Death Valley National Park Facebook Page reports on 1/13/16
One of the showiest and most prolific flowers in Death Valley is the Desert Gold (Geraea canescens). Also known as Desert Sunflower, this brightly colored blossom can be found throughout the lower elevations of the park, sometimes in massive quantities. Desert Gold is an important food source for a multitude of desert creatures. A member of the Sunflower family, the seeds are rich in oils. Rodents, especially pocket mice, birds, bees, and other insects rely on this plant as an important source of protein. In fact, there is one species of bee that depends exclusively on Desert Gold, timing its emergence to coincide with the bloom.
The leaves and stems of Desert Gold are covered with fine white hairs. This wooly shield helps to protect the plant from too much sun, and even more important, helps the plant retain moisture and not dry out as quickly in the harsh Death Valley winds.
The southern part of the Badwater Road has EXPLODED with Desert Gold this week. It looks like March instead of early January down there, with entire hillsides carpeted with gold. Don’t turn back at Badwater if you are visiting Death Valley this week
See photos at Death Valley National Park
Natural History Wanderings 
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