Desert Princesplume
27. STONECROPStonecrop Family
Sedum stenopetalum
Found mostly in very dry, rocky soil, these small plants, with smooth, fleshy leaves and starry-yellow flowers, are fairly conspicuous as they bloom during the early summer months. These plants have the ability to store up moisture in their fleshy leaves and stems. They are, therefore, well adapted to withstanding long periods of drouth. The plants are sometimes gathered for treatment of certain ailments.
Stonecrop
28. PRICKLYPOPPYPoppy Family
Argemone platyceras
You can find this plant, with its large, white flowers, most frequently along the road cuts or in abandoned fields where it has taken over as a weed. Its showy display is most abundant during midsummer or in July and August. The large, white flower, with its conspicuous yellow center, is sometimes called “The Cowboy’s Fried Egg.” The prickly leaves and stems account for another common name, Thistlepoppy. The plants are drought resistant and unpalatable to livestock. The seeds contain a narcotic drug more potent than opium.
Pricklypoppy