Dissecting the Desert Bloom

Helianthus Nuttallii - SUNFLOWER.

This is the common sunflower that grows along stream banks and other damp places. It grows from two to nine feet tall in clumps. It is a perennial. There are five varieties in Arizona at altitudes of 5,000 to 9,000 feet. This variety blooms from April to October.

Hypericum formosum ST. JOHN'S-WORT.

In Arizona there are two varieties of St. John's-Wort, both of which are perennial. This one will be found along stream banks and in moist soil in coniferous forests from July to September. With strong side-light it is really spectacular.

Krameria Grayi RATANY.

This beautiful shrub has too many common names! Crimson Beak really fits it. Usually it is about a foot high. It is thought by some to be parasitic on the roots of woody plants. In the dormant season it appears to be quite dead. The flowering season is from April to September. When in full bloom the entire plant is a solid mass of purple flowers.

Langloisia setosissima - BRISTLY PHLOX.

This most interesting desert plant, from one to four inches high, sometimes known as Gilia Schottii, will be found usually in or near desert washes at altitudes of 2,000 feet or lower in Mohave, Yuma and western Maricopa counties.

Larrea tridentata-COVILLE CREOSOTE-BUSH.

This shrub will grow in anything and any place in the desert. It is by far the most common desert shrub in the sandy areas of the desert. Some places, where there are strong winds the sand will have blown away, leaving each plant on its own mound.

Linum Lewisii FLAX.

This pretty flower may be dark blue or light blue. It is so delicate that even the slightest breeze makes it wave like a flag in a high wind. The petals also fall off before the day is done, so see them early in the morning before the breezes start and the leaves drop off.

Lobelia anatina - LOBELIA.

This is the pretty little flower that changes the green of the damp meadows to blue when in bloom. The White Mountains of Arizona at altitudes of 5,500 to 9,000 feet is where it is at its best. It will be seen around many of the lakes also. It blooms from July to October.

Lotus rigidus DEER-VETCH.

Also called Desert Rockpea, etc. It will be found almost throughout the desert. As the name implies, it will be found mostly in rather rocky areas, especially in decomposed granite.

Lupine and Goldpoppy - A typical desert flower garden, much more beautiful than anything we could arrange! This scene is near Pinnacle Peak, near Phoenix.

Lupinus argenteus SILVERY LUPINE.

This beautiful member of the Lupine family is a mountain lover, being found at altitudes of 7,000 to 10,000 feet. It will be seen on the Kaibab plateau, Flagstaff region, White Mountains area and other high places in Arizona.

Lycium Pallidum WOLF-BERRY.

Also called Desert Thorn, Squawberry and Tomatillo. This variety is found almost throughout the state at elevations of 3,500 to 7,000 feet. It produces large quantities of juicy, slightly bitter berries that are prepared as sauce and sometimes eaten raw. There are ten varieties in Arizona.

Melampodium leucanthum PLAINS BLACKFOOT.

A very attractive, showy plant. It blooms from March to November and will be found on dry rocky slopes between 2,000 and 5,500 feet. Quite common.

Mimulus guttatus MONKEY-FLOWER.

Of the thirteen varieties of Mimulus found in Arizona, most of them grow in very moist situations. Mimulus guttatus is to be found in boggy places and along streams at elevations from 5,000 to 9,500 feet. It is abundant, conspicuous and pretty. It is used to some extent as greens and in salads.

Mirabilis multiflora - FOUR-O'CLOCK.

This variety with its big beautiful magenta-purple flowers is found almost all over the state. The flowers open in late afternoon, hence the name. To photograph this one, if you want to accentuate the color, do it in late afternoon. If you want lots of contrast, take the picture in early morning light.

Monoptilon bellioides - DESERT STAR.

This little fellow is abundant on rocky or sandy slopes and mesas. The plant is low to the ground and usually makes a sort of circular pattern. It will be found at elevations from 200 to 3,500 feet and in bloom from February to May and occasionally again in September after the summer rains.

Neolloydia Johnsonii CHARTREUSE BARREL.

There are about five variants of the little "barrel" cactus, Baxter variety being probably the most common, the different ones varying mostly in color of flower petals they may be found from almost white to pink, magenta, red or yellow. The Baxter variety is more like chartreuse or greenish-yellow and is most commonly called "Chartreuse Barrel." This is one of the most xerophytic varieties. Growing at altitudes of 500 to 2,000 feet in the desert areas, they get about five inches of rain per year.

Olneya tesota - IRONWOOD TREE.

Although Tesota is the common name recognized by the American Joint Committee on Horticultural Nomenclature, this tree is known in this area as Ironwood Tree. It has terrible thorns, beautiful flowers and makes wonderful shade in the desert. It is considered to be an indicator of locations where citrus fruit may be grown because it will not grow where there is sufficient freezing to injure citrus.

Opunta basilaris-BEAVERTAIL.

In my opinion, the flower of the Beavertail is one of the two most beautiful of all cactus flowers. The common name comes from the fact that the pads of the plant resemble the tail of the beaver. The resemblance is enhanced by the absence of spines on the pads. However, do not touch the pads because the "glochids" in the aeroles are just about the most irritating thing you can get in your skin and there are many of them in each tuft! The fruit of the Beavertail is eaten by Indians and is a food of great importance to many small animals.

Opuntia Engelmannii - PRICKLY-PEAR.

This is a quite large pricklypear (there are many varieties), forming a shrub as much as six feet tall (seldom) and as much as fifteen feet across (also quite seldom). The joints may be five to fifteen in line, either built upward or running along the ground. The flowers are about three inches in diameter, deepening in color throughout the day, appearing apricot in color by evening. The large red fruits are known as "tunas" and are eaten by many animals as well as by native people. If you want to try eating them, roll them in a bag or something to rub off any glochids that might be on them.

Opuntia littoralis var. martiniana - PRICKLY-PEAR.

There are in Arizona about five sub-species of this one, differing primarily in color, shape and size of the spines. It varies, according to variety, from yellow to red. Vaariety ursina has the largest spines, more flexible than the others, looking almost like hair at a distance.

Opuntia acanthorcarpa STAGHORN CHOLLA.

This cactus, as the name indicates, will be seen in many colors. It is said that there are about thirty-six colors of this one. We have made pictures of them from light pink, to yellow, orange, red, purple and, believe it or not, brown. It is a rather tall cactus and is common on the desert at from 1,000 to 4,000 feet.

A whole flower has four parts called whorls. The outer whorl is composed of sepals, which fold back when the flower opens. The next whorl consists of the petals. Neither sepals or petals are vital to the life of the flower. They serve merely as cover and decoration for the plant's vital reproduction organs. Each flower has a male and

female reproductive system. The third whorl -the male organs or stamens-are made up of a filament or "pole" which supports the anther, source of the male pollen sperm. In the flower's center the fourth whorl the pistil or seed forming female organ-is composed of three parts: the ovary which holds the ovules and later becomes the fruit; the style which is the slender neck from which protrudes the stigma. The top of the stigma has a sticky surface to receive and hold the pollen which the pollenating agent has deposited thereon from the male anther. For every seed a sperm cell brought by the pollen grain must emerge with an egg cell in the ovule.

Orthocarpus purpurascens OWL-CLOVER. In seasons of

With fair rainfall large areas of the desert at altitudes of 1,500 to 4,500 feet are a most beautiful purple when Owlclover is in bloom. Our Arizona Owlclover is a variant, variety Palmeri, the difference being that the lower lip in the Arizona variety is purple as is the rest of the flower. The typical variety will have a yellow or white lower lip. It is grazed by both cattle and sheep. It blooms from March to May. known

Penstemon antirrhinioides var. microphyllus LITTLELEAF PENSTEMON. This variety is a quite large and tall shrub, Penstemon Palmeri-PALMER PENSTEMON. Also known

as Wild Pink Snapdragon, etc. The penstemons are the largest genus in the Snapdragon family and are one of the most interesting and easy to find in this part of the country. Of the somewhat more than 200 species of Penstemon in the U. S., nearly all of them are in the West. Penstemon Palmeri is one of the largest, most handsome and most fragrant of the genus. The flowers are usually more than an inch long. It blooms from April to June.

Physalis lobata-GROUND-CHERRY. The berries are edible

but almost tasteless. Indians ate them both raw and cooked. Many people who have access to them make preserves or pies of the berries. Physalis lobata blooms purple, from March to October along roadsides, on hillsides and mesas from 1,000 to 3,000 feet.

Rafinesquia neomexicana DESERT CHICORY. This

very interesting white flower is one of the very early spring flowers of most of our desert areas, growing at elevations of 200 to 3,000 feet. It is abundant on plains and mesas, less so in hilly areas. It blooms from February to July.

Ratibida columnaris PRAIRIE-CONEFLOWER. This

flower will be seen at altitudes of 5,000 to 7,500 feet, mostly on plains and in openings in pine forests. It is quite common and blooms from June to November. There are two varieties in Arizona with colors yellow, maroon or brownish.

Robina neomexicana-NEW MEXICAN LOCUST. The large

purplish-pink sweetpea-like flowers are really beautiful. The shrub or small tree attains a height of as much as 25 feet. Spreading from the roots, it is commonly seen as thickets of brush. It is also a very valuable soil binder in the control of erosion. The tree trunks that are large enough are used as fence posts. Cattle and deer eat the leaves and stems. The bark, roots and seed are listed as poisonous.

Salazaria neomexicana BLADDER-SAGE. Although the

flowers are very small (in the picture there are a few) it is very attractive. The bladder forms from (or around) the flower, becoming as much as an inch in diameter. The shrub is the most beautiful when full of "paper bags." Give it a close look.

Sidalcea neomexicana-CHECKER-MALLOW. This one will

It can be seen in nearly all moist areas of the Arizona mountains, especially in very damp areas. June to September at from 5,000 to 9,500 feet.

Silene laciniata MEXICAN SILENE. Better known as

Catchfly or Mexican Campion. This is the prettiest of the eight varieties in Arizona. It will be seen from July to October at elevations from 5,500 to 9,000 feet, mostly among pine trees near streams or lakes.

Solidago sparsiflora - GOLDENROD. This variety is found

almost throughout the state in mountain shadows, chaparral

and pine forests from 2,000 to 8,500 feet. It blooms from June to October.

Sphaeralcea ambigua DESERT GLOBE-MALLOW. Sphaeralcea is one of the most varied plants. It grows from the desert floor to about 3,500 feet. This is probably the most xerophytic of all 16 Arizona varieties. It grows to a height of as much as three feet and occasionally will be found with about a hundred stems from a single root. It blooms almost throughout the year.

Sphaeralcea Fendleri-GLOBE-MALLOW. This is the mountain type, growing from 3,000 to 8,000 feet altitude. It is also the most variable of the Arizona varieties. It is the variety characteristic of the pine-oak belt. Blooms July to October.

Tripterocalyx Wootonii This plant, as far as I know, has no common name. It is very similar to Abronia and is a member of the same family, Four O'clock. It is seen in the high country of northeastern Arizona at altitudes to 7,000 feet. It blooms from April to September. The fruits have wing-likelobes, are thin-walled and straw-colored.

Tragopogon dubius GOATS-BEARD (Meadow salsify). The blossom of the tragopogon is a really beautiful thing to behold but get up early in the morning as it goes to sleep shortly after the sun turns on the heat. The fruit (seed head) is perhaps as interesting as the flower, being a large, white, fuzzy ball. They are difficult to handle if not picked up soon after maturing. They may be spray-painted and then will be quite durable. Do not apply too much paint, especially at one time, for the weight of the paint will cause it to fall apart. Blooms June and July.

Yucca elata - SOAPTREE YUCCA. This is the tallest (up to 30 feet) of the Arizona yuccas. It is one of the most stately and beautiful of all yuccas. The flower stalks are usually several feet tall. When you locate a cluster of branches, all of varyingheights in bloom you will have a beautiful picture. It is found in desert areas at altitudes of from 1,500 to 6,000 feet. Blooms from May to July.

Yucca verdiensis SOAP-WEED. Formerly classified as Yucca utahensis, this beautiful yucca has been reclassified as Yucca verdiensis as it is slightly different from the former andis found only in southern Navajo, Yavapai, Gila and Coconino counties at elevations of 3,000 to 6,000 feet.

Veratrum californicum CALIFORNIA FALSE HELEBORE. This is a tall, coarse plant with really pretty flowers when seen closeup. It will be found in bloom from July to August in wet meadows and bogs at elevations of 7,500 to 9,500 feet. The young shoots and roots contain the alkaloid veratrin which is poisonous to livestock. The flowers are poison-ous to insects, causing heavy losses of honeybees.

Verbascum thapsus MULLEIN. This tall, coarse plant is a nuisance weed in many areas but it has a very pretty flower when seen closeup. It starts to have a few flowers at a time when still quite low to the ground, continuing to bloom until it reaches maximum height. The leaves are interesting to photograph when backlighted. It is a biennial. Blooms nearly all summer at from 5,000 to 7,000 feet altitude.

Verbena ciliata VERVAIN. In Arizona there are 19 varieties of Verbena. This is a mountain variety, being found at elevations of 5,000 to 10,000 feet. It blooms from May toSeptember, usually in open pine timber.

Viguieria multiflora GOLDENEYE. This photo is of the largest specimen that I have ever seen. It is very common in mountain meadows on dry slopes and quite often in pine forests at elevations of 3,500 to 9,000 feet. It blooms from June to October.

It might be well to mention a few pointers for the amateur photographer in getting better wildflower pictures. As most amateur photographers use rigid cameras (those not having swings, tilts, shifts, etc.) several so-called tricks might be of interest to those who do not already know them. For really close-up pictures it will be necessary to have a bellows to get the lens farther from the film or use the so-called close-up lenses.

The bellows is by far the best method if your camera is capable of using it, otherwise the close-up attachments must be used. They come in several diopters (powers) such as No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, etc. A set of these three will do most anything anyone is likely to do outdoors. It is possible to use two of them in combination to get greater power, but never more than two at one time. It is probably less expensive in the long run to buy, for instance, a No. 4 than the extra retaining ring to use the combination.

Since that type of camera cannot be adjusted to control depth of focus or perspective, the alternative is to have the camera at an angle that most nearly keeps all items of interest in or near the same plane as the back of the camera. You can increase depth of field to a considerable extent by using the smallest possible lens opening and a longer exposure time.

Flower pictures should always be backlighted, sidelighted, lighted from above, or a combination of such lightings. Be sure to have the light at an angle that will make some shadows to give texture to the picture.

Many flowers are good only in early morning hours, others do not open until afternoon. Some open only if the sun is bright, not at all if it is cloudy. I long ago discovered that if I see something I want a picture of do it right now you may never have another chance! In my files there are pictures of many wildflowers that I have seen but once.

WAITING THERE FOR ME

I find myself wandering, Through fields of golden green, Thinking about the day gone by, And what tomorrow will bring.

I fancy the thought of leaving, These fields of shadowed green, And moving to the city life, A place I've never seen.

The road is all around me, If I would take the chance, But I only turn my eyes away, Then take another glance.

It's good to know it's always there, For people just like me, Who'd rather dream about the world, Sitting here beneath a tree.

ARIZONA DESERT

Ask me not - to clarify the mystery of the majestic desert; nor to interpret the silent, soothing music played on its heart strings, eternally.

HEAVEN'S SIGNET

The day had been dark and depressing, But at dusk an invisible finger Lifted the edge of the cloud, Releasing a shaft of resplendence That pledged peaceful slumber below.

MOUNTAIN BOYHOOD

Sometimes I dream of going back. . . . There was a stream we called "the Creek," Farm chores to tend and hay to stack, Fences to mend, yet time to seek A blackbird's nest lodged in a willow, To lazy-lie with grass for pillow, Dreaming a cloud into a ship, A sail ship proud on a deep blue sea; Time to watch a doe deer slip So very nearly silently Along the hill. Sometimes at night When all is still, I like to dream Of boyhood days. How would it seem To put the haze of years in flight, And live again the wonderment Of that brief "then" so swiftly spent? There was a stream, there was a wood. . . . Sometimes I dream. The dream is good.

A THOUGHT

The days of time have gone and past. It seems to me they went too fast.

Times of the future we shall not know. It seems that time just moves too slow.

The times at the present are what they are. We can not guess or we miss by far.

Live each day as your last on earth. Before tomorrow you will wish for birth.

And now as I close, must say, Good Lord, what a hell of a day!

A LETTER TO CHERISH

Being a third generation Californian I had to get away from my home state and taste the life in another. Fortunately I spent my college years in your lovely state. Northern Arizona University, in Flagstaff, holds some truly beautiful memories for me, and it is my belief that this school is the most natural, thought-provoking, soul redeeming institution in Arizona and maybe in the entire United States.

During the years I spent at Flagstaff, I subscribed to ARIZONA HIGHWAYS for some of my relatives back home, so they could see the natural wonder that I was experiencing every day. Now a good friend is sending me ARIZONA HIGH WAYS while I am a Peace Corps Volunteer here in Lima, Peru. I can't tell you the emotional magnetic force with which each issue of your magazine strikes me.

P.S. My grandparents lived in your state for several years, and my grandfather still tells many interesting experiences he had as a tobacco salesman from Yuma to Prescott (in the "good old days" after W.W. I), that your magazine helps to recall.

WE LOVE IT, TOO

I stand half a world away from home, and twice been around the world. Soon my tour will be over and I can come home.

I do want to thank you for ARIZONA HIGHWAYS. Everywhere I have been, your magazine has been, and each time I show someone, it has amazed them, for in even the harshest of pictures, there is a subtle beauty that though it is found elsewhere in this world, it is not found in such abundance, nor such profusion. Thence it is easy to understand that I am "from Arizona," even though I was born in Nevada.

Again, sir, thank you.

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

As a sailor in the United States Navy, and a future student in the fine art of photography, I must say that ARIZONA HIGHWAYS, with its unmatched artistry, is undoubtedly the greatest

TO ERR IS HUMAN

magazine in the world. It seems rather difficult to find true art these days. ARIZONA HIGHWAYS is a living proof that it does exist. I am a constant subscriber to ARIZONA HIGHWAYS. Some of the people I have shown your magazine to wish they could live there. Aren't we fortunate to live in Arizona? Aren't we, the people of Arizona, fortunate to have a magazine like ARIZONA HIGHWAYS?

ARIZONA HIGHWAYS is a good reason for me to be proud to serve my country.

WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET

For the past several years, my son and daughter-in-law have given me your beautifully illustrated and well written publication ARIZONA HIGHWAYS. I have read and studied each page of each issue and have taken many wonderful imaginary trips through your flowering desert and colorful mountains. At the end of each year I bind the issues; thus, I am compiling a lovely collection of reference books.

My son was stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and upon completion of his tour of duty studied at the University, and now is making his home in Tucson. In March, I went out to Tucson for my first visit. I had only two weeks to visit, but your ARIZONA HIGHWAYS enabled me to get the very most out of each day.

First, although I had never visited Arizona, I was not in a strange state. On arriving, as I stepped down from the plane, I felt at home felt, surely I have been here before! Each day as my family showed me Arizona, it was a real thrill to realize I knew the lovely flowers, cactus, plants and trees by name. I knew what I wanted to see in the skies over Arizona, the unusual cloud formations, and the spectacular sunsets with the giant saguaro silhouetted against the evening sky.

Then, too, your publication presents a true image of the wonderful people of your state. For, as your May issue notes, the beautiful word everywhere was "Hon-Dah."

TO FORGIVE IS DIVINE

The name of the author for the article, "THE ENDURING INTRIGUE OF THE GLASS TRADE BEAD," featured in our July 1971 issue, is CLOYD SOREN SEN, JR. All the color reproductions of glass trade beads were from photographs made by Mr. Sorensen. We have apologized for the unintentional omission and congratulate him for an outstanding contribution to our magazine.

God knows we try we just can't seem to win 'em all.

While we're in the mood of asking forgiveness for omissions those of our June issue, dear Lord, were too much to buy space for. It was not exactly due to human fault as much as it was a chain of circumstances which cast Author Paul Coze into the hospital at a time when we were deep into proofing and checking. The names of many who helped make it a memorable issue were left out of the credit listings. There is nothing we can do at this time to correct the fault other than say that Mr. Coze and the staff of this magazine are deeply grateful to all, especially to Mr. Barton Wright of the Museum of Northern Arizona.