I know nothing about plants but came across this plant today on a walk on a mesa in dry Albuquerque, NM. I assumed it was fairly common but the people in my family that know a good amount about plants didn't know what it was. I didn't get a good picture (cheap phone and bad picture taker) of the plant or fruit but I was focusing on the fruit part as I figured that was the key component. It peaked my curiosity. I looked up a few things but I'm really not plant savvy at all and I don't know what to look up besides spiky fruit. I should be able to get better pictures if needed. Thank you!
Thank you!! I think I was on gardening sites and maybe that's why I couldn't identify the leaf - though I thought the leaf was fairly common but apparently not to gardeners. I have another plant/weed common to the southwest that I'd like to identify. In the late fall it's little leaves turn to something that looks like oats. The branches are completely full of them. When we were small, we use to pull them off the weed and suck the salt off and spit them out. I don't have pictures. Do you guys have any suggestions on reading material on which I can get more familiar with these plants/weeds when starting out? Thanks again.
http://www.npsnm.org/education/native-plants/ This site contains many links to other useful sites. These two are most comprehensive: http://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/ http://www.polyploid.net/swplants/index.html
Thank you. I looked through everything and I'm definitely in over my head. The first one has a page with pictures on identifying fruit. I assumed the name of the Datura quercifolia would be part of one of the fruit types I was looking at but it isn't so I started to realized I was in over my head. I then looked at the wildflower site. He has a page on identifying plants. There seems to be a lot more to it than I thought. Unfortunately, I guess I thought it would be as simple as matching a leaf type and maybe color to get the scientific name. He mentioned taking a class. I think that is where I'll have to start. Thank you so much! I really appreciate all your help!
