Gulf of California xeric scrub
The Gulf of California xeric scrub is a xeric shrubland ecoregion of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula.
Geography
The Gulf of California xeric scrub covers an area of, lying on the eastern side of the peninsula along the Gulf of California. The Peninsular Ranges, including the Sierra de San Francisco and Sierra de la Giganta, run the length of the peninsula, separate the Gulf of California xeric scrub from the Baja California desert on Baja California's Pacific slope. The ecoregion extends from the gulf shore to the crest of the mountains, and includes several of the islands in the gulf, the largest of which are Isla Ángel de la Guarda, Isla del Carmen, and Isla San José. To the north, the Gulf of California xeric scrub transitions to the Sonoran Desert. At the southern end of the peninsula, the Gulf of California xeric scrub transitions to the San Lucan xeric scrub.Flora
Most of the ecoregion is covered in dry shrubland. The principal shrubs are creosote and desert burr sage, with Jatropha cinerea, palo fierro, Acacia brandegeana, Cercidium floridum, and Pithecellobium undulatum.Palm oases are found in stream valleys, and sustain a plant community that thrives with year-round moisture. The native palm Washingtonia robusta and introduced date palm are characteristic trees, along with the reeds Typha domingensis and Phragmites communis.
The ecoregion is home to 238 species of plants. 20 to 25% of the plant species are endemic to the ecoregion, and there are 20 endemic plant genera.