Natural History Wanderings

DesertUSA has a number of new wildflower photos and reports for California:

• Saddleback Butte photos: Desert Wildflower Reports for Southern California by DesertUSA.
• Anza-Borrego: few wildflower along S2 near the 30 mile marker. The Ocotillo were in bloom, and few cactus were also blooming, but you have to search for them. Photos at: Desert Wildflower Reports for Anza Borrego Desert State Park by DesertUSA.
• Death Valley: phaceliea crenulata plant. You will see many of these purple beauties blooming along the side of some of Death Valley’s roads and the Furnace Creek Visitor Center. Phaceliea can cause contact dermatitis, which is skin irritation like poison with welts, rash even itching.
• Joshua Tree: Left and right of the Dessert Queen Mine Road, only a few hundred feet from the paved Park Blvd. See photos at: Desert Wildflower Reports for Joshua Tree NP by DesertUSA.
• Division Creek in the Eastern Sierra about 15 minutes north of Independence, Ca. See photos at: Desert Wildflower reports for Northern California by DesertUSA.