Vascular Plants of the Gila Wilderness

Presented in Association with the
Western New Mexico University Department of Natural Sciences

Leptosiphon aureus (Nuttall) J.M. Porter & L.A. Johnson
(Golden Desert Trumpets)


Family: Polemoniaceae

Status: Native

Synonyms:
Dactylophyllum aureum (Nuttall) Heller
Linanthus aureus (Nuttall) Greene

Leptosiphon aureus is a diminutive yellow herb that is mostly single or two stemmed and only an inch or two tall. However, thousands of the plants may congregate in a meadow to produce a yellow blanket on the ground. Leptosiphon aureus tends to be found more singly in lower elevation dry meadows, and in larger aggregates in middle elevation ones.
Please click on an image for a larger file.



Leptosiphon aureus, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., WD Ranch Road, Mar. 22, 2008



Leptosiphon aureus, ground cover of L. aureus, photo Russ Kleinman, Mogollon Mtns., Bursum Road, Mar. 22, 2008



Leptosiphon aureus, closeup of flower, photo Russ Kleinman, Richard Felger, Kevin Keith & Sarah Johnson, Brushy Mountain Road at Y6 gate, April 25, 2009



Back to the Index