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ORGAN PIPE CACTUS
National Monument
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Glossary

TermOriginPronunciationMeaning or usage
AgaveSpanish ah-GAH-vay Centuryplant.
AjoSpanish AH-hoh Garlic.
Agua DulceSpanish AH-wah DOOL-say Sweet water.
AguajitaSpanish AH-wah HE-tah Emitting water.
ArroyoSpanish ah-ROY-oh A gully.
BajadaSpanish bah-HAH-dah Sloping plain.
BisnagaIndian bees-NAH-gah A barrelcactus.
Cabeza PrietaSpanish kah-BAY-sah pree-ET-ah Black head.
CereusLatin SEE-re-us Cactus genus.
ChollaSpanish CHO-yah Bush-type cactus.
DatilSpanish DAT-ill Date; fruit like a date.
EchinocereusLatin e-KINE-oh-SEE-re-us A cactus group, or genus.
GalletaSpanish gah-YET-ah Desert clump grass.
GilaIndian HEE-lah River in southern Arizona.
Gneiss ProbablyLatin nice or NAY-is Crystalline rock.
IguanaSpanish e-goo-AH-nah A lizard.
JojobaProbably Indian hob-HOH-bah An evergreen shrub.
KinoSpanish KEE-noh A Spanish proper name.
La AbraSpanish lah AH-brah A dale, or valley.
MesaSpanish MAY-sah A table; a flat-topped mountain.
MesquiteSpanish form of an Indian word. mess-KEET A desert tree.
OcotilloSpanish oh-koh-TEE-yoh A desert shrub.
Paloverde (the plant)Spanish PAHL-oh-VEHR-dey Green stick.
PapagoSpanish form of a native name. PAHP-ah-go Desert Indian tribe.
PapagueriaSpanish PAHP-ah-geh -REE-ah Land of Papago Indians.
PhainopeplaLatin fane-oh-PEP-lah One of the silky fly catchers.
PimaSpanish form of a native name. PEE-mah A desert Indian tribe.
Pitahaya dulceSpanish pee-TAH-yah DOOL-say Sweet fruit of a cactus.
Puerto BlancoSpanish poo-EHR-toh BLAHN-coh White pass.
QuitobaquitoIndian KEE-toh-bah-KEE-toh Spring and pond in southwest corner of monument.
Reina-de-la nocheSpanish ray-E-nah de la NO-chay Queen-of-the-night.
RinconSpanish reen-CONE An inside corner.
SaguaroSpanish form of an Indian word. sah-WAH-roe Giant cactus.
Sangre de dragoSpanish SAHN-gray de DRAH-go Blood of the dragon.
SapiumLatin SAY-pee-um A plant genus.
SenitaSpanish sen-EE-tah The old one.
SierraSpanish see-EHR-rah Saw-toothed-ridge mountain range.
TinajaSpanish tee-NAH-hah Water jar; a pothole.
TomatilloSpanish toh-mah-TEE-yoh A little tomato.
TunaSpanish TOO-nah Cactus fruit; Indian fig.
YuccaSpanish YUH-kuh or YOU-kuh Stiff-leaved plant; soapweed.

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Last Modified: Sat, Nov 4 2006 10:00:00 pm PST
natural/6/nh6j.htm