Purshia mexicana
Encyclopedia
Purshia mexicana is a species of perennial flowering small tree in the rose family
known by the common name Mexican cliffrose. It is native to western-northern Mexico
, the region of the Sierra Madre Occidental
cordillera.
A different phase which was published as var. stansburyana (but should have been stansburiana) and which is now treated as Purshia stansburyana occurs in the southwestern United States
, centered on the Colorado Plateau
regions of Utah
–Colorado
, and Arizona
–New Mexico
; also much of the Great Basin
mountains to the west.
In its mostly mountainous, or higher elevation habitat, it grows in woodlands, desert, and plateau habitat.
Stenophyllanin A
, a tannin, can be found in P. mexicana.
in the south, and the southern Sierra Madre Occidental
cordillera north to a small region of northwest Sonora
; it has a continuous range in the cordillera from Chihuahua south through Durango
and Zacatecas
, all mostly north of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt
, though a few scattered locales do occur in the belt.
In the United States, the range is centered on the Colorado Plateau
mostly of central and southern Utah, central and northern Arizona, the entire desert and rock-formation Canyon Lands
region; the range continues east into southwest Colorado and neighboring western New Mexico.
The range continues westwards into the Great Basin
desert regions, and southwest into the Mojave Desert
including eastern California
; scattered locales occur in central New Mexico, and possibly central Baja California
.
Rosaceae
Rosaceae are a medium-sized family of flowering plants, including about 2830 species in 95 genera. The name is derived from the type genus Rosa. Among the largest genera are Alchemilla , Sorbus , Crataegus , Cotoneaster , and Rubus...
known by the common name Mexican cliffrose. It is native to western-northern Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, the region of the Sierra Madre Occidental
Sierra Madre Occidental
The Sierra Madre Occidental is a mountain range in western Mexico.-Setting:The range runs north to south, from just south of the Sonora–Arizona border southeast through eastern Sonora, western Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Durango, Zacatecas, Nayarit, Jalisco, Aguascalientes to Guanajuato, where it joins...
cordillera.
A different phase which was published as var. stansburyana (but should have been stansburiana) and which is now treated as Purshia stansburyana occurs in the southwestern United States
Southwestern United States
The Southwestern United States is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah...
, centered on the Colorado Plateau
Colorado Plateau
The Colorado Plateau, also called the Colorado Plateau Province, is a physiographic region of the Intermontane Plateaus, roughly centered on the Four Corners region of the southwestern United States. The province covers an area of 337,000 km2 within western Colorado, northwestern New Mexico,...
regions of Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
–Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, and Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
–New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
; also much of the Great Basin
Great Basin
The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America and is noted for its arid conditions and Basin and Range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin to the highest point of the contiguous United States, less than away at the...
mountains to the west.
In its mostly mountainous, or higher elevation habitat, it grows in woodlands, desert, and plateau habitat.
Stenophyllanin A
Stenophyllanin A
Stenophyllanin A is a tannin. It can be found in Cowania mexicana, Coleogyne ramosissima and Quercus stenophylla....
, a tannin, can be found in P. mexicana.
Distribution
The range of Mexican Cliffrose is from the western Mexican PlateauMexican Plateau
The Central Mexican Plateau, also known as the Mexican Altiplano or Altiplanicie Mexicana, is a large arid-to-semiarid plateau that occupies much of northern and central Mexico...
in the south, and the southern Sierra Madre Occidental
Sierra Madre Occidental
The Sierra Madre Occidental is a mountain range in western Mexico.-Setting:The range runs north to south, from just south of the Sonora–Arizona border southeast through eastern Sonora, western Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Durango, Zacatecas, Nayarit, Jalisco, Aguascalientes to Guanajuato, where it joins...
cordillera north to a small region of northwest Sonora
Sonora
Sonora officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city is Hermosillo....
; it has a continuous range in the cordillera from Chihuahua south through Durango
Durango
Durango officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Durango is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is located in Northwest Mexico. With a population of 1,632,934, it has Mexico's second-lowest population density, after Baja...
and Zacatecas
Zacatecas
Zacatecas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Zacatecas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is Zacatecas....
, all mostly north of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt
Trans-Mexican volcanic belt
The Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt also known as the Transvolcanic Belt and locally as the Sierra Nevada , is a volcanic belt that extends 900 km from west to east across central-southern Mexico...
, though a few scattered locales do occur in the belt.
In the United States, the range is centered on the Colorado Plateau
Colorado Plateau
The Colorado Plateau, also called the Colorado Plateau Province, is a physiographic region of the Intermontane Plateaus, roughly centered on the Four Corners region of the southwestern United States. The province covers an area of 337,000 km2 within western Colorado, northwestern New Mexico,...
mostly of central and southern Utah, central and northern Arizona, the entire desert and rock-formation Canyon Lands
Canyon Lands
The Canyon Lands Section of the Colorado Plateaus is a physiographic section of the larger Colorado Plateaus province, which in turn is part of the larger Intermontane Plateaus physiographic division. They are a desolate but spectacularly scenic sandstone area of southeastern Utah...
region; the range continues east into southwest Colorado and neighboring western New Mexico.
The range continues westwards into the Great Basin
Great Basin
The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America and is noted for its arid conditions and Basin and Range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin to the highest point of the contiguous United States, less than away at the...
desert regions, and southwest into the Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
including eastern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
; scattered locales occur in central New Mexico, and possibly central Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
.