Bladder Sage
Paper Bag Bush
Salazaria mexicana
Pepsis sp. (Pompilidae)
This watercolor illustration was done from a specimen found near Castle Hot Springs, Arizona. Oct. 1992. The wasp is a male tarantula hawk; a large number such males were found visiting this plant in the the Big Horn Mountains, Arizona.
FRUIT: A wispy, papery, vase-shaped sack formed from the
enlarged calyx is tinged with burgandy and quite attractive. This design serves
to disperse the seeds by wind.
FLOWER: Strongly two-lipped, vivid purple and white.
LEAVES: Readily drought deciduous, small, opposite, elyptic. Often LEAFLESS.
SHRUB: A small to medium sized shrub with smooth, green and
photosynthetic bark. Paired branches are disposed at alternating right angles.
Usually less than 1.5 m tall with the weak branches often supported by other
plants.
ARMED: The ends of twigs are drawn out into weak spines.
RANGE: Common in the washes of western Arizona mountains (Kofa,
Eagletail, Big Horn), but occurs sporadically towards the east as far as
northwest of Phoenix.