Plants, Flowers & Lichens

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Torch Ginger or
Etlingera elatior

Maui, Hawaii

Hawaiian Ti plant or
Cordyline fruticosa

Maui, Hawaii

Dry prickly thistle plant 

f 8, 1/8 sec., 1X, ISO100, 43 Steps at 450 microns per step

Dry prickly thistle plant 

f 8, 1/8 sec., 1X, ISO100, 43 Steps at 450 microns per step

Petrified Tree or
Araucarioxylon arizonicum 

Petrified Tree or
Araucarioxylon arizonicum

Petrified tree in the Arizona Petrified Forest National Park

There are miles of large petrified tree logs. Colors range the spectrum of the rainbow and caused by the mineral most prominent.

Black=carbon
Green/blue=copper, cobalt or chromium
Yellow=manganese oxides
Purple=manganese
Brown and red=iron oxides 

Arrowleaf Balsamroot or Balsamorhiza sagittata

My brother's house at Island Park, Idaho

Arrowleaf Balsamroot or Balsamorhiza sagittata

My brother's house at Island Park, Idaho

Timothy grass or
Phleum pratense

My brother's house at Island Park, Idaho

Timothy grass or
Phleum pratense

My brother's house at Island Park, Idaho

Alsike clover or
Trifolium hybrdum L.

My brother's house at Island Park, Idaho

Alsike clover or
Trifolium hybrdum L.

My brother's house at Island Park, Idaho

Penny-Cress or
Thlaspi arvense

My brother's house at Island Park, Idaho

Penny-Cress or
Thlaspi arvense

My brother's house at Island Park, Idaho

Sticky purple geranium or Geranium viscosissimum 

my brother's house Island Park, Idaho near Yellowstone. USA

Sticky purple geranium or Geranium viscosissimum 

my brother's house Island Park, Idaho near Yellowstone. USA

Wild Pansy or Viola tricolor 

Island Park, Idaho at my brother's house

Goats beard or Tragopogon dubius

Island Park, Idaho at my brother's house

The root and young stems, (5 to 10cm), can be eaten as well as at the base of the lower leaves - raw or cooked. These plants tend to be bitter, and unless young or thin, they can be quite fibrous and strong. A long taproot is produced that is thick and fleshy. It tends to be more palatable in its second year of growth. 

Desert spoon or
Dasylirion wheeleri

Desert spoon or
Dasylirion wheeleri

A common landscape plant in Southern Arizona. This 'spike' is about 15 feet high and is a haven for several bees species other insects and hummingbirds as they gather nectar and pollen. If you listen closely you can hear in the background the cooing of a  Mourning Dove.

Pink Oleander or Nerium oleander
f10 ISO 200 1:2X 1/13sec 6.335mm at 5 steps

Chasteberry or
Vitex agnus-castus
f10 ISO 200 1:4X 1/13 2.155mm 12 steps

Chasteberry or
Vitex agnus-castus
f10 ISO 200 1:4X 1/13 2.155mm 12 steps

Desert Sage or Salvia dorrii
f10  ISO 20-0 1_15 6_33 steps at 6 steps

Mexican Bird of Paradise or Erythrostemon mexicana
f10, .2X, ISO 200, 1/15 sec 6.33 mm for 8 steps

Triumph Tulip or Tulipa 'Rambo' 

Canon 70D 100 mm f2.8 1/160 sec ISO 640 4 steps

Bottle Brush 'Little John' or
Callistemon citrinus  
f16, .20X, .6 sec. two steps

Foxtail Barley grass or
Hordeum jubatum

Red Yucca or
Hesperalole parviflora

iPhone 14 Pro  f/2.2  1/99s  ISO160  2.22mm

Red-seeded Dandelion or
Taraxacum erythrospermum 

f/20, 1.3 sec, ISO100

Peridot, AZ San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation

Silver Puffs or
Uropappus lindleyi
f5.6, .20 sec, 0.65 X, 490um, at 78 steps

Mexican Gold Poppy or
Eschscholzia californica

No color alteration. They were this brilliant in the field at Peridot, AZ

Mexican Gold Poppy or
Eschscholzia californica

San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation near Peridot, AZ

Mexican Gold Poppy or
Eschscholzia californica

San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation near Peridot, AZ
f5.6, 1.8X, ISO100, 1/5 sec., 64 steps at 165µ/step 

Notch-leaf Scorpionweed or Phacelia crenulata

No color alteration. They were this brilliant in the field at Peridot, AZ

Desert Chicory or Rafinesquia neomexicana

San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation near Peridot, AZ

Purple Owl's Clover or
Castilleja exserta

No color alteration. They were this brilliant in the field at Peridot, AZ

Mexican Gold Poppy or
Eschscholzia californica

No color alteration. They were this brilliant in the field at Peridot, AZ

Saguaro or
Carnegiea gigantea
San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation near Peridot, AZ

Notch-leaf Scorpionweed or
 Phacelia crenulata
San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation near Peridot, AZ

Redstem Filaree seed or
Erodium cicutarium 

Peridot, Arizona 
San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation

1.5X, f5.6, E.A. f14, ISO 100, 191µ, at 26 steps

Peridot, Arizona 
San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation

Landscape includes, Mexican gold poppies on the rocky slopes and hillsides, lupine, owl’s clover, desert chicory and blue dicks. Of course there is the iconic Saguaro cactus. As the weather heats up all the flowers will be gone in a few short weeks. 

Wild Canterbury Bells or

 Phacelia minor

f20, 0.6 sec., ISO400, 0.75x

Seed Head

Desert thorn-Apple or 

Datura discolor seed pod

f5.6, 1/8 sec, ISO100, .5X, 1.462mm at 21 steps

A very toxic plant that has been used by some for its hallucinogenic properties

Desert thorn-Apple or 

Datura discolor seeds

f4, 1/3 sec, ISO125, 4X, 0.054mm at 78 steps

Peel back the spike cover and these are the seeds

Hollyhock seed pod or Alcea rosea
f5.6, 2.5x, ISO100, 1_20sec, 135µ at 81 steps

Yellow Lichen on Superstition Mountain Usery Pass Wind Cave in the Sonoran desert is likely a combination of Acarospora radicata and possibly A. chrysops
November 24, 2022 Canon EOS 70D,  f/6.3, 1/197s, ISO125, 55mm

There are almost 2,000 desert lichens reported from the Sonoran Region, almost 40% of all lichens known from North America. "The bright neon yellow lichens in the Superstitions Mountains are not one single species. The genus indeed is Acarospora, but there are several closely related species present in the area, often difficult to distinguish. The larger, more exuberant squamulose are mostly Acarospora radicata (previously often called A. socialis, but that is considered a coastal species now). The less exuberant specimens might be A. chrysops, but there are a few others too.

More importantly:Generally speaking, it is not possible to identify lichens reliably just from photos. There are too many important characteristics missing in a photo. The yellow Acarospora species are among the most notoriously difficult ones. That's ironic since they are such a very conspicuous element of the desert. Some people assume that the large and conspicuous macrolichens should be easier to identify than inconspicuous crusts. Wrong again. In the desert for example Xanthoparmelia are large, foliose macrolichens, but they are chemically very diverse and it's often impossible to distinguish them without knowing their secondary chemistry." Frank Bungartz, Ph.D., Collections Manager of Lichens and Digital Data, Natural History Collections, Arizona State University,USA

Nodding Pincushion,
Leucospermum cordifolium

Located on the Island of Maui near the north slopes of the Haleakala volcano.
Taken with iPhone SE (2nd generation)
 f/1.8,  1/208s,  ISO20,  3.99mm

Nodding Pincushion,
Leucospermum cordifolium 

Located on the Island of Maui near the north slopes of the Haleakala volcano.
Taken with iPhone SE (2nd generation)
 f/1.8,  1/208s,  ISO20,  3.99mm

Showy Asian Grapes
At the Maui Garden of Eden
Canon EOS 70D,  f/4.0,  1/166s,  ISO 640,  105mm

Navel Orange or Citrus sinensis with Blue Mold or
Penicillium digitatum

f5.6,  1/6 sec., 100 ISO, 2.5X, 157 shots at 136 µm 

Summer Bunch Rot (Sour Rot) or
 Rhizopus arrhizus
On a Thompson seedless grape
f/8, 1 sec, ISO 100, 5X, 66 steps at 84 microns

white fungus or
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Common mold on many root crops usually in storage

f5.6, 1/80 sec, 100 ISO,1X,  42 shots at 503µ step

 Imperator 58 carrot or Daucus carota subsp. sativus
with white fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum 

Common mold on many root crops usually in storage

f5.6, 1/80 sec, 100 ISO,1X,  42 shots at 503µm step

The name of this prickly pear is not to be taken lightly and should be approached cautiously. When taking this photo I brushed up against the cactus. I noticed red glochids all over my camera. Without thinking I quickly blew off the spines which caused them to fly into my right eye. It took two trips to an Ophthalmologists with a painfully swollen, infected eye to have the spines removed one at a time under a microscope with surgical tweezers. It is a red beauty that carries a powerful punch in the face. 

Asclepias subulata or Desert Milkweed infested with aphids

Asclepias subulata or Desert Milkweed infested with aphids

Oreocereus celsianus or Old Man of the Andes

Yucca baccata or Banana Yucca

Adenium 'Crimson'
Star Desert Rose

Echeveria runyonii

Euphorbia tirucalli or
Fire Sticks

Pilosocereus azureus or Blue Torch Cactus

Ferocactus pilosus or
Mexican fire barrel

Blue Grama or
Bouteloua gracilis

Blue grama is the state grass of Colorado and New Mexico. When it dries out the seed head curls around and grabs other plants . Looking at it from straight above , it just looks like a black thin rectangle. It was when I stopped and took a closer from the side in the sun that I saw the red and green colors. 

Rose or Rosa sp.

Dead Rose,  f5.6, ISO 100, 1/30 sec, 1X, 29 Shots, 487µm


Rose or Rosa sp.

Dead rose stamen, anther and filament. f4, 100 ISO, 1/30 sec, 4.5X, 47 µm step 103 shots 

Myrtillocactus geometrizans or 

Crested Blue Myrtle


Pursh or
Phlox Speciosa

Agave Victoria-Regenae or Queen Victoria Agave

I only got poked once, taking this photo. Nothing in the eye.

Black-Spined Prickly Pear or
Opuntia macrocentra 

Fouquieria splendens or
Ocotillo branch

Fouquieria splendens or
Ocotillo

Pachypodium lamerei or Madagascar palm cactus

This is not a palm or a cactus

Solenostemon x scutellarioides

Calliandra eriophylla or
Fairy Duster

Calliandra eriophylla or
Fairy Duster

Aloe principis

Aloe principis

Cylindropuntia echinocarpa or
Silver Cholla

Pilosocereus pachycladus

Blue Ghost

This cactus turns from green to a pale blue towards the top of the plant

Cereus Repandus
or Peruvian Apple Cactus 

Hiding a white spider

Cereus Repandus
or Peruvian Apple Cactus

Large bright fruit. To eat, select firm fruits that have just barely begun to split open and aren't bruised. Peel away the red outer skin or cut the fruit in half and scoop out the soft white flesh that has small black seeds like a kiwi. They usually are eaten raw. Dice the flesh and add to salads, smoothies, fruit salads or desserts. 

Mammillaria parkinsonii or
Qwl's Eyes

This is considered an endangered species

Mammillaria parkinsonii or
Qwl's Eyes

This is considered an endangered species

Tephrocactus articulates formerly known as Opunta diademata or Pinecone Cactus

Hibiscus bud

Larrea tridentata or
Creosote seed pod

When it rains in the desert this give off a unique, fresh, pleasant smell that is a combination of several volatile oils, mostly terpene (a compound found in pines), limonene (citrus), camphor (pines and rosemary), methanol (wood alcohol), and 2-undecanone (spices). 


Larrea tridentata or
Creosote flower and pod

When it rains in the desert creosote gives off a unique, fresh, smell that is a result of several compounds but mostly terpene (a compound found in pines), limonene (citrus), camphor (pines and rosemary), methanol (wood alcohol), and 2-undecanone (spices). 


Pilosocereus azureus

 or Blue Palo Verde Tree

Pilosocereus azureus

 or Blue Palo Verde Tree

Acacia craspedocarpa or
Leather Leaf Acacia

Simmondsia chinensis or
Jojoba

Mammillaria canelensis or
Pincushion Cactus

Synonym(s): Mammillaria bellacantha, Mammillaria standleyi 

Mammillaria canelensis or
Pincushion Cactus

Melocactus conoideus

The pink object is a seed pod

Prosopsis velutina or
Velvet Mesquite tree

Trichocereus spachianus

Golden Torch Cactus

Corrvocactus erectus or
Red Hot Chili Poker

Alluadia procera or African ocotillo

Tephrocactus articulatus var. papyracanthus or
Paper Spine Cactus

Ferocactus wislizeni or Arizona barrel cactus

Barrel cactus that bloom in the spring develop small fruits resembling pineapples. The flesh is tart with a lemon flavor. 

Ferocactus wislizeni or Arizona barrel cactus

Also called fish hook cactus

Cereus forbesii 'Spiralis'

Callistemon citrinus or
Little john

Chamerops humilis or 

European Fan Palm

Chamerops humilis or 

European Fan Palm flower pod

Yellow pollen blew all over my camera and hand taking this pic.

Echinocereus triglochidiatus 

or Scarlet Hedgehog Cactus

Showing ants and aphids

Echinocereus triglochidiatus 

or Scarlet Hedgehog Cactus

Note ants grooming aphids

Lophocereus schottii var. schottii 

or Senita

Opuntia polyacantha var. erinaceae 

or Grizzly Bear Pricklypear

Ambrosia deltoidea or triangleleaf bursage

Alow dorotheae or sunset aloe

This is a critically endangered plant species

Fouquieria columnaris or Boojum Tree is native to Baja Peninsula and Northern Mexico

Aloe dichotoma or Quiver Tree

Native Nambia to South Africa

Stenocereus pruinosus or Pitayo

Guaiacum angustifolium or Soapbush

Guaiacum angustifolium or Soapbush

Guaiacum angustifolium or Soapbush

Odd shaped leaf

Opuntia engelmannii or 

Grand Canyon Prickly-pear

Found in the Grand Canyon, Arizona

Not the assassin bug hiding in the shadows on the lower right joint

Sphaeralcea ambigua or
Desert Mallow 

Agave bovicornuta or
Cow's Horn Agave

Ferocactus emoryi ssp. rectispinus or
Straight-spined Barrell Cactus

Ferocactus emoryi ssp. rectispinus or
Straight-spined Barrell Cactus

Thymophylla pentachaeta or
Golden fleece

Thymophylla pentachaeta or
Golden fleece

Guaiacum angustifolium or Soapbrush

Cylindropuntia ramosissima or Diamond Cholla

Cylindropuntia ramosissima or Diamond Cholla

Note the lacewing on the right side

Anemopsis californica or
Yerba-Mansa

Fresh roots or dried roots boiled are used medicinally.
http://naturalmedicinalherbs.net/herbs/a/anemopsis-californica=yerba-mansa.php

Drosanthemum speciosum
'Rosea' #1

Califlora Feed Back
or Bearded purple Iris 

Agave attenuata or Foxtail Agave

Euphorbia xantii or
Cherry Blosson Euphorbia

Agapanthus or
Lily of the Nile African Lily

Plumbago auriculata or
Cape Plumbago

Knotted Hedge Parsley
or Torilis nodosa

Note the three aphids

Knotted Hedge Parsley or
Torilis nodosa

Antelope horns
or Asclepias asperula

Camping at Pine Groves north of Mormon Lake

Doubting Mariposa Lily or
Calochortus ambiguus

Pine Groves camp ground north of Mormon Lake

Pursh or Phlox Speciosa

Pine Groves camp ground north of Mormon Lake

Trichosereus spachiana
or Golden Torch Cereus

Trichosereus spachiana
or Golden Torch Cereus plant

Pursh or
Phlox Speciosa

Pine Groves camp ground north of Mormon Lake

Polemoniaceae, Phlox Speciosa, plants, showy phlox, wildflowers, pink flowers 

Pine Groves camp ground north of Mormon Lake

Polemoniaceae, Phlox Speciosa, plants, showy phlox, wildflowers, pink flowers 

Pursh or
Phlox Speciosa

Pine Groves camp ground north of Mormon Lake

Polemoniaceae, Phlox Speciosa, plants, showy phlox, wildflowers, pink flowers 

Dandelion "2" :) or Taraxacum officinale

The number 2 shape is from the stigma and has not been altered. Looks like it was typed on the flower

Dandelion "7" :) or Taraxacum officinale

The number 7 shape is from the stigma and has not been altered. Looks like it was typed on the flower

Wheeler's Thistle or
Cirsium wheeleri

Canyon Point Campground

Wheeler's Thistle or
Cirsium wheeleri

Canyon Point Campground


Red Stem Filaree or
Erodium cicutarium 

1.5X, f5.6, E.A.14, ISO 100, 191um, at 26 steps

Torrey's Craglily or Echeandia flavescens

Canyon Point campground, Arizona

This is a native perennial and is a true lily, a member of the Lily Family (Liliaceae). It is found in Southwestern coniferous forests, and it blooms from late summer to early fall.


The yellow-orange flowers appear to have 6 petals, but if you look closely it only has 3 broad petals and 3 narrower sepals the same color as the petals. 

Orange Lichen or
possibly Squamulea squamosa or Rusavskia elegans

f9, 1X, 1/6 sec, 100 ISO, 57um, at 282 steps

Transyleaf aster or
Machaeranthera trnacetifolia

Pine Grove Campground near Flagstaff, Az
Has two beetles on it too!

Wheelers's Thistle or
Cirsium whelleri

 covered with beetles

Forked Nightshade or Solanum furcatum

Stinky Carrion plant or Stapelia gigantea

Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden

Deadly Carrot or Thapsia 

Carmel by the Sea

Narrow Clover or
Trifolium angustifolium

HOMOSAPIEN Saguaro
beaniecapius 

Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden

Crested Saguaro or
Carnegiea gigantea

Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden

Saguaro skeleton or Carnegiea gigantea

Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden

Giant Costal Redwood or
Sequoia sempervirens

Sword Fern or Polystichum munitum 

Lewis and Clark Fort Clatsop

Sword Fern spores or Polystichum munitum 

Lewis and Clark Fort Clatsop

biznaga dorads or ferocactus glaucescens

Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden

Bulnesia retamo or Retamo

Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden


Crested Twin-Spined Cactus or Mammillaria geminispina

Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden

Crested or Faciation

Every once in a while the normal growth pattern of a plant goes awry, producing an interesting “mistake” that can be attractive and ornamental, or ugly, bizarre, or humorous. This physiological disorder, called fasciation, can occur in almost any plant part, but is most noticeable in the stems or inflorescences. In a normal plant, growth in the apical meristem occurs at a single point, producing essentially cylindrical growth. Fasciation causes an elongation of the apical meristem so that fl attened, ribbon-like growth is produced instead. This abnormal activity in the growing tip often produces very flattened stems with a fan-like enlargement on the end, leading to another descriptive term for this condition of “crested.” It may appear like several stems have been fused so that the stem looks like a wide, ribbed ribbon (fasciation comes from the Latin word fascia which means “a band” and refers to anything which resembles a wide band in shape); stems may be bent or coiled in abnormal directions; numerous growing points may develop to produce a witches’-broom effect; flowers and leaves may appear at odd angles to the stems and the leaves growing from distorted stems are usually smaller and more numerous than normal; or flower heads may be elongated, deformed, or misshapen with more fl owers than normal. There is also a much rarer type, ring fasciation, with a ring-shaped growing point, which produces a hollow shoot. 

A Horticulture Information article from the Wisconsin Master Gardener website, posted 17 March 2011 

Mexican Fire Barrel Cactus or  Ferocactus pilosus

Phoenix Desert Botanical Gardens

Narrow Clover or
Trifolium angustifolium

Beargrass

Giant Mexican Cardon or Pachycereus pringlei

Examples of fasciation

Fasciation, also called cresting (see image of Saguaro cactus), is a unusual condition of abnormal growth around a single point and develops elongated flattened, ribbon-like, crested, or elaborately shaped tissue. Some think this is a genetic mutation. 

For a very good description of plant fasciation go to this link HERE

Desert mistletoe or Phorodendron californicum

Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden

The plant is a hemiparasite, which means it carries out photosynthesis in its green stems while obtaining additional nutrients and water from the host plant upon which it grows which commonly are mesquite, palo verde, and ironwood .

It is a slow tree killer. Death to a host tree usually occurs only when multiple clusters of mistletoe overtake the host tree, or when the host is weakened by other diseases or by a lack of water. It robs the tree of water, nutrients and weakens its immune system.

Elephant Tree of Pachycormus discolor

Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden


Coast Live Oak acorn or
Quercus agrifolia

Dogwood or 

Cornus capitata,in 

Oregon Shore Acres Park

Crimson Bottlebrush or Callistemon citrinus Shore 

Acres Garden Sunset Bay Oregon
43.323251987384026, -124.38554502288191

Giant Cost Redwood or
Sequia sempervirens

Redwood Blow Down

Note the trees growing from the top or the root ball

Vine Maple tree or Acer circinatum
Mosses include stair-step moss, cattail moss, spike mosses and club mosses

This very famous Fairy Bridge in the Hall of Mosses Trail of the Hoh Rain Forest in Olympic National Park.


Giant Cost Redwood or
Sequia sempervirens

Giant Cost Redwood or
Sequia sempervirens

Giant Cost Redwood or
Sequia sempervirens

Leggett, CA. Hole 6 feet wide and 6.75 feet tall was cut in 1937 to compete with a similar tree in Yosemite National Park. There are several drive through trees in the area from a bygone era . 

Garden Canna or Canna x generalis
Shore Acres Garden Sunset Bay Oregon 43.32260144381998, -124.38593430416415