Oreganillo
Wright's Bee-brush
Aloysia wrightii
Ten km south of Superior, Pinal Co., Arizona, USA. 30 July 2017.
As the name implies the flowers despite their small size are attractive to butterflies and other insects.
Fatal Metalmark
Leda Hairstreak
LEAVES: Intense
oregano-like aroma from crushed leaves which are small, opposite, and have
crenate margins. Prominent impressed veins give the leaves a distinct,
crisscross texture.
SHRUB: A woody shrub normally 1 to 1½ meter tall with slender, weak
branches that are four-angled. Numerous stems are intricately branched.,
RANGE: Fairly widespread through much of the Sonoran Desert in Arizona
especially on upper bajadas and partly shaded rocky slopes from 500 to well
over 1000 m elevation. Often requires a bit of searching to find.
FRUIT: Small nutlets.
FLOWERS: Very small five pointed flowers are white to lavender in color
and arranged into long, narrow spikes. The enlarged view of an individual flower
is shown several times actual size.
UNARMED.