Wayne's Word Index Noteworthy Plants Trivia Lemnaceae Biology 101 Botany Scenic Wildflowers Trains Spiders & Insects Search Chiricahua Mtns Road Trip Spring 2014: Scenic Landscapes (1)      Home        Part 1        Part 2        Part 3        Part 4        Part 5        Part 6        Part 7        Part 8        Part 9        Part 10   Boyce-Thompson Arboretum A high ridge above Boyce-Thompson Arboretum near Superior, Arizona. The glide path for Turkey Vulture in photo was at my approximate altitude! Superstition Mountains & Palo Verde Superstition Mtns & palo verde trees (Cercidium microphyllum = Parkinsonia microphylla). Palo verde (Cercidium microphyllum = Parkinsonia microphylla): State tree of Arizona. Little Dragoon Mtns Near Wilcox, Arizona This was the stronghold of the Chiricahua Apache warrior named Cochise, and the present site of the famous American Indian (Amerind) Museum. Interesting granitic boulders, grassland and mesquite. The rock formations are classified as Texas Canyon Quartz Monzonite. I came to this area in June 1981 in search of the beautiful native Arizona coral tree (Erythrina flabelliformis). The following 3-part image was scanned from 3 Kodachrome color slides from that trip: Arizona's native coral tree (Erythrina flabelliformis) photographed in the Little Dragoon Mtns in 1981.   See More Coral Tree Images On Wayne's Word   Chiricahua National Monument View From Massai Point Looking South This maze of rhyolitic formations and surrounding Chiricahua Mtns was the stronghold of the famous Chiricahua Apache leader known as "Geronimo" during the early-mid 1800s. He fought against Spain and Texas for their expansion into Apache tribal lands for several decades during the Apache Wars. "Geronimo" was the name given to him during a battle with Mexican soldiers. After a Mexican attack on his tribe, where soldiers killed his mother, wife, and his three children in 1851, Geronimo joined a number of revenge attacks against the Mexicans. He was defending his homeland against travesties committed against his family and native people. The U.S. government had 5,000 troops, a quarter of the entire U.S. Army at the time, searching for him and his followers (a total of 39 native Americans)! Click On Image To Return To Chiricahua Mtns Home Page. Bonita Canyon Looking Up At Rhyolite Formations & Geronimo's Homeland Close-up view of the base of rhyolite formation along Bonita Canyon. Distant Views Of Bonita Canyon & Rhyolite Formations The dominant conifers in foreground are rough-bark Arizona cypress (Hesperocyparis arizonica = Cupressus arizonica), alligator juniper (Juniperus deppeana) and Chihuahua pine (Pinus leiophylla). The canyon also has a few scattered Apache Pine or Arizona longleaf pine (P. engelmannii) and Mexican pinyon (P. cembroides). All images on this page copyright © W.P. Armstrong