A thorny shrub (Karwinskia humboldtiana) found in southwestern North America, also called coyotillo bush.
Spanish diminutive of 'coyote' (coyotillo = little coyote), from Nahuatl 'coyotl'. The shrub's name comes from its association with coyote habitats.
The plant got its name 'little coyote' because it grows in the dry, scrubby areas where coyotes hunt—sometimes animal names reveal a lot about where plants actually live!
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