A field guide to the flora of the Jornada plain

TitleA field guide to the flora of the Jornada plain
Publication TypeReport
Year of Publication1988
AuthorsAllred K
Pagination145
Date Published1988
InstitutionNew Mexico Agricultural Experimental Station
CityLas Cruces, New Mexico
ISBN NumberBulletin 739
Keywordsbook, books, chapter, chapters, list,flora, plant,list, report, reports
AbstractThis field guide is intended as an aid in the indentification of the vascular plants of the College Ranch (New Mexico State University) and the Jornada Experimental Range (USDA). Lying at the southern end of the Jornada del Muerto (Journey of Death) in Dona Ana county, the area is bounded on the west by the Rio Grande and on the east by the San Andres Mountains. I have included the entire College Ranch (63,000 acres) but only the plains area of the Jornada Experimental Range (152,000 acres), and not the foothills of the San Andres Mountains. Elevation ranges from 3990 feet at the Rio Grande to 5835 feet at the peak of Summerford Mountain. Annual precipitation averages approximately 8-9 inches, with about half falling in July, August, and September. Average temperatures vary from 60 degrees farenheit in June to 40 degrees farenheit in January. The vegetation of the plains areas is characterized by honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), snakeweeds (Gutierrezia species), and soaptree yucca (Yucca elata) on sandy soils, creosote-bush (Larrea tridentata) on gravely hills and uplands, and tarbush (Flourensia cernua) on the clay flats. On the uplands and hills of the Dona Ana Mountains, the steep, rocky terrain is dominated by sotol (Dasylirion wheeleri), ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) and mariola (Parthenium icanum).