Natural History Wanderings

revised

Death Valley National Park reports

The southern part of the Badwater Road is still where the big show is going on. Hills are covered with Desert Gold (Geraea canescens), Sand Verbena (Abronia villosa), and Brown-eyed Evening Primrose (Camissonia claviformis). Cryptantha, Desert Five-spot (Erimalche rotundifolia) and Notch-leaf Phacelia (Phacelia crenulata) are also coming up on those black volcanic hills in the last few miles before Ashford Mill. The canyons of the southern Black Mountains have all of the above, as well as an abundance of Shredding Evening Primrose (Camissonia boothii ssp condensata) on the alluvial fans. Desert Star (Monoptilon bellioides), Golden Evening Primrose (Camissonia brevipes), Broadleaved Gilia (Aliciella latifolia) and Mohavea (Mohavea breviflora) can be found in the washes, and Caltha-leaved Phacelia (Phacelia calthifolia) is coming into its own, covering whole hillsides in some of the canyons.
Brown-eyed Evening Primrose is absolutely unbelievable right now. Driving down Badwater Road in the morning, you will notice entire FIELDS of this flower.

 

Cryptantha is popping up all over the lower elevations. Although the numbers are greater down south, the variety on the alluvial fans from Artist’s Drive to just south of Badwater is astounding! Desert Gold, Brown-eyed Evening Primrose, Specter (Phacelia pedicellata), Notch-leaf and Caltha Leaved Phacelia, Purple Mat (nama demissum), Mohavea, Cryptantha, and Desert Star are all blooming. Desert Five-Spot, Gravel Ghost (Atrichoseris platyphylla), and Rock Daisy (Perityle emoryi) will be blooming within days. And the ground is thick, thick, THICK with plants. For those of you worried if there will be any flowers left when you come in March, be assured that there are huge numbers of teeny tiny seedlings popping up behind the more developed plants. The Artist’s Drive area has Desert Gold, Purple Mat, Brown-Eyed Evening Primrose, and Caltha Leaved Phacelia. Another interesting flower coming up in Artist’s Drive is Golden Carpet (Gilmania luteola). This relatively rare endemic plant has a very limited range, only found in the somewhat salty soils of the northwestern Black Mountains, and only blooms in years of abundant rains. So go see it now!

 
Highway 190 east of Furnace Creek has Turtleback (Psathyrotes ramosissima), Pygmy Cedar (Peucephyllum schottii), Golden Evening Primrose, Mohavea, Desert Gold, and Brown-eyed Evening Primrose blooming. The canyons of the Funeral Mountains are great place to see Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa) and Bigelow’s Mimulus (Mimulus Bigelovii). Globemallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua) and Paintbrush (Castilleja chromosa) are starting to bloom there, too.

 
Reports have come in of Panamint Daisies (Enceliopsis covillei) starting to bud in the southern Panamint Mountains. Stay tuned for more on this special flower in the coming weeks. Get out of your car and walk while here in Death Valley, and you may be surprised by the variety and beauty of the wildflowers blooming so early in the season! (dm)

See photos at  Death Valley National Park

DesertUSA also has Death Valley Wildflower photos at Source: Death Valley Wildflower Report