by Duncan Bell and Kim Clark
On Saturday the 20th we wandered into the Algodones Dunes Wilderness to help some visiting botanists from Sweden locate the unusual Pholisma sonorae (desert sand food). We searched for hours in near 100 degree temps, finally locating a few individuals. This species is under great threat from off highway recreational vehicles, and even in the closed wilderness area this rare plant was difficult to locate.
On Saturday the 20th we wandered into the Algodones Dunes Wilderness to help some visiting botanists from Sweden locate the unusual Pholisma sonorae (desert sand food). We searched for hours in near 100 degree temps, finally locating a few individuals. This species is under great threat from off highway recreational vehicles, and even in the closed wilderness area this rare plant was difficult to locate.
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| Pholisma sonorae, 1B.2 by Kim Clark |
We joined up with Dave and Ed from the San Diego Chapter, and camped Saturday evening in spectacular McCain Valley. Sunday morning
the 21st (happy birthday John Muir!) we visited a number of populations of Linanthus bellus (desert beauty)
that are only known from a few localities in California. In McCain Valley, they are now under
threat from the Tule wind project that begins bulldozing in the very near future.
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| Linanthus bellus, 2.3 by Kim Clark |
We spent the rest of Sunday in the Table Mountain ACEC (Area of
Critical Environmental Concern) and we were greatly rewarded by a
number of rare plant species including Ipomopsis tenulifolia (slender
leaved skyrocket) which in California is only really found in the
Jacumba Mountain area. These rare plant species have a greater level of
conservation being within the boundaries of the ACEC and it is a
reminder that many of our plant species and their habitats are fragile
and need special protection.
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| Ipomopsis tenuifolia, 2.3 by Kim Clark |
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