I still need help in identifying bush/problem area ....

I don't recognise this shrub at all - does it do anything, like flower? If so, what are they like and when? Do the leaves have a smell, either generally of if they're bruised? Quite why its got die back I don't know either - is it possible it dried out and this is the result? Have you more wind than there used to be, as we do over here, because of global warming? This would cause excessive dryness too. Otherwise, there are all kinds of reasons why a shrub dies back like this - any signs of infestation of any kind, any disease symptoms like spots, rust, moulds?

Wonder if its been accidently sprayed with a weed killer?

No weed killer nor any spray is used in my garden..... But thanks for this question. Chris

Well I'm none the wiser as to what the plant might be - is the white thing in the picture that looks like a flower actually the flower that appeared before the bean like objects? And it sounds almost as if this is one of those plants that, once it flowers and sets seed, it dies - so perhaps that's the explanation - the bit that's died is the bit that reproduced. Has any more of the bush died back since you took the original picture?

Hi there, I just 'googled' 'shrubs of Arizona and came up with a photo of your shrub, which appears to be a Jojoba or Simmondsia chinensis.
The seeds or nuts are used for their oil in the cosmetics industry.
They get a fungal wilt so maybe this is your problem,somewhere to start anyway.
There are male and female plants as well which would exlplain why yours does'nt flower.
Hope this is of some help to you :))

Ten out of ten, Aster! Never seen it as a plant, but i know what jojoba smells like (I don't like the smell at all) because it's in lots of cosmetic products. Hopefully that info gives you something to work with, Onenovice.

Thanks Bamboo I just like to find out stuff if I can :)

Just looked it up on google and the page I saw says its monoecious, which means its a hermaphrodite, carrying both male and female parts on the same plant. Not that that helps with why its died back ... there seems to be loads of entries on this plant, so perhaps a bit of time trawling through them, Onenovice? At least Aster's told you what it is!