Editing Rancho Mirage, California (section)

====Flora====
The native flora is characterized by cacti and shrubs. [[Creosote bush]], [[Ambrosia dumosa|Bur sage]], [[Cercidium floridum|Palo verde]], [[Desert willow]], [[Acacia greggii|Cat's claw]], [[Prosopis glandulosa|Mesquite]], [[Screwbean]], and [[Brittle bush]] are some naturally occurring plant species.{{sfn|Clevenger|1980|pp=3–4}} The [[California fan palm]], which is the only palm tree native to the region, is found in areas of freshwater sources, including by Magnesia Spring Creek and [[Whitewater River (California)|Whitewater River]].{{sfn|Kremer|2019|p=61}}

Over 1,000 wild plant species are found in the Coachella Valley. Besides desert flowers, cacti, and palm trees, there are [[Ephemeral plant|ephemeral]] flowers, [[ferns]], [[vines]], and [[shrubs]]. The vast majority of these species are able to live through extended periods of non to little precipitation, including local cacti species as the [[California barrel cactus]], which is the biggest of the 20 native species of cacti in the Coachella Valley. Several of the local desert species are edible, including [[cactus fruit]]s from the [[Beaver tail cactus]], California barrel cactus, and the [[Prickly pear cacti]]. Fruits and flowers from several [[Yucca]] species are also edible, as well as the [[seed pods]] and blossoms of the [[Mesquite]]. Some local species are poisonous, including [[Jimsonweed]] and [[Locoweed]]. Springs and streams are home to species such as the [[California fan palm]], which is North America's largest palm species, along with other common tree species in [[oasis]] environments such as the [[Willow]], [[Fremont's cottonwood]], [[California sycamore]], [[Prosopis velutina|Honey-pod mesquite]], and [[Alnus rhombifolia|White alder]]. Other species include the [[Psorothamnus spinosus|Smoke tree]], [[Cercidium floridum|Palo verde]], [[Ironwood]], [[Desert willow]], [[Epipactis gigantea|Stream orchid]], [[Creosote bush]], [[Burrobush]], [[Brittlebush]], [[Sand verbena]], [[Oenothera primiveris|Desert primrose]], and [[Desert sunflower]].{{sfn|Cornett|2008|pp=29–30}}