Flowers of the Southwest Deserts

by Natt N. Dodge

ORANGE

Martynia arenaria

Common names: DEVILSCLAW, UNICORNPLANT, ELEPHANT-TUSKS Arizona desert: (Martynia parviflora). Orange-purple. April-October. California desert: (Martynia altheaefolia). Coppery yellow. July-September. Texas desert: (Martynia arenaria). Coppery yellow. July-September. Martynia family. Size: Trailing, with stems 2 to 5 feet long.

The showy flowers, which are large enough to attract attention, are relatively few. Even more spectacular are the large, black, woody pods ending in two curved, prong-like appendages that hook about the fetlocks of burros or the fleece of sheep, thereby carrying the pod away from the mother plant and scattering the seeds. Young pods are sometimes eaten by desert Indians as a vegetable, and the mature fruits are gathered by the Pima and Papago Indians, who strip off the black outer covering and use it in weaving designs into basketry.

Blossoms of the small-flowered species are reddish purple to white streaked with orange and yellow, while the large-flowered species have coppery yellow blossoms, the throat spotted with purple and the edge of the cup streaked with orange.

COPPERY

Hymenoclea monogyra

Common names: BURROBUSH, CHEESEWEED Arizona and California deserts: (Hymenoclea salsola). Silvery red. March-April. Texas-New Mexico deserts: (Hymenoclea monogyra). Silvery red. September. Sunflower family. Size: Much-branched shrub, 2 to 3 feet tall.