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Zygophyllaceae FAMILY

Larrea tridentata

Larrea tridentata

Edibility
2/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

The plant is rich in resins and is generally unpalatable to grazing animals, and is usually toxic, sometimes causing death[ 692 Title Wildland Shrubs of the United States and its Territories: Thamnic Descriptions Publication Author Francis J.K. (Editor) Website http://www.fs.fed.us/global/iitf/wildland_shrubs.htm Publisher USDA; Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestr Year 2000 ISBN Description An excellent series of papers, in PDF format, from various authors giving quite detailed information on a range of shrubs growing in the United States and its Territories. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ]. There is some concern over the potential toxic effect of this plant upon the liver[ 254 Title The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Publication Author Chevallier. A. Publisher Dorling Kindersley. London Year 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148 Description An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world. ]. There have been a number of cases of acute or sub-acute hepatitis attributed to the medicinal use of this herb and so its internal use is not recommended until further research has been carried out[ 254 Title The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Publication Author Chevallier. A. Publisher Dorling Kindersley. London Year 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148 Description An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world. ].

Botanical Description

Larrea tridentata is an evergreen shrub that usually grows around 100 - 150cm tall but can reach 300cm[ 692 Title Wildland Shrubs of the United States and its Territories: Thamnic Descriptions Publication Author Francis J.K. (Editor) Website http://www.fs.fed.us/global/iitf/wildland_shrubs.htm Publisher USDA; Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestr Year 2000 ISBN Description An excellent series of papers, in PDF format, from various authors giving quite detailed information on a range of shrubs growing in the United States and its Territories. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is grown as an ornamental in arid areas.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate
Native RangeSouth-western N. America - California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, northern and central Mexico
HabitatDeserts, usually in open, species-poor communities, sometimes in pure stands; also transitional in desert grasslands, viscid acacia-mariola chaparillo, mesquite woodlands, Joshua tree-big galleta communities, and xeroriparian areas[ 1050 Title Fire Effects Information System Publication Author Website http://www.feis-crs.org/feis/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line information site with comprehensive information on over 1,100 species of plant. Mainly developed to supply information on the effects of fire on plants and animals, it also contains a wealth of other information on the plants ]