nathantaylor's Favorites

Two different plants are included here. I'm not 100% sure of the ID of the first one (first 3 images); the leaves on that plant are rather deeply divided for V. plicata, but this is what I keep coming back to in the keys in C&J, etc. I can find at least a few specimens on SEINet identified as V. plicata with finely divided leaves, e.g.:
http://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/individual/index.php?occid=5527612
Alternatively, this might just be a form of gray vervain (V. canescens) with particularly wide leaves.

The second set of three images is a nearby plant on which the leaves are more typical for V. plicata.

These appeared to be seedlings, but when a few were checked they all seemed to be attached to one another, so possibly all consisting of a single, or a couple, of individuals. There were robust adult individuals here that were producing seed, so some of these could be seedlings. Impossible to tell without digging them all up.

The former genus Sarcocaulon is so unique and high up in the weird and wonderful that it almost seems unfair that it has now been sunk under Monsonia. When you are lucky enough to find several of the extraordinary desert beauties of Monsonia patersonii in flower it is very difficult to stop taking pictures of them. 💚💚💚

Beside a paved service road by a dry lakeside (water several feet below usual - walked through the mud where usually there’s a few feet of water to get here)
If it impacts the coloration or growth of the plant, it’s rained consistently for about a week here after a few months of dryer-than-average weather for the time of year

1^st Photo (Oct 31 at 5:57 PM) Happy Halloween y'all!
2^nd Photo (Oct 31 at 7:12 PM): Seeds left vs. Cucurbita pepo right on 5 mm x 5mm Paper
3^rd Photo (Oct 15 at 7:50 AM): Collected at Location Indicated

This observation can be considered wild based on this forum post, on a technicality, maybe...

Main differences between this and a normal pumpkin is that the insides are stringy like a spaghetti squash and feel more soapy. Seeds sink instead of floating and are more like an acorn squash. Outer skin is very tough, almost woody and hard to carve, it chips!

Flavor experience is noted elsewhere in Obs. #136323515 though will comment about seeds if I figure out how to process them.