Plants, Flowers & Lichens

For larger views, right click on the image below and select Open image in new tab. Open the new tab and use the Ctrl + scroll wheel to zoom in and out, use Shift + scroll wheel to move left and right and use Alt + scroll wheel to move up and down.

Hollyhock seed pod or Alcea rosea
f5.6, 2.5x, ISO100, 1_20sec, 135 micron 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

Desert Shaggy mane Mushroom, podaxis postillaris

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 seeldess grape
f/8, 1 sec, ISO 100, 5X, 66 steps at 84um

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 503µm 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

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

Pursh or
Phlox Speciosa

Unknown grass in black & white

This wild grass seed pods with multiple curls surrounds stems on other plants and locks on to it.

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

Astraeus hygrometricus or
Hygroscopic Earthstar

Canyon Point Campground

Agave Victoria-Regenae or Queen Victoria Agave

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

Opuntia macrocentra or
Black-Spined Prickly Pear

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

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).