Great Basin Sand Verbena

Western sand-verbena is a perennial plant that grows from a deep, tough, woody taproot forming a low clump of green to blue-green stems and leaves. It occasionally has rhizomes and can form extensive patches of plants. It can occasionally be nearly stemless, but usually has stems either covered in glandular-hairs or infrequently hairless. Stems branch as they grow outwards along the ground and turn up at the ends, upwards at an angle, or straight up from the base of the plant to a length of 10 to 50 centimeters (4–20 in). The leaves are more or less succulent and often have a very slightly wavy edge, but can also be smooth, sinuate, or undulate. They measure 1.5–6 centimeters (0.6–2.4 in) long and 0.5–3.5 cm wide with a short leaf stem of 1–4 cm (0.4–1.6 in). The upper surface is hairless to puberulent, covered in very thin and short hairs, while to lower surface is thinly puberulent to solidly hairy. The leaf shape is variable, narrow to broad lanceolate, lance-oblong, oblong, ovate, or lance-rhombic with a tip that can be narrow to rounded. They are attached to opposite sides of the stems or directly to the base of the plant. The flower clusters are round and head-like with a series of broad oval bracts underneath it. They measure 0.5–2 cm long and 0.3–1 cm wide. The small, mostly white flowers are tubular with five lobes. …

Western sand-verbena is native to Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, Montana, and Nevada. In Wyoming it grows mainly in south and west, but there is a population in Big Horn County in the north.In Colorado it is found only in the westernmost counties and it only grows in the northwest of New Mexico. It is native to many parts of Utah, but only northern Arizona. The species is also found throughout eastern Nevada. Its elevation range is from 700 to 2,500 meters (2,300–8,200 ft). It often grows in rocky or sandy areas, but is more likely to grow on somewhat clay soils in New Mexico and southeastern Utah. It is associated the desert scrublands and open areas of juniper woodlands. It frequently grows in roadcuts.