Carnegiea gigantea, Giant Saguaro

Southwest Desert Flora

Home to the plants of the Sonoran, Chihuahuan and Mojave Deserts

Cirsium ochrocentrum, Yellowspine Thistle

Malpighiaceae, Barbados Cherry Family

The Malpighiaceae are collectively known as the Barbados Cherry Family which is derived from the type species Malpighia emarginata, a South and Central American tropical fruit-bearing shrub which, in addition to Barbados Cherry, is also called Acerola, Indian Cherry and Wild Crepe Myrtle. The Malpighiaceae are native to the tropics and subtropics mostly, 90% live in the New World. This includes the southern United States to Argentina.

Malpighiaceae include woody vines or shrubs with trailing branches (scandent).

A rather rare feature, some species of Malpighiaceae provide pollinators with nutrient oils, similar to some members of the Clusiaceae and Kramericaceae families.

According to The Plant List, Malpighiaceae contain 81 plant genera and a total of 1,301 accepted species.

Arizona has 2 native species, Cottsia (=Janusia) and Aspicarpa.

References:
University of Michigan; Herbarium; William R. Anderson Univ. of Michigan, Christiane Anderson Univ. of Michigan, Charles C. Davis (Harvard University) (accessed 11/06/2105)
http://herbarium.lsa.umich.edu/malpigh/index.html
The Plant List. A working list of all known plant species.[accessed 11/07/2105]
http://www.theplantlist.org/1.1/browse/A/Malpighiaceae/
Wikipedia contributors, 'Malpighiaceae', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 1 December 2014, 01:50 UTC,
[accessed 9 May 2015]
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service on-line database – ITIS search