creosote bush

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• chaparral
• creosote
• creosote-bush
• Greasewood

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Guaiacum mexicanum
• Larrea divaricata var. arenaria
• Larrea tridentata subsp. glutinosa
• Covillea tridentata
• Larrea glutinosa
• Larrea mexicana
• Larrea divaricata subsp. tridentata
• Schroeterella glutinosa
• Neoschroetera tridentata
• Neoschroetera glutinosa
• Larrea tridentata var. glutinosa
• Schroeterella tridentata
• Covillea glutinosa
• Zygophyllum tridentatum
• Larrea tridentata var. arenaria

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is ordered as Zygophyllales and placed in the family Zygophyllaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Larrea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as Larrea tridentata, is widely distributed across several key regions of the American West. In the Southwestern United States, it can be found extensively throughout the state of Arizona. Its presence also extends across the desert landscapes of California and Nevada. Additionally, this species thrives within the arid environments of Utah. Finally, its range reaches into the South-Central United States, specifically covering the state of New Mexico.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Larrea tridentata is defined by its status as a long-lived perennial, a trait that allows it to dominate arid desert landscapes through extreme longevity and resilience. As a perennial species, it avoids the vulnerability of annual or biennial cycles by investing heavily in woody, structural growth and deep, extensive root systems that facilitate survival through prolonged droughts. Its lifecycle is characterized by slow, steady growth and the ability to persist in harsh environments for decades or even centuries. Reproduction typically occurs through the production of small, yellowish flowers that transition into wind-dispersed seeds, though the plant also exhibits significant vegetative capabilities, such as spreading via rhizomes or clonal growth, which helps it maintain stability and expand its presence in nutrient-poor soils. This perennial strategy ensures that the plant can withstand unpredictable precipitation patterns, waiting for optimal moisture levels to trigger reproductive events while maintaining a permanent physical presence in its ecosystem.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Larrea tridentata is characterized by a woody growth form, primarily manifesting as a self-supporting shrub. It is a terrestrial species that functions as an independent organism, neither acting as a parasite nor an epiphyte. In terms of stature, the plant typically reaches a mean height of approximately 3 meters. As a self-supporting structure, it does not exhibit climbing habits such as liana or vine growth, maintaining a robust and stable woody architecture.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

3 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Larrea tridentata is characterized by highly specialized adaptations to extreme aridity and high temperatures typical of desert environments. Central to its metabolic functioning is its photosynthetic pathway, which utilizes the C3 pathway to fix carbon dioxide. Despite this potentially water-intensive mechanism, the plant employs rigorous physiological strategies to mitigate transpirational loss, such as the secretion of a resinous coating on its leaves that reduces water vapor diffusion and reflects excess solar radiation. To manage water stress, Larrea tridentata exhibits high osmotic adjustment capabilities, allowing it to maintain leaf turgor even when soil water potential is extremely low. Its hydraulic architecture is designed for efficiency under tension, enabling the plant to extract moisture from deep or drying soil layers. Furthermore, the plant demonstrates significant metabolic plasticity, adjusting its stomatal conductance and enzyme activities to balance the trade-off between carbon assimilation and desiccation avoidance during prolonged drought periods.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

Reproduction in Larrea tridentata is primarily driven by the production of small, specialized seeds that facilitate dispersal and survival in arid environments. The reproductive output is characterized by significant variation in seed size, which plays a crucial role in the plant's ability to establish itself in unpredictable desert substrates. Quantitatively, the seed mass exhibits a wide range, with a recorded minimum mass of 0.0021 g and a maximum mass of 0.024 g. When considering the population average, the seed mass mean is approximately 0.0044047145 g. This variability in mass suggests a strategic distribution of resources, allowing for both high-quantity dispersal of smaller seeds and the potential for more robust individual establishment via larger seeds.

Seed mass max:

0.024 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0044047145 g

Seed mass min:

0.0021 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Larrea tridentata has 2 reported plant parts identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, stem.

Leaf

1. Journal of natural products

Stem

1. Journal of natural products

Chemicals

Larrea tridentata has 72 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include NORDIHYDROGUAIARETIC ACID, 1-HEXEN-3-ONE, 1-Hepten-3-one, 2-HEPTANONE, 2-Undecanone.

NORDIHYDROGUAIARETIC ACID

1. Journal of AOAC International
2. Current cancer drug targets

1-HEXEN-3-ONE

1. Dr. Duke

1-Hepten-3-one

1. Dr. Duke

2-HEPTANONE

1. Dr. Duke

2-Undecanone

1. Dr. Duke

ALPHA-PINENE

1. Dr. Duke

ALUMINUM

1. Dr. Duke

Alanine Aminotransferase

1. Archives of pathology & laboratory medicine

Ash

1. Dr. Duke

BETA-PINENE

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Larrea tridentata has 418 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Anticancer, Antiviral, Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor, (-)-Chronotropic.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine
3. Molecular and cellular biochemistry
4. Revista de gastroenterologia de Mexico
5. Current cancer drug targets

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine
3. Current cancer drug targets

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine

Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke
2. European journal of pharmacology

(-)-Chronotropic

1. Dr. Duke

(-)-Inotropic

1. Dr. Duke

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

AChE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

AP-1-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Acaricide

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Larrea tridentata has 16 reported investigations on conditions identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include fulminant hepatic failure, HIV-1, Trichinella spiralis, cancer, cholelithiasis.

Fulminant hepatic failure

1. JAMA
2. Archives of internal medicine

Hiv-1

1. Journal of chromatography. A

Trichinella spiralis

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Cancer

1. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine

Cholelithiasis

1. Revista de gastroenterologia de Mexico

Cirrhosis

1. Archives of internal medicine

Contact dermatitis

1. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology

Edema

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Hepatitis

1. Archives of internal medicine

Human immunodeficiency virus

1. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine

Preparations

Larrea tridentata has 8 reported preparations identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include methanol extracts, Cellulose hydrogel films enriched with LT, LT cellulose films, Larrea tridentata tincture, botanical dietary supplement.

Methanol extracts

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Cellulose hydrogel films enriched with lt

1. BioMed research international

Lt cellulose films

1. BioMed research international

Larrea tridentata tincture

1. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.)

Botanical dietary supplement

1. Archives of internal medicine

Botanical extracts

1. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.)

Cellulose hydrogels

1. BioMed research international

Ethanolic extracts

1. International journal of molecular sciences