Abronia villosa – “Desert Sand-Verbena”

Also Known As: Hairy Sand-Verbena, Sticky Sand-Verbena
Family: Four O’Clock Family (Nyctaginaceae)
Bloom time: Jan-Sep
Form: Trailing annual herb
Habitat: Sandy places, including dunes
Leaves: Triangular-ovate to round; opposite
Translation: “Abronia” is derived from the Greek word for “delicate” and describes bracts below the flower-head; “villosa” is Latin for “hairy” and refers to the pubescence covering the stems and leaves.
Notes: Closely related and quite similar in appearance is the Mojave Sand-Verbena (Abronia pogonantha).
Native American Uses: The Shoshone made a poultice from the leaves and flowers to reduce swelling and to relieve pain from burns. The Paiute consumed it as a diuretic (urinary inducer).
Animal Associations: Food plant for the Desert Iguana. Pollinated mostly by butterflies and moths because a long tongue is needed to reach the nectar at the bottom of the narrow, tube-like flowers. Species include Euphyia implicata moth, White-lined Sphinx moth, Lithariapteryx abroniaeella moth, and Lithariapteryx elegans moth.