134 TREES AND SHRUBS 



Ihere are several well known families that have only a 

 few shrubby species, which for convenience we throw together. 

 They are as follows : 



The Verbena Family (Verbenaceae) is represented by 

 several species of the genus Verbena. The only shrubby rep- 

 resentative in the State is Lippia wrightii. This is an aromatic 

 shrub 2 or 3 feet high, with numerous small thickish leaves 

 and terminal spikes of small white flowers. It naturally oc- 

 curs on the slopes of dry rocky mountains and in the mouths 

 of canons and when brought into cultivation responds readily 

 to improved conditions and grows rapidly. While in no way 

 conspicuous, it is an excellent addition to the garden where 

 the water supply is limited. 



The Mint Family (LabiataeJ displays but three shrubby 

 representatives in New Mexico. One of these (Poliomintha 

 incana) is a gray shrub that grows on gypsum deposits in 

 the northern part of the State. Whether it would grow in 

 cultivation or not we are unable to say. 



Two species of Sage (Salvia) occur in the mountains at 

 the southern end of the State. Both of these are blue flow- 

 ered, and each would^make good bedding plants. The smaller 

 (Salvia lycioides) is a green smooth plant a foot high or less. 

 The other species is often 3 or 4 feet high, and has broadly 

 triangular or heart-shaped leaves that are densely white hairy 

 beneath. 



The Potato Family (Solanaceae) is represented by a 

 single shrubby genus in New Mexico. The Garrambullo 

 (Lycium torreyi) is a shrub 3 to 5 feet high, common in the 

 valleys of the southern end of the State. It grows readily 

 in the arroyos or on soils that receive occasional floodings 

 In cultivation it responds readily to a small amount of water 

 and produces a symmetrical green shrub bearing small scarlet 

 berries the size of a currant. Very similar to this species 

 but smaller in every way, is Lycium parviflorum; which occurs 



