pleuraphis mutica Buckley	tobosagrass	Graminoid	Native
Polanisia dodecandra (L.) DC.	red-whisker clammyweed	Forb	Native
Prosopis glandulosa Torr.	honey mesquite	Shrub	Native
Rhus microphylla Engelm. ex A. Gray	littleleaf sumac	Shrub	Native
Rhus trilobata Nutt.	skunkbush sumac	Shrub	Native
Salvia pinguifolia (Fernald) Wooton & Standl.	rock sage	Shrub	Native
Senecio flaccidus Less.	threadleaf ragwort	Forb	Native
Setaria viridis (L.) P. Beauv.	green bristlegrass	Graminoid	Introduced
Sidalcea neomexicana A. Gray	salt spring checkerbloom	Forb	Native
Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav.	silverleaf nightshade	Forb	Native
Sophora secundiflora (Ortega) Lag. ex DC.	mescal bean	Shrub	Native
Sphaeralcea hastulata A. Gray	spear globemallow	Forb	Native
Sporobolus cryptandrus (Torr.) A. Gray	sand dropseed	Graminoid	Native
Symphyotrichum laeve (L.) Á. Löve & D. Löve	smooth blue aster	Forb	Native
Thelypodium wrightii A. Gray	Wright’s thelypody	Forb	Native
Vachellia vernicosa (Britton & Rose) Seigler & Ebinger	viscid acacia	Shrub	Native
Yucca baccata Torr.	banana yucca	Shrub	Native

By noon the inventory team had completed the loop, and we departed east a few miles to Carrizozo and the recently opened Tiny Café for a pleasant Sunday lunch. Seated about 10 customers. 

From Carrizozo we drove east to the next site, northeast of Roswell, arriving late afternoon.

Inventory Site 7 – Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Chavez County, New Mexico

From the USFWS, “straddling the Pecos River, Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a wetland oasis inhabited by a diversity of wildlife.  The refuge protects and provides habitat for some of New Mexico’s most rare and unusual creatures such as the least shrew, Noel’s amphipod, least tern, Pecos sunflower, and Roswell spring snail.  Located where the Chihuahua Desert meets the Southern Plains, Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge is one of the more biologically significant wetland areas of the Pecos River watershed system.  Established in 1937 to provide wintering habitat for migratory birds, the refuge plays a crucial role in the conservation of wetlands in the desert.”

“Bitter Lake includes various unique aquatic habitats. The Pecos River flows across the refuge and forms oxbow lakes. Additionally, the Roswell aquifer underlies the area. Erosion of gypsum by this underground water has caused many sinkholes, some of which have become very deep lakes that are home to unique species. Underground water also feeds springs that are the source of water for the lakes on the refuge. The water level in these lakes is managed by park personnel and is adjusted throughout the year to accommodate the different species of birds that migrate to the refuge.”

The refuge “offers a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities, including seasonal hunting of waterfowl, sandhill crane, quail, dove, pheasant, feral hog, rabbit, and deer hunting available within the refuge”

The refuge is located in MLRA 70B, Upper Pecos River Valley. The average annual precipitation for most of the area is 13-15 inches, mostly in the summer and fall.  Frost-free periods range from 225 days in the south to 185 days in the north.  

Annual precipitation at the inventory site is 12.8 inches, elevation 3,400 feet.  The dominant soil is Balmorhea loam, alluvium derived from sedimentary rock, somewhat poorly drained, slightly to strongly saline.  The next most prevalent soil Glendale find sandy loam, calcareous alluvium derived from sedimentary rock, well drained, slightly saline.

Scientific Name	Common Name	Type	Origin
Allenrolfea occidentalis (S. Watson) Kuntze	iodinebush	Shrub	Native
Baccharis emoryi A. Gray	Emory’s baccharis	Shrub	Native
Bassia scoparia (L.) A.J. Scott	burningbush	Forb	Introduced
Chenopodium album L.	lambsquarter	Forb	Introduced
Chenopodium cycloides A. Nelson	sandhill goosefoot	Forb	Native
Chenopodium pratericola Rydb.	desert goosefoot	Forb	Native
Chrysothamnus pulchellus (A. Gray) Greene	southwestern rabbitbrush	Shrub	Native
Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronquist	Canadian horseweed	Forb	Native
Cressa truxillensis Kunth	spreading alkaliweed	Forb	Native
Distichlis spicata (L.) Greene	saltgrass	Graminoid	Native
Ericameria nauseosa (Pall. ex Pursh) G.L. Nesom & Baird	rubber rabbitbrush	Shrub	Native
Helianthus paradoxus Heiser	paradox sunflower	Forb	Native
Hordeum jubatum L.	foxtail barley	Graminoid	Native
Iva axillaris Pursh	povertyweed	Forb	Native
Lactuca serriola L.	prickly lettuce	Forb	Introduced
Limonium limbatum Small	Trans-Pecos sea lavendar	Forb	Native
Malvella leprosa (Ortega) Krapov.	alkali mallow	Forb	Native
Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud.	American common reed	Graminoid	Native
Prosopis glandulosa Torr.	honey mesquite	Shrub	Native
Salicornia rubra A. Nelson	red swampfire	Forb	Native
Sporobolus airoides (Torr.) Torr.	alkali sacaton	Graminoid	Native
Sporobolus giganteus Nash	giant sacaton	Graminoid	Native
Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb.	saltcedar	Tree	Native

While identifying plants at the inventory site along the gravel road separating the seasonably flooded fields, an elderly gentleman drove up in his small sedan and asked Jack what we were doing.  Jack answered his question and noted we were happy to have seen the rare Pecos sunflower blooming in the afternoon sun.  The gentleman had moved to Roswell from Lubbock, Texas where he had worked in grocery supply, and said he frequently comes out to see the sunflower.  His wife had passed five years ago and when young, he and another boy had competed for her affection.  On their first date, she had worn a yellow dress, and he felt lucky he subsequently won her hand.  After moving to Roswell, and on a visit to the refuge a few years ago, the fields of Pecos sunflower reminded him of that yellow dress, which keeps him returning with the sun low before sunset during the time when the sunflower is blooming. 

Insert photo of the field of Pecos sunflower

With the sun low on the western horizon, we headed back Roswell, found lodging, and enjoyed some barbeque at a nearby restaurant.  

Day 5, September 9, 2019

Inventory Site 8 – Lincoln National Forest, Otero County, New Mexico

From Wikipedia, “Lincoln National Forest is a unit of the U.S. Forest Service located in southern New Mexico. Established by Presidential Proclamation in 1902 as the Lincoln Forest Preserve, the 1,103,897 acres forest begins near the Texas border and contains lands in parts of Chaves, Eddy, Lincoln, and Otero counties. The three Ranger Districts within the forest contain all or part of four mountain ranges, and include a variety of different environmental areas, from desert to heavily forested mountains and sub-alpine grasslands. Established to balance conservation, resource management, and recreation, the lands of the Lincoln National Forest include important local timber resources, protected wilderness areas, and are popular recreation and winter sports areas.”  The forest is in MLRA 70C, Central New Mexico Highlands, the same as the Valley of Fires inventory site, but at much higher elevation. The average annual precipitation in most of the area is 11 to 15 inches, occurring mostly in summer. It is as high as 26 inches in the mountains. The average annual temperature is 46 to 60 degrees F. 

We had departed Roswell at 8:15 AM and following a long drive across mostly desert, we entered the Lincoln National Forest.  A suitable inventory site proved elusive. At last we settled on the Upper Karr Recreation Area, along the crest of a mountain, about three miles off US Route 82 along NM Route 6593.  The elevation was 9,330 feet, mean annual precipitation 32.4 inches.  No soil data is readily available.  Douglas-fir and aspen were the primary tree species in the immediate area.

This location represented another opportunity to find bluebunch wheatgrass, which Carlson claims to have spotted on roadcuts on the ascent towards Cloudcroft, but no available turnouts, the roads too traveled to safely egress.  The Karr site turned out to be too moist for this species.  Nevertheless, our chief identifiers went to work. 

Scientific Name	Common Name	Type	Origin
Achillea millefolium L.	common yarrow	Forb	Native
Achnatherum robustum (Vasey) Barkworth	sleepygrass	Graminoid	Native
Alopecurus pratensis L.	meadow foxtail	Graminoid	Introduced
Antennaria parvifolia Nutt.	small-leaf pussytoes	Forb	Native
Aquilegia elegantula Greene	westerb red columbine	Forb	Native
Bromus biebersteinii Roem. & Schult.	meadow brome	Graminoid	Introduced
Bromus ciliatus L.	fringed brome	Graminoid	Native
Bromus inermis Leyss.	smooth brome	Graminoid	Introduced
Campanula rotundifolia  L.	bluebell bellflower	Forb	Native
Carex occidentalis L.H. Bailey	western sedge	Graminoid	Native
Cichorium intybus L.	chicory	Forb	Introduced
Erigeron formosissimus Greene	Beautiful fleabane	Forb	Native
Erodium cicutarium (L.) L’Hér. ex Aiton	redstem stork’s bill	Forb	Introduced
Festuca ovina L.	sheep fescue	Graminoid	Introduced
Fragaria vesca L. ssp. bracteata (A. Heller) Staudt	woodland strawberry	Forb	Native
Geranium caespitosum James	pineywoods geranium	Forb	Native
Grindelia scabra Greene	rough gumweed	Forb	Native
Grindelia subalpina Greene	subalpine gumweed	Forb	Native
Holodiscus dumosus (Nutt. ex Hook.) A. Heller	rockspirea	Shrub	Native
Hymenoxys hoopesii (A. Gray) Bierner	owl’s-claws	Forb	Native
Ipomopsis aggregata (Pursh) V.E. Grant	scarlet gilia	Forb	Native
Iris missouriensis Nutt.	Rocky Mountain iris	Forb	Native
Laennecia schiedeana (Less.) G.L. Nesom	pineland horseweed	Forb	Native
Machaeranthera bigelovii (A. Gray) Greene	Bigelow’s tansyaster	Forb	Native
Medicago lupulina L.	black medic	Legume	Introduced
Menodora scabra A. Gray	rough menodora	Forb	Native
Poa pratensis L.	Kentucky bluegrass	Graminoid	Native
Populus tremuloides Michx.	quaking aspen	Tree	Native
Pseudocymopterus montanus (A. Gray) J.M. Coult. & Rose	alpine false springparsley	Forb	Native
Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco	Douglas-fir	Tree	Native
Rumex acetosella L.	common sheep sorrel	Forb	Introduced
Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort., nom. cons.	tall fescue	Graminoid	Introduced
Sisyrinchium demissum Greene	stiff blue-eyed grass	Forb	Native
Taraxacum officinale F.H. Wigg.	common dandelion	Forb	Introduced
Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D.R. Dewey	intermediate wheatgrass	Graminoid	Introduced
Verbena macdougalii A. Helle	MacDougal verbena	Forb	Native
Vicia americana Muhl. ex Willd.	American vetch	Legume	Native

Our inventory concluded near noon. From there we backtracked to Cloudcroft for lunch.

Departing after lunch down the mountain to Alamogordo, then southwest on US Route 70, we crossed the southern corner of the White Sands National Monument, arriving at Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks approaching late afternoon.

Inventory Site 9 – Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, Dona Ana County, New Mexico

From Bandelier National Monument (site 1) to Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks the notion that New Mexico is the State of Enchantment becomes realistic. From the Desert Guide Service: “The stark but beautiful Mountains are a steep, angular mountain range with rocky spires that jut majestically above the Chihuahua Desert floor to an elevation of 9,000 feet.  This picturesque area of rocky peaks, narrow canyons, and open woodlands ranges from Chihuahua Desert habitat to ponderosa pine in the highest elevations.”  

“The Monument was established to protect significant prehistoric, historic, geologic, and biologic resources of scientific interest, and includes four areas: The Organ Mountains, Desert Peaks, Portello Mountains, and Doña Ana Mountains.”

The La Cueva Trail served as an excellent plant inventory site.  Located in MLRA 42, Southern Desertic Basins, Plains, and Mountains (described previously), the site has a mean annual precipitation of 17.4 inches. We included a few species in the inventory from a location just over 2 miles down slope and average precipitation there is 14.9 inches. The mountains cause passing thunderstorms during the monsoon season to produce more rain on the upslope.  Further downslope along the Rio Grande at Las Cruces to the west, average precipitation is 10 inches.  

Soils primarily are Pinaleno very gravelly sandy loam (mixed alluvium) and Nolam very gravelly fine sandy loam (igneous derived alluvium), well drained, non-saline, supporting a Gravelly Loam ecological site.

Scientific Name	Common Name		Type	Origin
Aloysia wrightii (A. Gray) A. Heller		Wright’s beebrush	Shrub	Native
Ambrosia acanthicarpa Hook.		flatspine bur ragweed	Forb	Native
Arabis fendleri (S. Watson) Greene		Fendler’s rockcress	Forb	Native
Aristida ternipes Cav.		spidergrass	Graminoid	Native
Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt.		fourwing saltbush	Shrub	Native
Bahia dissecta (A. Gray)		ragleaf bahia	Forb	Native
Baileya multiradiata Harv. & A. Gray ex A. Gray		desert marigold	Forb	Native
Berlandiera lyrata Benth.		lyreleaf greeneyes	Forb	Native
Bothriochloa laguroides (DC.) Herter		silver beardgrass	Graminoid	Native
Bouteloua barbata Lag.		sixweeks grama	Graminoid	Native
Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr.		sideoats grama	Graminoid	Native
Calliandra eriophylla Benth.		fairyduster	Shrub	Native
Cevallia sinuata Lag.		stinging serpent	Forb	Native
Chaenactis stevioides Hook. & Arn.		Esteve’s pincushion	Forb	Native
Chenopodium fremontii S. Watson		Fremont’s goosefoot	Forb	Native
Chenopodium neomexicanum Standl.		New Mexico goosefoot	Forb	Native
Chilopsis linearis (Cav.) Sweet		desert willow	Tree	Native
Chrysothamnus pulchellus (A. Gray) Greene		southwestern rabbitbrush	Shrub	Native
Cirsium neomexicanum A. Gray		New Mexico thistle	Forb	Native
Cleome serrulata Pursh		Rocky Mountain bee plant	Forb	Native
Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronquist		Canadian horseweed	Forb	Native
Cylindropuntia leptocaulis (DC.) F.M. Knuth		Christmas cactus	Shrub	Native
Dasylirion wheeleri S. Watson		common sotol	Shrub	Native
Datura wrightii Regel		sacred thorn-apple	Forb	Native
Digitaria californica (Benth.) Henr.		Arizona cottontop	Graminoid	Native
Ephedra trifurca Torr. ex S. Watson		longleaf jointfir	Shrub	Native
Eragrostis lehmanniana Nees		Lehmann lovegrass	Graminoid	Introduced
Ericameria laricifolia (A. Gray) Shinners		turpentine bush	Shrub	Native
Erigeron divergens Torr. & A. Gray		spreading fleabane	Forb	Native
Fallugia paradoxa (D. Don) Endl. ex Torr.		Apache plume	Shrub	Native
Ferocactus wislizeni (Engelm.) Britton & Rose		candy barrelcactus	Shrub	Native
Fouquieria splendens Engelm.		ocotillo	Shrub	Native
Gutierrezia sarothrae (Pursh.) Britton & Rusby		broom snakeweed	Shrub	Native
Hymenoclea monogyra Torr. & A. Gray		singlewhorl burrobrush	Shrub	Native
Juniperus deppeana Steud.		alligator juniper	Tree	Native
Juniperus monosperma (Engelm.) Sarg.		oneseed juniper	Shrub	Native
Laennecia coulteri (A. Gray) G.L. Nesom		Coulter’s horseweed	Forb	Native
Larrea tridentata (DC.) Coville		creosote bush	Shrub	Native
Lepidium densiflorum Schrad.		common pepperweed	Forb	Native
Limonium limbatum Small		Trans-Pecos sea lavendar	Forb	Native
Lotus plebeius (Brandegee) Barneby		New Mexico bird’s-foot trefoil	Legume	Native
Lygodesmia juncea (Pursh) D. Don ex Hook.		rush skeletonplant	Forb	Native
Machaeranthera tanacetifolia (Kunth) Nees		tanseyleaf tansyaster	Forb	Native
Melampodium leucanthum Torr. & Gray		plains blackfoot	Forb	Native
Mimosa aculeaticarpa Ortega		catclaw mimosa	Shrub	Native
Muhlenbergia porteri Scribn. ex Beal		bush muhly	Graminoid	Native
Oenothera suffrutescens (Ser.) W.L. Wagner & Hoch		scarlet beeblossom	Forb	Native
Opuntia phaeacantha Engelm.		tulip pricklypear	Shrub	Native
Panicum antidotale Retz.		blue panicum	Graminoid	Introduced
Parthenium incanum Kunth		mariola	Shrub	Native
Plantago patagonica Jacq.		woolly plantain	Forb	Native
Polanisia dodecandra (L.) DC.		red-whisker clammyweed	Forb	Native
Prosopis glandulosa Torr.		honey mesquite	Shrub	Native
Prosopis velutina Wooton		velvet mesquite	Shrub	Native
Rhus microphylla Engelm. ex A. Gray		littleleaf sumac	Shrub	Native
Rhus trilobata Nutt.		skunkbush sumac	Shrub	Native
Salvia greggii A. Gray		autumn sage	Forb	Native
Senna bauhinioides (A. Gray) Irwin & Barneby		Twinleaf senna	Legume	Native
Setaria leucopila (Scribn. & Merr.) K. Schum.		streambed bristlegrass	Graminoid	Native
Setaria viridis (L.) P. Beauv.		green bristlegrass	Graminoid	Introduced
Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav.		silverleaf nightshade	Forb	Native
Sphaeralcea incana Torr. ex A. Gray		gray globemallow	Forb	Native
Sporobolus contractus Hitchc.		spike dropseed	Graminoid	Native
Sporobolus cryptandrus (Torr.) A. Gray		sand dropseed	Graminoid	Native
Stephanomeria pauciflora (Torr.) A. Nelson		brownplume wirelettuce	Forb	Native
Vachellia constricta (Benth.) Seigler & Ebinger		whitethorn acacia	Shrub	Native
Vachellia vernicosa (Britton & Rose) Seigler & Ebinger		viscid acacia	Shrub	Native
Viguiera stenoloba S.F. Blake		resinbush	Shrub	Native
Yucca torreyi Shafer		Torrey’s yucca	Shrub	Native

We concluded the inventory, drove west to Las Cruces, then north up the Rio Grande valley past the pepper fields of Hatch and on to Socorro for the night.

Day 6, September 10, 2019

Inventory Site 10 – Dreesen Conservation Plant Arboretum, Valencia County, New Mexico

In the morning from Socorro we drove north to Los Lunas to drop off Wendell, who needed to catch a flight to Texas that day.  We then drove back south to the outskirts of Belen.

The next inventory site was somewhat out of the ordinary. It is included for several reasons, one of which was to highlight the passion some former plant materials employees develop for their work. Dave Dressen joined the staff of the Los Lunus PMC in 1991and spent the rest of his career there, retiring in 2015. The breadth and depth of his contribution to soil and water conservation can be seen in the new technology developed and published by Dave, most of which is identified on the PMC web site. His lingering passion is evident by the impressive array of existing and potential conservation plants he has propagated and established on his 8-acre arboretum.

The inventory site is located in MLRA 42, Southern Desertic Basins, Plains, and Mountains (described previously).  Mean annual precipitation on-site is 9.0 inches. Dominant soils are Bluepoint sandy clay loam and Bluepoint loamy fine sand, from mixed alluvium, both over loam sand, somewhat excessively well drained, non-saline, supporting a Deep Sand ecological site.

The conservation plant vegetation completely obscures the home.  

Scientific Name	Common Name	Type	Origin
Acaciella angustissima (Mill.) Britton & Rose	prairie acacia	Forb	Native
Achnatherum hymenoides (Roem. & Schult.) Barkworth	indian ricegrass	Graminoid	Native
Amorpha fruticosa L.	false indigo bush	Shrub	Native
Amorpha nana Nutt.	dwarf false indigo	Shrub	Native
Amsonia longiflora Torr.	tubular bluestar	Forb	Native
Andropogon gerardii Vitman	big bluestem	Graminoid	Native
Andropogon hallii Hack.	sand bluestem	Graminoid	Native
Anisacanthus quadrifidus (Vahl) Nees	Wright’s desert honeysuckle	Shrub	Native
Arbutus xalapensis Kunth	Texas madrone	Tree	Native
Arctostaphylos pungens Kunth	pointleaf manzanita	Shrub	Native
Argemone squarrosa Greene	hedgehog pricklypoppy	Forb	Native
Aristida purpurea Nutt.	purple three-awn	Graminoid	Native
Artemisia filifolia Torr.	sand sage	Shrub	Native
Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt.	fourwing saltbush	Shrub	Native
Berlandiera lyrata Benth.	lyreleaf greeneyes	Forb	Native
Bothriochloa laguroides (DC.) Herter	Silver beardgrass	Graminoid	Native
Bouteloua barbata Lag.	sixweeks grama	Graminoid	Native
Bouteloua eriopoda (Torr.) Torr.	black grama	Graminoid	Native
Bouteloua hirsuta Lag.	hairy grama	Graminoid	Native
Bouvardia ternifolia (Cav.) Schltdl.	firecrackerbush	Shrub	Native
Celtis laevigata Willd. var. reticulata (Torr.) L.D. Benson	netleaf hackberry	Tree	Native
Cercis canadensis L. var. texensis (S. Watson) M. Hopkins	Texas redbud	Shrub	Native
Cercocarpus intricatus S. Watson	littleleaft mountain mahogany	Shrub	Native
Cercocarpus ledifolius Nutt.	curl-leaf mountain mahogany	Shrub	Native
Cercocarpus montanus Raf.	alderleaf mountain mahogany	Shrub	Native
Chamaebatiaria millefolium (Torr.) Maxim.	desert sweet	Shrub	Native
Chilopsis linearis (Cav.) Sweet	desert willow	Tree	Native
Chloris verticillata Nutt.	tumble windmill grass	Graminoid	Native
Clematis ligusticifolia Nutt.	western white clematis	Vine	Native
Cotinus obovatus Raf.	American smoketree	Shrub	Native
Croton pottsii (Klotzsch) Müll. Arg.	leatherweed	Forb	Native
Croton texensis (Klotzsch) Müll. Arg.	Texas croton	Forb	Native
Dalea bicolor Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.	silver prairie clover	Shrub	Native
Dimorphocarpa wislizeni (Engelm.) Rollins	touristplant	Forb	Native
Ephedra equisetina Bunge	ma huang	Shrub	Introduced
Eriogonum jamesii Benth.	James’ buckwheat	Forb	Native
Forestiera pubescens Nutt.	stretchberry	Shrub	Native
Fraxinus velutina Torr.	velvet ash	Tree	Native
Gaillardia pinnatifida Torr.	red dome blanketflower	Forb	Native
Gaillardia pulchella Foug.	Indian blanket	Forb	Native
Heliotropium convolvulaceum (Nutt.) A. Gray	phlox heliotrope	Forb	Native
Hesperocyparis arizonica (Greene) Bartel	Arizona cypress	Tree	Native
Humulus lupulus L.	common hop	Forb	Introduced
Ipomoea leptophylla Torr.	bush morning-glory	Forb	Native
Koelreuteria paniculata Laxm.	goldenrain tree	Tree	Introduced
Maclura pomifera (Raf.) C.K. Schneid.	Osage-orange	Shrub	Native
Mahonia trifoliolata (Moric.) Fedde	algerita	Shrub	Native
Melia azedarach L	Chinaberrytree	Tree	Introduced
Morus alba L.	white mulberry	Tree	Introduced
Morus nigra L.	black mulberry	Tree	Introduced
Nassella tenuissima (Trin.) Barkworth	firestem needlegrass	Graminoid	Native
Oenothera neomexicana (Small) Munz	New Mexico evening primrose	Forb	Native
Panicum virgatum L.	switchgrass	Graminoid	Native
Parthenium incanum Kunth	mariola	Shrub	Native
Parthenocissus quinquefolia (L.) Planch.	Virginia creeper	Vine	Native
Paulownia tomentosa (Thunb.) Siebold & Zucc. ex Steud.	princesstree	Tree	Introduced
Penstemon ambiguus Torr.	gilia beardtongue	Forb	Native
Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco	Oriental arborvitae	Shrub	Introduced
Pleuraphis jamesii Torr.	James’ galleta	Graminoid	Native
Poliomintha incana (Torr.) A. Gray	frosted mint	Shrub	Native
Populus ×acuminata Rydb. (pro sp.) [angustifolia × deltoides]	lanceleaf cottonwood	Tree	Native
Prosopis pubescens Benth.	screwbean mesquite	Shrub	Native
Psorothamnus scoparius (A. Gray) Rydb.	broom dalea	Legume	Native
Purshia stansburiana (Torr.) Henrickson	Stansbury cliffrose	Shrub	Native
Quercus buckleyi Nixon & Dorr	Texas red oak	Tree	Native
Quercus gambelii	Gambel oak	Shrub	Native
Quercus turbinella Greene	Sonoran scrub oak	Shrub	Native
Rhus microphylla Engelm. ex A. Gray	littleleaf sumac	Shrub	Native
Rhus trilobata Nutt.	skunkbush sumac	Shrub	Native
Salix gooddingii C.R. Ball	Goodding’s willow	Tree	Native
Sapindus saponaria L.	wingleaf soapberry	Tree	Native
Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash	little bluestem	Graminoid	Native
Senegalia greggii (A. Gray) Britton & Rose	catclaw acacia	Shrub	Native
Sesbania herbacea (Mill.) McVaugh	bigpod sesbania	Legume	Native
Setaria macrostachya Kunth	large-spike bristlegrass	Graminoid	Native
Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash	Indiangrass	Graminoid	Native
Sphaeralcea hastulata A. Gray	spear globemallow	Forb	Native
Sporobolus cryptandrus (Torr.) A. Gray	sand dropseed	Graminoid	Native
Sporobolus flexuosus (Thurb. ex Vasey) Rydb.	mesa dropseed	Graminoid	Native
Sporobolus giganteus Nash	giant sacaton	Graminoid	Native
Symphyotrichum falcatum (Lindl.) G.L. Nesom	white prairie aster	Forb	Native
Ulmus pumila L.	Siberian elm	Tree	Introduced
Vachellia constricta (Benth.) Seigler & Ebinger	whitethorn acacia	Shrub	Native
Zinnia grandiflora Nutt.	Rocky Mountain zinnia	Forb	Native

After Dave led us through the plantings, scribes jotting as many plants in the notes as fingers would allow, cameramen clicking away, we drove north to Los Lunas and Teofilos for lunch.  Jack’s wife Vicki joined us, subsequently driving him to his grandson’s soccer practice that afternoon in Albuquerque.  The short-handed crew remained in Los Lunas awaiting their visit to the PMC.

Inventory Site 11 – Los Lunus Plant Materials Center, Valencia County, New Mexico

Typically, a visit to the PMC within the trek area is a trek highlight. Unfortunately, a scheduled agency program evaluation during the week conflicted with our scheduled visit.  Nevertheless, we were able to briefly tour the PMC later in the afternoon

The Los Lunas PMC serves the semi-arid and arid southwest region. including Northeast Arizona, Southeast Colorado, New Mexico, and Southeast Utah. 

The Center has developed over the years more than 30 improved conservation plants including varieties of sideoats grama, alkali sacaton, blue grama, bottlebrush squirreltail, New Mexico olive, and Rocky Mountain narrowleaf penstemon. 

The PMC, co-located with the New Mexico State University Agricultural Experiment Station, is located in MLRA 42, Southern Desertic Basins, Plains, and Mountains (described previously). It has diverse mix of soils:  Belen, Bluepoint, Gila, Glendale, and Vinton soils.  Textures range from clay loam to fine sand, non-saline/alkaline to strongly so, excessively to well drained, and water tables from 24 to more than 80 inches.  The soils support a variety of ecological sites, making the center ideal for studies evaluating soil-related effects on conservation processes.

Manager Bernadette Cooney provided the team a review of the fields and numerous plantings, which all appeared in good order. She expressed some concern about the limited number of new evaluations, having recently completed nationally coordinated studies on cover crops and pollinator species.

Following the tour of the PMC, the trekkers proceeded north to Albuquerque to complete the circle. Curtis’ daughters Becky and Melissa had driven from the east coast to pick him up and continue west to California to visit family.  They joined the group for dinner at El Pinto, an old hacienda along the Rio Grande north of the city.  The group also included NRCS National Plant Materials Specialist John Englert and East Region Plant Materials Specialist Ramona Garner, who were headed back east the following day following the PMC program review.

Epilogue 

From the Bandelier National Monument to the Los Lunus PMC was indeed a pleasurable and memorable experience. We recorded 1415 miles travelled, identified 385 species, seen firsthand the Enchanted State, and renewed old acquaintances. Following the resolution of a couple responsibilities and a discussion of next year’s potential location, we departed, already anxious for the 2020 visit. A post trek email from the team’s heaviest lifter suggested one 2020 trek location: “Current plan for next year is to convene in Las Vegas (convenient airport) and trek west through southern Nevada into southern Utah for Bryce, Zion, Escalante Staircase, etc.”  It could happen.