Here you will find photos of the plants we saw on our trip between Laguna Chapala and El Rosario, May 5-8, 2010. You can also see photos of the areas we visited on this page.
Plants are listed A-Z by family, then A-Z by species. Common names in English and Spanish are noted if available
Click on any photo for a larger image.
Boraginaceae (Borage Family)
Phacelia crenulata var. minutiflora. Cleftleaf wildheliotrope
Phacelia parryi. Parry's Phacelia. Here with Coreocarpus parthenioides (a white daisy).
Cactaceae (Las Cactáceas)
Echinocereus maritimus, Hedgehog cactus, Pitayita. Mounded cactus. These were some of the largest we'd ever seen, about 36" D x 18-24" H.
Pachycereus pringlei & Fouquieria splendens. Elephant cactus, Cardón. The ocotillo is not in the cactus family (see Fouquieriaceae), inspite of its spines.
Hoffmannseggia glauca, Hog potato. There were many miles of this short plant lining the highway.
Hoffmannseggia glauca. Close up of flowers. Note the oil glands.
Lupinus concinnus, Elegant Lupine, Bajada Lupine, Lupino. Growing in the hot arroyo bed, this plant had very hairy leaves to keep it cool.
Lupinus concinnus, Elegant Lupine, Bajada Lupine, Lupino. While this plant on a desert flat had very green leaves and very few hairs on it.
Lupinus excubitus var. austromontanus, Bush lupine, Lupino. Plants several feet high with blue-violet flowers.
Fouquieriaceae (Torchwood Family)
Fouquieria columnaris, Boojum Tree, Cirio. People commonly think that cirios have orange or red flowers. What they are seeing are the dried fruit capsules, as in this photo.
Fouquieria splendens, Coachwhip, Ocotillo. Ocotillos shouldn't be confused with its relative the Palo Adán, from BCS. Ocotillo has no trunk; if the stems are branched, it´s usually up high.
Gentianaceae (Gentian Family)
Eustoma exaltatum, Catchfly prairie gentian. This plant likes wet areas, such as around one of the seeps along the arroyo at Cataviña.
Phacelia crenulata var. minutiflora.
Cleftleaf wildheliotrope
Phacelia parryi. Parry's Phacelia.
Echinocereus maritimus. Close up of individual stems and long spines.
Hoffmannseggia glauca.
Lupinus concinnus, Elegant Lupine, Bajada Lupine, Lupino.
Lupinus concinnus, Elegant Lupine, Bajada Lupine, Lupino
Lupinus excubitus var. austromontanus, Bush lupine, Lupino. Developing fruit.
Fouquieria columnaris, Boojum Tree, Cirio. Closer look at the dried and drying fruit capsules. Flowers are actually white and bloom in the summer and early fall.
Fouquieria splendens, Coachwhip, Ocotillo. Palo Adán (F. diguetii) has a short trunk and well-branched, usually contorted limbs. Both the inflorescenses and the flowers are smaller.
