Mimulus ringens is a species of monkeyflower known by the common names Allegheny monkeyflower and square-stemmed monkeyflower. It is native to eastern and central North America, and there are occurrences in the western United States, some of which may represent introductions. It grows in a wide variety of wet habitat types. This is rhizomatous perennial growing 20 centimeters to well over a meter tall, its 4-angled stem usually erect. The oppositely arranged leaves are lance-shaped to oblong, up to 8 centimeters long, and sometimes joined or nearly so clasping the stem. The herbage is hairless. The flower 2 to 3 centimeters long, its tubular base encapsulated in a ribbed calyx of sepals with pointed lobes. The flower is lavender in color and divided into an upper lip and a larger, swollen lower lip. One variety of this plant, var. colophilus, is rare, ecologically restricted, and vulnerable. It is known from Quebec, it has been reported in Vermont, and there are a few occurrences in Maine, where it grows only in freshwater sections of tidal estuaries. This plant variety faces several threats, but its current status is not known due to a lack of data.

Mimulus tilingii is a species of monkeyflower known by the common name Tiling's monkeyflower. It is native to much of western North America, from Alaska to California to New Mexico, where it grows in moist and wet habitat, such as streambanks and mountain meadows. This plant is often nearly impossible to distinguish from its common relative, Mimulus guttatus, as their characteristics can intergrade. This is a rhizomatous perennial herb growing 2 to 35 centimeters tall. The oppositely arranged oval leaves may be several centimeters long and some are borne on short petioles. The yellow flower may be over 4 centimeters long, its narrow tubular throat opening into a wide, two-lipped mouth. The base of the flower tube is encapsulated in a calyx of sepals with uneven lobes.

Blitum nuttallianum, (Syn. Monolepis nuttalliana) is a species of flowering plant in the amaranth family known by the common names povertyweed and Nuttall's povertyweed. It is native to North America, where it is widespread and common from Alaska to Mexico to New England. It can be found in many types of habitat, including disturbed areas, often favoring wet places. It is a fleshy annual herb producing two or more erect, reddish, hairless stems up to about 40 centimeters tall. The thick lance-shaped or arrowhead-shaped leaves are up to 4. 5 centimeters in length. Clusters of several rounded flowers each appear in the leaf axils and yield small fruits about 2 millimeters wide. Many Native American groups used this plant as a medicine and a food.

Montia chamissoi is a species of flowering plant in the purslane family known by the common names of water minerslettuce, water montia, Indian lettuce, and toad lily. It is native to much of western North America from Alaska to the southwestern and central United States and also in British Columbia. It grows in moist to wet soils in a variety of habitat types, such as meadows, wetlands, plains, and montanes (Kershaw et al., 1998). It is sometimes aquatic, anchoring in mud and floating in water. M. chamissoi appears between 7,000 to 9,000 feet in elevation (Brussard, 1982). and are endemic to western North America. Wetlands, montanes, and prairie zones are where M. chamissoi thrive. They occur in the Rocky Mountain region, Pacific Alaska Region, Pacific Region, and even in part of the mid-atlantic and great lakes region. They are also highly prevalent in Canada including Alberta and British Columbia. It can also grow on the dry slopes of the plains and foothills creating a huge distribution. It is found along coastal areas but this is mostly rare (Brussard, 1982). Related Species. Related taxa involves 10 genera in Portulacaceae and 9 species in Montia. A few genera related are spring beauty ( Claytonia L. ), fame flower (Talinum adans. ), and red maids (Calandria kunth). Like M. chamissoi these genera have very large distributions and stamens. Montia fontana and Motia parvifolia are two relating species that involve wide distributions but differ in the fact that the distributions are higher in elevation and take up most of Canada and Greenland.

Brussard noted that there have been failures and success when trying to preserve M. chamissoi due to mining development that has lowered small M. chamissoi populations in the United States (Brussard, 1982). Brussard (1982) observed that a population of M. chamissoi was destroyed by road construction near a ski area and it was also noted that this was the only known population in Gunnison County, Colorado. This led to an increase in Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratories and helped establish the laboratory' claim to undisturbed habitat as a natural resource (Brussard, 1982). It is also a rare plant species in British Columbia and is a candidate species for restoration and preservation. (Rose & Burton, 2011). Even though, M. chamissoi has a very wide distribution it is currently listed on the endangered list in Minnesota and Pennsylvania and is in the progress of restoration

Montia fontana, commonly known as blinks or water blinks, water chickweed or annual water miner's lettuce, is a herbaceous annual plant of the genus Montia. It is a common plant that can be found in wet environments around the globe, from the tropics to the Arctic. It is quite variable in morphology, taking a variety of forms. It is sometimes aquatic.

Montia parvifolia is a species of flowering plant in the purslane family known by the common names littleleaf minerslettuce, small-leaved blinks and small-leafed montia. It is native to western North America from Alaska to California to Montana, where it grows in moist to wet areas in several types of mountain habitat. Montia parvifolia is a perennial herb growing erect to about 40 centimeters tall from a matted, branching caudex base. It spreads via leafy stolons with sprouting bulblets. The fleshy oval leaves are alternately arranged and measure up to 6 centimeters in length. The inflorescence at the tip of the stem bears 1 to 12 flowers each with five pink or white petals up to 1. 5 centimeters long. Montia parvifolia is a perennial herb growing erect to about 40 centimeters tall from a matted, branching caudex base. It spreads via leafy stolons with sprouting bulblets. The fleshy oval leaves are alternately arranged and measure up to 6 centimeters in length. The inflorescence at the tip of the stem bears 1 to 12 flowers each with five pink or white petals up to 1. 5 centimeters long.

California wax myrtle (Morella californica) is a moderately fast growing and long-lived shrub or tree.It grows in an upright form, with active growth during the spring and summer. The shiny dark-green leaves remain on the plant throughout the year, making it an attractive garden planting. The flowers are yellow and bloom in the early summer.

This plant does well in coastal gardens and also inland if given slightly more moisture and afternoon shade.  In general, California wax myrtle is a low water plant and should be watered a maximum of once a week in summer  once established. It tolerates a variety of soils and may be sheared to form a hedge or to create a more formal appearance.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Muhlenbergia andina, known by the common name Foxtail muhly, is a species of grass. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to California to Texas. It grows in moist habitat such as meadows, marshes, and riparian riverbanks. Muhlenbergia andina is a rhizomatous perennial grass growing 25 to 85 centimeters tall. The inflorescence is a narrow, dense cluster of appressed, upright branches bearing small, silky-haired spikelets.

Muhlenbergia asperifolia is a species of grass known by the common names alkali muhly and scratchgrass. It is native to much of North America, including most of southern Canada, most of the continental United States except for the southeastern region, and parts of northern Mexico. It is also known from South America. Muhlenbergia asperifolia is a rhizomatous perennial grass growing decumbent or spreading or erect up to about 60 centimeters tall. The inflorescence is a very open, wispy array of many hair-thin, outstretched branches each up to 14 centimeters long. The spikelets at the tips of the branches are only 1 or 2 millimeters long. Muhlenbergia asperifolia is a valuable grass for habitat restoration and revegetation projects in disturbed habitat in the Southwest United States, especially in riparian zones in California and the Intermountain West. It is planted with Sporobolus airoides - Alkali sacaton for Mojave River and other Riparian zone restoration in the Mojave Desert. It produces dense groundcover once established.

Muhlenbergia filiformis, known by the common name Pullup muhly, is a species of grass. It is native to western North America from western Canada through the Western United States to northern Mexico. Pullup muhly grows in many types of moist to wet habitats. Muhlenbergia filiformis is an annual herb producing clumps of decumbent stems up to 30 centimeters long which root where their nodes touch the substrate. The inflorescence is a narrow, cylindrical array of appressed branches bearing many spikelets each about a millimeter long.

Muhlenbergia mexicana is a species of grass known by the common names Mexican muhly and wirestem muhly. It is native to North America, including most of the United States and southern Canada. It does not occur in Mexico. It is known mainly from moist and wet habitat, such as meadows, wetlands, and ditches. It is a rhizomatous perennial herb growing 30 to 70 centimeters tall. The flower cluster is a narrow series of short, appressed to upright branches lined densely in small, pointed spikelets each a few millimeters long.

Muhlenbergia minutissima is a species of grass known by the common name Annual muhly. It is native to North America, where it is found throughout the western United States and much of Mexico. It can be found in many habitat types, including disturbed areas. It is an annual bunchgrass growing 30 centimeters tall. The inflorescence is an open, spreading array of hair-thin branches bearing millimeter-long spikelets.

Muhlenbergia richardsonis, known by the common name Mat muhly, is a species of grass. It is native to North America, where it can be found throughout much of Canada, Alaska, the western half of the contiguous United States through California, and in Baja California, Mexico. Muhlenbergia richardsonis is a rhizomatous perennial grass producing knotted, mat-forming stems up to about 40 centimeters long. The blue-green leaves are up to 5 or 6 centimeters long. The inflorescence is a narrow cylindrical series of tighly appressed branches bearing gray-green, single-flowered spikelets 2 or 3 millimeters long.

This native bunchgrass, Deergrass (Muhlenbergia rigens) is a popular plant choice for groundcover and lawn replacement applications. It's an attractive, low-water grass that's very easy to grow. Deergrass does best in sandy soil and full sun, but it is versatile enough to tolerate shade and a variety of soil types.

The leaf blades are pale green, and in spring the plant produces tall spikes of yellow flowers. The seeds provide food for birds in summer. Plant this large mounding grass in groups for an impressive display.

Muhlenbergia utilis is a species of grass known by the common name Aparejograss. It is native to North and Central America, where it can be found throughout the Southwestern United States and California, through Mexico, as far south as Costa Rica. It grows in wet habitats, including riverbanks and meadows, sometimes in alkaline soils.

Myosotis laxa is a species of forget-me-not known by several common names, including tufted forget-me-not, bay forget-me-not, and small-flowered forget-me-not. It has a circumboreal distribution, occurring throughout northern parts of the Northern Hemisphere. It grows in many types of habitat, including moist and wet areas; it is sometimes aquatic, growing in shallow water. Henry David Thoreau described Myosotis laxa:

Myosurus cupulatus is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family known by the common name Arizona mousetail. It is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it grows in moist and dry habitat types in desert, scrub, and woodland. It is an annual plant forming a small tuft up to about 14 centimeters tall. The leaves are linear to lance-shaped and up to 7 centimeters in length. The inflorescence produces a single flower which has an elongated, cylindrical or cone-shaped receptacle up to 4 centimeters long. At the base of the receptacle are curving, spurred sepals and five petals each under 3 millimeters long.

Myosurus minimus is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family known by the common name tiny mousetail or just mousetail. It is native to much of the Northern Hemisphere, including parts of Europe, Asia, North Africa, and North America. It generally grows in moist habitat types, such as riverbanks and wet meadows. It is an annual plant forming a small tuft up to about 12 centimeters tall. The leaves are linear and narrow, sometimes threadlike, and up to 6 centimeters in length. The inflorescence produces a single flower which has an elongated, cylindrical or cone-shaped receptacle up to 4 centimeters long. At the base of the receptacle are curving, spurred sepals, five petals up to 3 millimeters long, and 10 stamens.

Myosurus sessilis is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family known by the common name vernal pool mousetail. It is native to southern Oregon and the Central Valley of California, where it grows in vernal pools and other wet grassland habitat. It is an annual plant forming a small tuft up to about 10 centimeters tall. The leaves are narrow and linear in shape, measuring up to 7 centimeters in length. The inflorescence produces a single flower which has an elongated, cylindrical or cone-shaped receptacle up to 3 centimeters long. At the base of the receptacle are curving, spurred sepals and three to five tiny petals.

Myriophyllum hippuroides is a species of water milfoil known by the common name western watermilfoil. It is native to the west coast of North America, where it grows in aquatic habitat such as ponds and streams. It generally grows over a meter long, with its stem lined with whorls of fleshy green leaves divided into many narrow lobes. The leafy inflorescence is a spike of small flowers up to 12 centimeters long which grows above the water's surface.

Myriophyllum verticillatum, the whorl-leaf watermilfoil or whorled water-milfoil, is a native to much of the North America, North Africa, and Eurasia. It closely resembles another native milfoil, called northern water milfoil (M. sibiricum) Whorled water milfoil is also easily confused with four types of invasive milfoils: Eurasian water milfoil (M. spicatum), Variable water-milfoil (M. heterophyllum), Parrot feather (M. aquaticum), and hybrid water milfoil (M. heterophyllum X M. laxum). In many areas it is an invasive aquatic plant. It is native in much of North America, the United Kingdom, Asia, and North Africa, and invasive to Ireland. Propagation and reproduction. Whorled water-milfoil reproduces by producing turions between September and November each year. These over-wintering turions sink to the bottom of the floor where they remain dormant until February [Caffrey,2006]. These fragments will give rise to numerous small thin roots that bed into soil to start growing in spring. The plants are monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and are pollinated by wind. Control and uses. Whorled water milfoil is a good water oxygenator in small quantities such as fish and frog ponds. It is also ideal in providing protection and respiration for fish spawn Management techniques of whorled water milfoil are not exactly known, but natural competition with other invasive aquatic plants has been the main control so far. There are a few management practices that some places are using, but they have not been approved for long-term usage.

Najas flexilis is an aquatic annual plant native to parts of North America and Europe. It is native to northern and Central Europe from Norway to Ireland to Switzerland, and from there across Russia and Siberia. It is also considered native throughout most of Canada, and the northern United States in disjunct populations in southern California, Arizona, Missouri, South Carolina and Utah. Its common names include slender naiad and nodding waternymph. Najas flexilis inhabits shallow bodies of brackish and fresh water such as lakes and bays. It is also native to northern Europe, where its range includes Scotland, Poland and Sweden. It is rare in the European portion of its range and is strictly protected by Appendix I of the Berne Convention. The largest population is in Lake Siveri in Latvia.

Najas guadalupensis (najas grass or guppy grass) is a species of aquatic plant known by the common names southern waternymph and common water nymph. It is native to the Americas, where it is widespread. It is considered native to Central Canada from Alberta to Quebec, plus most of the contiguous United States, Mexico, Central America, the West Indies and South America. It is naturalized in Japan, Israel and Palestine. Najas guadalupensis is an annual, growing submerged in aquatic habitat types such as ponds, ditches, and streams. It produces a slender, branching stem up to 60 to 90 centimeters in maximum length. The thin, somewhat transparent, flexible leaves are up to 3 centimeters long and just 1 or 2 millimeters wide. They are edged with minute, unicellular teeth. Tiny flowers occur in the leaf axils; staminate flowers grow toward the end of the plant and pistillate closer to the base.

Najas marina is a species of aquatic plant known by the common names spiny water nymph, spiny naiad and holly-leaved naiad. It is an extremely widespread species, reported across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, the Americas and many oceanic islands. It can be found in many types of freshwater and brackish aquatic habitat, including bodies of alkaline water. Najas marina is an annual producing a slender, branching stem up to 40 or 45 centimeters in maximum length. The evenly spaced leaves are up to 4 centimeters long, 1 to 3 millimeters wide, and edged in tiny sawlike teeth. The leaf has prickles along its midvein. Minute flowers occur in the leaf axils. The plant is dioecious, with male and female flower types occurring on separate individuals.

Narthecium californicum is a species of flowering plant known by the common name California bog asphodel. It is native to the mountains of southern Oregon and northern California, where it grows in wet habitat such as streambanks and meadows. It is a rhizomatous perennial monocot producing an erect stem up to about 60 centimeters tall. The base of the plant is surrounded by linear, grasslike leaves up to 30 centimeters long. The flower cluster is a raceme of many yellow flowers with six pointed petals no more than a centimeter long. The fruit is a lance-shaped capsule containing many bristle-tailed seeds.

Navarretia breweri is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common name Brewer's navarretia. It is native to much of the western United States, where it grows in open habitat types. It is a hairy, glandular annual herb producing an erect, branching brown or reddish stem up to 8 centimeters tall and wide. The small gray-green leaves have tiny needlelike lobes. The inflorescence is a rounded head filled with leaflike green bracts edged with pointed lobes. The flowers tucked amidst the bracts are yellow in color and under a centimeter long. The corolla is divided into five rounded lobes each about a millimeter long.

Navarretia capillaris (formerly Gilia capillaris) is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common name miniature gilia. It is native to the western United States where it grows in wet, gravel-lined habitat especially in mountains, such as snowmelt runs. It produces glandular stems coated thinly in hairs and lined with small lance-shaped or linear leaves only one or two millimeters wide. The tiny stem is topped with an inflorescence of one or more flowers each roughly a centimeter long. The calyx is an elongated pocket of fused sepals with lobes separating at the top. The fuzzy, glandular corolla is white to light blue with a yellowish throat.

Navarretia intertexta is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common name needleleaf pincushionplant. It is native to western North America, including most of the western United States and extending into the Midwest. It grows in a variety of habitat types, including moist meadows and vernal pools.

Navarretia leucocephala is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common name whitehead pincushionplant, or whitehead navarretia. It is native to North America, including much of the western United States and central Canada. It generally grows in wet or moist terrestrial habitat such as vernal pools. It is an annual herb producing a slender, hairy stem. The plant's appearance is variable, and there are several subspecies that differ slightly. The appearance of the plant also depends on the amount of water available in its habitat. The leaves are divided into many needlelike lobes. The inflorescence is a head of flowers lined with leaflike bracts. Each tubular flower is up to a centimeter long. The flowers vary in color from white to blue. Two rare California subspecies are federally listed as endangered species in the United States.

Navarretia mellita is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common name honeyscented pincushionplant. It is endemic to California, where it is known only from several coastal and inland mountains and foothills in the central region of the state. It generally grows in moist spots in chaparral and other habitat.

Navarretia nigelliformis is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common name adobe navarretia. It is endemic to California, where it is known from the Central Valley and adjacent mountains. It grows in vernally wet depressions in clay soils, such as vernal pools. It is a hairy annual herb growing up to about 32 centimeters in maximum height. The leaves are divided into many very narrow linear or needlelike lobes. The inflorescence is a head of flowers lined with leaflike bracts with long white hairs. The flower is yellow with brown or purple spots in the throat.

Navarretia tagetina is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common names marigold pincushionplant and marigold navarretia. It is native to the western United States from Washington to central California, where it grows in wet grassland habitat such as vernal pools. It is a somewhat hairy annual herb growing up to about 30 centimeters tall. The leaves are deeply divided into many spreading needlelike lobes. The inflorescence is a cluster of many flowers surrounded by leaflike bracts. The flowers are pale blue and about a centimeter long.

Nemophila pedunculata is a common annual wildflower found throughout western North America. Its common names include littlefoot nemophila and meadow nemophila. Nemophila pedunculata grows low to the ground, with a fleshy stem and thick, bristly leaves. The flowers are tiny, only about a centimeter wide. They are a broad bell shape and they vary widely in color. Some are blue, but most are white with a variety of markings, including small blue streaks or speckles, or an eye-catching purple spot at the tip of each petal.

Nicotiana attenuata is a species of wild tobacco known by the common name coyote tobacco. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to Texas and northern Mexico, where it grows in many types of habitat. It is a hairy and sparsely hairy annual herb exceeding a meter in maximum height. The leaf blades may be 10 centimeters long, the lower ones oval and the upper narrower in shape, and are borne on petioles. The flower cluster bears several flowers with pinkish or greenish white tubular throats 2 to 3 centimeters long, their bases enclosed in pointed sepals. The flower face has five mostly white lobes. The fruit is a capsule about a centimeter long. This plant was used for a great variety of medicinal purposes by many Native American groups, and was smoked ceremonially by the Hopi, Apache, Navajo, Paiute, and other groups.

Nicotiana quadrivalvis is a species of wild tobacco known by the common name Indian tobacco. It is native to the western United States, where it grows in many types of habitat. It is a bushy, sprawling annual herb growing up to two meters in maximum height. The lower leaf blades are up to 15 centimeters long and are borne on short petioles, the upper smaller and sessile on the stem. The flower cluster is an array of several white, greenish, or purple-tinged flowers with tubular throats up to 5 centimeters long. The base of each is enclosed in a ridged calyx of sepals. The flower face may be 5 centimeters wide. The fruit is a capsule up to 2 centimeters in length.

Nitrophila occidentalis is a species of flowering plant in the amaranth family known by the common name boraxweed. It is native to the western United States and northern Mexico, where it can be found in habitat with moist alkaline soils, such as salt pans. It is a rhizomatous perennial herb producing decumbent or erect stems up to about 30 centimeters tall. The stems have paired branches lined with oppositely arranged, fleshy, linear or oblong green leaves up to 1. 6 centimeters in length. Flowers occur in the leaf axils, alone or in clusters of up to 3, accompanied by small bracts. The flower lacks petals but has five pointed sepals 1 or 2 millimeters long which are white or pink in color, fading white with age.

Nuphar polysepala (the great yellow pond-lily or wokas; syn. Nuphar polysepalum orth. err. , Nuphar lutea subsp. polysepala (Engelm. ) E. O. Beal) is a species of Nuphar native to western North America. The name Nuphar is Greek for "water-lily" and polysepala means many sepals. It is commonly found in shallow muddy ponds from northern Alaska and Yukon southward to central California and northern New Mexico, and can be recognized easily by its large floating leaves and bright yellow blossoms. It reproduces by both seed and rhizome. The rhizomes are underground stems that are thick and fleshy. These rhizomes are hard to pry since they are submerged in mud and are difficult to dig. The leaves float on the water surface, and have an external waxy coating which makes the leaf waterproof and thus allows the leaf stomata to breathe freely; they are glossy green, oval, 10-45 cm long and 7-30 cm wide, with a notch at one side to the leaf stem. The leaves provide shelter for fish. The rhizomes (underground stems) are round and submerged in mud. Flowers and fruit. The flowers are 5-10 cm diameter, and have 6 to 12 (most often 9) bright yellow petal-like sepals; the true petals are small, hidden near the stamens. Inside the flower from top view anthers can be seen as red and true petals are wedge-shaped and are hidden by the stamens. The fruit is a ovoid green to yellowish capsule 4-6 cm (rarely 9 cm) long 3. 5-6 cm wide. They were a significant source of carbohydrates for the Klamath and Modoc peoples who inhabited the area near Oregon's Upper Klamath Lake. Medicinal. Leaves and rootstocks have been used for ulcerous skin conditions and swelling. The rootstock infusion is used as a traditional gargle for mouth, sore throats and douche for vaginal inflammation. The rootstock is prepared from two tablespoon chopped rhizome with one cup boiling water .

Oenanthe sarmentosa is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common name water parsley. It is native to western North America from Alaska to California, where it grows in wet areas, such as streambanks. It is sometimes aquatic, growing in the water. The plant has been used in cultivation in wetlands, and the recent discovery of several colonies growing by a stream in Illinois demonstrates its capacity to become a noxious weed if it is introduced elsewhere. This is a perennial herb growing to a maximum height near 1.5 meters. The leaves have blades up to 30 centimeters long borne on petioles up to 35 centimeters in length. The parsley-like leaf blade is divided into serrated, lobed leaflets. The flower cluster is a compound umbel of many flowers with bright white to red-tinged petals.

Hairy Evening Primrose (Oenothera elata ssp. hirsutissima) is a native perennial herb that grows in northern, southern and central California. It tends to grow in moist places, at elevations from 0-9200 feet.

Hooker's Evening Primrose (Oenothera elata ssp. hookeri) is a native perennial herb in the Onagraceae (Evening Primrose) family that grows primarily along the coast between San Francisco and San Diego and northern Baja. It is fast growing and moderately long-lived. It grows in an upright form to a height of 5 feet, with active growth during the summer. Flowers are yellow and striking, and bloom in the late summer. Leaves are medium green and deciduous. Its form may be either upright or sprawling. It tends to grow in moist places, at elevations from sea level to 7,000 feet where it is a pioneer species. However, it is also somewhat drought-tolerant in garden situations. In the wild it is usually crowded out over time by more woody trees or shrubs. It spreads by prolific seed production, which also makes it attractive to many seed-eating birds.

Oligomeris linifolia is a species of flowering plant in the small family Resedaceae known by the common name lineleaf whitepuff. It is native to parts of the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent, as well as southern Europe and North Africa, and the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It grows in many types of habitat, including disturbed areas and saline soils, in deserts, plains, coastline, and other places. It is a fleshy annual plant, producing several erect, ribbed stems 35 to 45 centimeters in maximum height. The linear or widely lance-shaped leaves are narrow, up to 4. 5 centimeters long but only a few millimeters side. The flowers occur in long, erect spikes. Each flower is a rounded, lobed, pocket-like structure with 4 curving sepals and usually two whitish petals which may be partially fused together. The fruit is a capsule a few millimeters long containing tiny shiny black seeds.

Oxypolis occidentalis is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common name western cowbane. It is native to sections of western North America, where it grows in forests and other habitat. It is a perennial herb growing from tubers and producing erect, branching stems up to 1. 5 meters tall. The leaf has a blade up to 30 centimeters long which is divided into many toothed, lobed, or deeply cut leaflets. The blade is borne on a long petiole, with upper leaves having larger petioles than basal. The inflorescence is a dense compound umbel of many small white flowers.

Oxyria digyna (mountain sorrel, wood sorrel, Alpine sorrel or Alpine mountainsorrel) a species of flowering plant in the buckwheat family. It is common in the tundra of Arctic. Further south, it has a circumboreal distribution, growing in high mountainous areas in the Northern Hemisphere like the Alps, Sierra Nevada, and Cascade Range. It grows in dense tufts, with stems 10-20 centimeter high. Both flowering stems and leaf stalks are somewhat reddish. Leaves are kidney-shaped, somewhat fleshy, on stalks from the basal part of the stem. Flowers are small, green and later reddish, and are grouped in an open upright cluster. The fruit is a small nut, encircled by a broad wing which finally turns red. Forming dense, red tufts, the plant is easily recognized. O. digyna grows in wet places protected by snow in winter. Oxyria (from Greek) means "sour".

Oxystylis is a monotypic genus of flowering plants currently considered a part of the cleome family containing the single species Oxystylis lutea, which is known by the common name spiny caper. It is native to the Mojave Desert straddling the border between California and Nevada. It grows in rocky and sandy desert habitat, often on alkaline soils. This is an annual herb producing an erect, branching stem which may reach 1. 5 meters in height. The leaf is made up of three thick, firm leaflets 2 to 6 centimeters long, borne on a stout, straight petiole. The inflorescence is a dense head of flowers clustered about the stem at the leaf axils, each flower with four small yellow petals. The fruit is a small white or purple nutlet bearing the spine-like remnant of the flower receptacle.

Mitella trifida is a species of flowering plant in the saxifrage family known by the common names threeparted miterwort and Pacific miterwort. It is native to western North America from Alaska to Montana to California, where it grows in wet wooded habitat types. It is a rhizomatous perennial herb growing up to about 45 centimeters tall. The leaves occur around the base of the stem. They have rounded blades up to 10 centimeters wide and lobed, round-toothed edges. The erect flower cluster bears up to 20 flowers, usually along one side of the stem. The distinctive flower is cup-shaped with five white or violet-tinged petals which are usually, but not always, divided into three lance-shaped lobes.

Packera clevelandii is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the aster family known by the common name Cleveland's ragwort. It is endemic to California, where it is known from only two small regions, a section of the North Coast Ranges around Napa County and a part of the Sierra Nevada foothills on the opposite side of the Sacramento Valley. The plant grows in shrubby chaparral, often on serpentine soils. It is a perennial herb producing one or more erect stems from a taproot and caudex unit, reaching up to a meter in maximum height. The leaves are thick and fleshy, and have a waxy coating. Their blades are up to 10 centimeters long at the base of the plant, and smaller farther up.

Packera pauciflora is a species of flowering plant in the aster family known by the common name alpine groundsel. It is native to northern North America, where it can be found in parts of western and eastern Canada and the northwestern United States. It grows in subalpine and alpine climates, such as mountain meadows. It is a perennial herb producing one or more erect stems up to half a meter tall from a thick caudex and fibrous root system. The basal leaves have thick, toothed blades up to 4 centimeters long, and those higher on the stem have smaller, more dissected leaves. The inflorescence bears a single flower head or an umbel-shaped array of up to 6 heads. Each head has green to reddish or purplish phyllaries, many disc florets, and often several ray florets. The florets may be most any shade of red, orange, or yellow.

Packera pseudaurea is a species of flowering plant in the aster family known by the common name falsegold groundsel. It is native to North America, where it can be found in western and central parts of Canada and the United States. It grows in mountain habitat such as meadows, streambanks, and woodlands. It is a perennial herb producing usually one erect stem, sometimes a cluster of a few stems, up to about 70 centimeters in maximum height. The basal leaves have rounded, oval, or widely lance-shaped blades up to 10 centimeters long which are borne on very long petioles. Leaves higher on the stem have no petioles, their bases clasping the stem. They are narrow and pointed with serrated edges. The inflorescence bears several flower heads in a loose or dense, flat-topped array. Each head is full of yellow disc florets and most heads have several yellow ray florets, though some heads lack them.

Packera streptanthifolia is a species of flowering plant in the aster family known by the common name Rocky Mountain groundsel. It is native to western North America from Alaska to California to New Mexico, where it can be found in mountain habitat including woodlands and rocky slopes. It is a perennial herb producing usually one erect stem, sometimes a cluster of a few stems, 10 to 60 centimeters in maximum height. The spatula-shaped basal leaves have oval or lance-shaped blades on long petioles. They are thick, firm, and sometimes somewhat succulent. Leaves higher on the stem are smaller, thinner, and simpler, and may lack petioles.