The species of Mistletoe that parasitize such trees as Ironwood, Mesquite, and Catclaw have small, scale-like tawny-brown leaves and stems. The tiny yellow-green flowers which appear in spring are fragrant and secrete nectar which attracts Honeybees and other insects. The handsome coral-pink berries are a major food, during the winter months, for Phainopeplas and other birds. The Arizona Verdin often builds its nest in the protected center of a clump of Mistletoe. Birds are believed to be instrumental in spreading this parasite from tree to tree. Mistletoe saps the energy of the host tree and, where abundant, may cause considerable damage, killing branches and sometimes the entire tree. Papago Indians dry the berries in the sun and store them for winter food. YELLOW [Illustration: Nicotiana trigonophylla Nicotiana glauca] Common Names: DESERT-TOBACCO, TREE-TOBACCO Arizona and Texas deserts: (_Nicotiana glauca_). Pale yellow. All year. California desert: (_Nicotiana trigonophylla_). Green-yellow. All year. Potato family. Size: Tree-tobacco (_N. glauca_) up to 12 feet. Desert-tobacco, 1 to 3 feet high. Several species of wild tobacco are found in the desert. Of these, Tree-tobacco is conspicuous because of its rank growth, its large leaves, and the spectacular clusters of tubular, yellow flowers. In addition to nicotine, Tree-tobacco contains an alkaloid, anabasine. This conspicuous plant occurs in moist locations below 3,000 feet elevation and bears flowers throughout the entire year. Although now thoroughly naturalized in the Southwest, it is a native of South America. Desert-tobacco, sometimes perennial in southwestern Arizona, is a dark-green herb common and widespread throughout the desert areas of the Southwest. It is not nearly as noticeable as its larger relative although it, too, blossoms the year around. Flowers are a pale yellow, almost greenish-white. It provides dense ground cover in rocky canyons and along desert washes. Leaves, which are somewhat bad smelling, were smoked (and still are during ceremonials) by the Yuma and Havasupai Indians who are reported to have cleared land, burned the brush, and scattered the seeds of Desert-tobacco in an effort to promote the growth of strong plants with many large leaves. YELLOW [Illustration: Calycoseris wrighti Calycoseris parryi] Common Names: TACKSTEM Arizona desert: (_Calycoseris wrighti_). White. March-May. California desert: (_Calycoseris parryi_). Yellow. March-April. Sunflower family. Size: 4 inches to a foot tall.