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Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Back on the Trail

Early-morning shadows are starting to get longer
Because of the abundance of rain recently many desert plants that haven't bloomed in quite a while are flowering.  For instance, I have not seen this many Devil's Heads in the process of blooming; they're all over the higher foothills of Tortugas Mountain.  There was just the slightest hint of coolness in the breeze this morning, and I wondered whether I should get my hopes up that it's a harbinger of Autumn.  There was only one truck in the Sunset Parking lot when we started off, and no vehicles in the lot when we ended up.
Devil's Head Cactus (Echinocactus horizonthalonius)

Devil's Head (aka Turk's Head, Horse Crippler)

Devil's Head (aka Blue Barrel Cactus, Eagle-Claw Cactus, Melon Cactus)

Devil's Head usually has only one flower, but this looks like three

Eager to keep moving forward

How's this for camouflage?

Horned Lizard (aka Horny Toad)

Another hiker in the outback

Trailing Four-O'clock

Give me a sec

Senna

A type of Dalea


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3 comments:

Scott said...

The horned lizards get me every time; they're just so exotic (to an Easterner like me)! Thanks for sharing, Packrat.

August 22, 2013 at 10:49 AM
packrat said...

Thanks, Scott. Sometimes a Horned Lizard will take off when it spies Becca and I, but most of the time they don't seem as panicky as one might think. Sure, it you get too close they'll take off, but I've been able to get within a few feet of many (like this one) without startling them.

August 22, 2013 at 12:15 PM
Dr. K said...

I love the purple color of those blossoms.

August 23, 2013 at 9:58 AM

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