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The vegetation of the Mojave and Colorado deserts:
Desert Wash Woodland or Microphyll Woodland
Washes occur in canyons and drainages subject to infrequent
but sometimes severe flooding. Assemblages of
shrubs and trees that can successfully establish in these
conditions are found in and along the washes. Many of
these plants are winter-deciduous. Desert willow (Chilopsis
linearis), catclaw (Acacia greggii), honey mesquite (Prosopis
glandulosa), smoketree (Psorothamnus spinosus), and palo
verde (Cercidium floridum) are examples of trees commonly
found along desert washes. Wash shrubs include desert
waterweed (Baccharis sergiloides), bladderpod (Isomeris
arborea), chuparosa (Justicia californica), desert lavender
(Hyptis emoryi), and indigo bush (Psorothamnus schottii).
The desert wash community is better developed in the
Colorado Desert and often goes by the name “Microphyll
Woodland” due to the dominance of small-leaved trees in
the legume family.
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