by , Native Plants Class
Common names: Stansbury cliffrose, Bitterbrush, Quinine bush, buckbrush (2).
Family: Rosaceae
Synonymy: Cowania alba Goodding. Cowania mexicana D. Don var. stansburiana (Torr.) Jepson Cowania stansburiana Torr. Purshia mexicana (D. Don) Henrickson var. stansburiana (Torr.) Welsh (1).
Etymology:

Identification
Growth form: Stansbury cliffrose is a low, highly branched, spreading shrub, reaching up to about 2 to 25 feet in height. (1).
Roots:
Stems: Grey to reddish brown and shredding, to brown at the tips. (2).
Leaves: Dark green above, light green beneath, wedge shaped; divided into 3 to 5 narrow lobes. (2).
Inflorescence/flowers: Yellow to white, with five petals and sepals with many long plumose styles. Center is golden in color. (2).
Fruit: Long, White and fuzzy plumes attached to an achene.
Similar species: Purshia tridentata (Pursh) DC. Also native to Arizona has wider leaves and smaller yellowish flowers. (2).

Ecology
Life History: Perennial
Native/introduced: Native
Photosynthetic pathway:
Phenology: Flowers from April to June Fruits mature from September to October (1).
Distribution: Arizona, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Idaho, California, and Nevada. (1). Found in Dry, rocky hillsides and plateaus in upper desert, grasslands, and oak-pinion-juniper areas. From 3,500 – 8,000 feet elevation (2).

Uses
Wildlife: It is a favorite browse of mule deer, and is also browsed by pronghorn and elk. Seeds are utilized by chipmunks, pocket gophers, and ground squirrels. (2).
Human: Used by native tribes to line cradle boards, has anti-microbial properties and leaves are used as an antiseptic. Bark used for mats and clothing and wood used for arrow by Native Americans. (2).

References:
1. Natural Resources Conservation Service. Plants Database [On-line]. Available: http://plants.usda.gov/index.html

2. Epple, Anne O., Epple Lewis E. 1995. A Field Guide to the Plants of Arizona. The Globe Pequot Press.