|
Common Name
Family
Genus |
Color |
Flower Size & Shape |
Special Notes and Info |
Where to Look |
|
Brittle Bush
Asteraceae
Encelia farinosa |
Yellow-Bright |
5 cm dia. daisies |
shrub mostly 1 m tall; leaves usu. silvery soft |
Just a few now, lots of buds, many to come soon.; Road and hillsides |
|
Desert Marigold
Asteraceae
Baileya |
Yellow-Bright |
All yellow daisy, up to 6 cm dia. |
Flowers on tall stems from basal rosette |
Just a few now, lots of buds, many to come soon.; Along washes and roadsides |
|
Cryptantha-Popcorn Flower
Boraginaceae
Cryptantha spp. |
White |
v. small w/5 petals; numerous on a scorpioid inflorescence |
low herb w/bristley hairs |
Common; Open flats and especially in shade of desert trees |
|
Orange Fiddleneck
Boraginaceae
Amsinkia |
Orange |
flowers small w/5 petals; flowers many on scorpioid inflorescence |
herb 30 to 60 cm tall; inflorescence unfurls in the shape of the end of a violin---hence the common name, Fiddlehead; bristly hairs |
Abundant; Esp. in shade of desert trees and shrubs |
|
Bladderpod
Cruciferae
Lesquerella |
Yellow-Bright |
4 petals; many flowers crowded on spikes |
herb 15 to 30 cm tall |
Common; forms brilliant carpets of bright yellow across desert flats |
|
Wild Heliotrope
Hydrophylaceae
Phacelia distans |
Blue |
10mm, 5 petals |
Several flowers open at once on scorpioid inflorescence. Herbaceous. |
Uncommon; Shade of trees and cliffs |
|
Lupine
Leguminosae
Lupinus sparsiflorus |
Blue-Purple |
7 mm; Pea Flower |
Palmately divided leaves. Spikes of showy flowers |
Common; Roadsides, hillsides, flats, sides of trails |
|
Indigo Bush
Leguminosae
Dalea pulchra |
Blue-Red |
Pea flower; |
woody plant |
Uncommon; slopes |
|
Bluedicks
Liliaceae
Dichelostema |
Blue-Purple |
7 mm, 3 petals, somewhat tube-shaped |
Several flowers on tall slender stem 30 cm. Grows from bulb. Grass-like leaves |
Common; esp. on slopes and hillsides |
|
Desert Globe Mallow
Malvaceae
Sphaeralcia ambigua |
Orange-Red-Pink |
About 15 mm wide & 5 petals |
Robust shrubby herb 2 m tall |
Common; Along roadsides, wash banks, and hillsides |
|
Fairy Duster
Mimosoideae
Calliandra |
Pink |
A puff-ball cluster of anther filaments |
A woody shrub < 0.5 m tall |
Common; Rocky hillsides, slopes, road edges |
|
Wild Carrot
Umbelliferae
Daucus pusillus |
White-Green |
minute flowers in umbels |
Finely disected carrot leaves. Distinct carrot smell. |
Common; in shade of trees and boulders |
|
Desert Zinnia
Asteraceae
Zinnia acerosa |
White |
15 mm dia. 4 to 6 rays |
Low bush, 50 cm tall. Linear leaves. |
Common; gentle slopes, flats |
|
Twist Flower
Cruciferae
Streptanthus arizonicus |
White w lavend |
1 cm tall, 1/2 cm wide, 4 twisted petals |
herb usu less than 40 cm |
Common; shady spots |
Did the drive-around loop at SNME. Encelia farinosa is beginning to bloom. There were a fair number of Zinnia acerosa--the little white flowers. Calliandra eriophylla was glorious. I came upon some stands that are in the "take your breath away" category. There is lots and lots of Amsinckia in bloom in the wash areas. The brassy yellow is very different than the bright yellow of the Lesquerella that is also blooming in some of the same areas. (Also, the flowers are very different, but if you are driving--the first thing you notice is the color)
Another member of the mustard family, Streptanthus arizonicus, is also in bloom. On the road closest to the Rincons are Lupinus sparsiflorus, Dalea pulchra (very nice), Dichelostemma pulchellum (blue dicks--a member of the lily family; smells oniony) and Phacelia distans or wild heliotrope. It has reddish stems; the scorpion weed not so much.
Penstemon parryi is in bud at SNME, but in bloom in my backyard. That means it is really spring. Sphaeralcea ambigua is blooming in the Monument and along roadsides. So is Baileya multiradiata, the desert marigold. Spring in the desert--it's a great time to be here.
Daucus pusillus Michx of the Apiaceae or carrot family are out. It is found in wetter areas and truly does look like a miniature carrot plant. It has whitish green flowers arranged in an umbel.
Bladderpods (Lesquerella gordonii) are noticeable because of their bright yellow color and fairly big flowers--compared to everything else I saw this week.
I did see a Purple Bladderpod--which is white with a tinge of purple striping on it. The scientific name is Lesquerella pupurea. Both of these are in the family Cruciferae.
I also saw another Oenothera primiveris or Bottle Evening Primrose of the Onagraceae family. It is a large flower but very close to the ground. It also is found in damp areas like at the edge of cover from a tree.
Fairy dusters (Calliandra eriophylla, family Fabaceae) are in full bloom with their delicate pink blossoms and are found in drier areas just along the trail.
Jojobas (Simmondsia chinensis, Boxaceae) are basically just about finished blooming.
Contributed by Susan C.
