GUAYACAN (Guaiacum angustifolium)
The structure of the flowers of this plant, with 5 petals twisted like the blades of a fan and prominent yellow anthers (see image below) immediately identifies it as a close relative of creosote bush (family Zygophyllaceae). However everything else about this plant is quite different from creosote bush.
Guayacan occurs mainly in the lower-lying Big Bend area of the Chihuahuan Desert near the Rio Grande, and in adjacent parts of Mexico. It is a small shrub, usually less than 2 metres high, with branches that are heavily clothed in pinnate leaves.
Typical appearance of guayacan. Note how the many leaves
clothe the stems. Packed in among these leaves are many
flowers (typically appearing in March-April (image
below).
Guayacan is an important browse plant for deer (mule deer, white-tailed deer) because its leaves contain about 18% protein.