Paucity of observations

I haven't been posting many observations this fall. There's not much worth observing, at least not in the plant world. Most species of fall-flowering plants have taken the year off, having received so little rain. The drought has also cut down on the numbers of other organisms. The McDowell Sonoran Conservancy's fall butterfly count was substantially lower this year than last. But in pursuit of observations for this desert mistletoe quick-quest, I photographed some drought-stressed individuals, and even found a flower. I also documented something I've been witnessing out my window, as the desert cottontails are resorting to nibbling the bark of palo verde trees to get them through the drought.

Posted on December 4, 2020 11:24 PM by stevejones stevejones

Observations

Photos / Sounds

What

Mesquite Mistletoe (Phoradendron californicum)

Observer

stevejones

Date

December 4, 2020 10:57 AM MST

Description

Host Larrea tridentata, an exception to the rule that desert mistletoe is only found in bean family trees and shrubs. I've seen it fairly often in creosote bushes, and have seen single instances of it in jojoba and tamarisk.

Photos / Sounds

What

Mesquite Mistletoe (Phoradendron californicum)

Observer

stevejones

Date

December 4, 2020 10:58 AM MST

Description

Host Parkinsonia microphylla; female with fruit

Photos / Sounds

What

Mesquite Mistletoe (Phoradendron californicum)

Observer

stevejones

Date

December 4, 2020 11:09 AM MST

Description

Host Parkinsonia microphylla

Photos / Sounds

What

Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea)

Observer

stevejones

Date

December 4, 2020 11:12 AM MST

Description

Skinny drought-struck saguaro; red color in the epidermis suggests drought stress as well.

Tags

Photos / Sounds

What

Little-leaved Palo Verde (Parkinsonia microphylla)

Observer

stevejones

Date

December 4, 2020 11:13 AM MST

Description

Dead tree; note the lack of mistletoe in it. I suspect it was drought that took it out, but it could be other causes - borer beetles or an unknown pathogen.

Tags

Photos / Sounds

What

Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa ssp. acanthocarpa)

Observer

stevejones

Date

December 4, 2020 11:14 AM MST

Description

Drought-stressed individual

Tags

Photos / Sounds

What

Chain-fruit Cholla (Cylindropuntia fulgida)

Observer

stevejones

Date

December 4, 2020 11:17 AM MST

Description

Drought-stressed individual

Tags

Photos / Sounds

What

White Rhatany (Krameria bicolor)

Observer

stevejones

Date

December 4, 2020 11:18 AM MST

Photos / Sounds

What

Christmas Cholla (Cylindropuntia leptocaulis)

Observer

stevejones

Date

December 4, 2020 11:23 AM MST

Description

Drought-stressed individual

Tags

Photos / Sounds

What

Mesquite Mistletoe (Phoradendron californicum)

Observer

stevejones

Date

December 4, 2020 11:25 AM MST

Description

Host Senegalia greggii. Female plant.

Photos / Sounds

What

Mesquite Mistletoe (Phoradendron californicum)

Observer

stevejones

Date

December 4, 2020 11:27 AM MST

Description

Host Prosopis velutina

Photos / Sounds

What

Broom Snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae)

Observer

stevejones

Date

December 4, 2020 11:30 AM MST

Tags

Photos / Sounds

What

Smallseed Sandmat (Euphorbia polycarpa)

Observer

stevejones

Date

December 4, 2020 11:31 AM MST

Description

No characters to ID it from at this stage, but known to be Euphorbia polycarpa.

Photos / Sounds

What

Little-leaved Palo Verde (Parkinsonia microphylla)

Observer

stevejones

Date

December 4, 2020 11:32 AM MST

Description

Browsed by rabbits. Drought has left them resorting to bark of palos verdes.

Tags

Photos / Sounds

What

Smallseed Sandmat (Euphorbia polycarpa)

Observer

stevejones

Date

December 4, 2020 11:33 AM MST

Description

No characters to ID it from at this stage, but known to be Euphorbia polycarpa.

Photos / Sounds

What

Blue Palo Verde (Parkinsonia florida)

Observer

stevejones

Date

December 4, 2020 11:34 AM MST

Tags

Comments

Very cool, you have to take your observations where and when you can get thm.

Posted by gcsnelling over 3 years ago

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