Anza Borrego Hellhole Canyon March 16th 2016

Anza Borrego Desert - Hellhole Canyon March 16th 2016

A quick trip to Anza Borrego Desert revealed wildflowers, but in a midget version. Apparently the copius rains of January encourgaged an early bloom that was stifled by the prolonged warm and dry period in February. Remaining wildflower seeds got some additional rain, and that was enough for the seeds to germinate and to send up an emergency, abbreviated, and miniature version of the normal plants we see. These were "belly flowers" seen and appreciated when in a prone position. The more impressive blooms of desert shrubs and cactus eclipsed the tiny jewelbox blooms of the wildflowers, but it was good to see it all.

I visited Hellhole Canyon, and later, the Visitor's Center.

Hellhole Canyon

Mimulus bigelovii

Hellhole Canyon

Loeseliastrum matthewsii

Malacothrix californica

Fagonia laevis

Monoptilon bellioides

Hellhole Canyon

Allionia incarnata

Lupinus arizonicus

Eschscholzia minutiflora

Encelia farinosa

Rafinesquia californica

Emmenanthe penduliflora

Justicia californica

Ferocactus cylindraceous

Ferocactus cylindraceus

Lupinus concinnus?

Krameria bicolor

Mohavea confertiflora

Phacelia species

Cryptantha possibly C. barbigera?

Chaenactis fremontii

Hyptis emoryi

Psorothamnus schottii

Anza Borrego Visitor's Center

Opuntia basilaris

Parkinsonia florida

Chylisma claviformis

Loeseliastrum schottii

Cylindropuntia wolfii and Encelia farinosa

Fouquieria splendens

Trixis californica

Opuntia basilaris

Opuntia basilaris and Echinocereus engelmannii

Abronia villosa

Geraea canescens

Oenothera deltoides

Cylindropuntia bigelovii

Ricardo Breceda Sculptures in Borrego Springs

Ricardo Breceda Sculptures in Borrego Springs