Saguaro National Park Day 2
Day 2 of 2 of Saguaro National Park! This is when I experienced the true biodiversity of the Sonoran Desert! I hiked up to the falls that were barely flowing this time of year. It pretty much just flows right after a rainfall, which hadn’t been for a minute. BUT on the way up there were so many wildflowers! Of course, there was Cactus around every corner, and I also made friends with a crow! I really enjoyed my hike on this one, with tons of great views and a nice variation in terrain. I had the falls to myself, so I read a few chapters of my book while I was up there!
My plant focus is the white and red flowers known as smallseed sandmat or cushion Spurgeon (Euphorbia polycarpa). It is in the Euphorbiaceae (spurge) family and grows as a low-growing mat. The flowers you see are actually many staminate flowers surrounded by a single pistillate. The sap from these plants can irritate the skin. They were my standout plant on this hike! I thought the flowers were really pretty, given how many were on the small single mat I found during my hike.
The Fools Journeys 
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