Alma Canyon
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Malperia Ridge & Alma Canyon, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
© W.P. Armstrong 23 March 2010

Malperia Ridge Above Elephant Tree Area

Asteraceae: Malperia tenuis (Brown Turbans)

Malperia tenuis with pink Allionia incarnata in the background.

Closeup views of Malperia tenuis.


Brassicaceae: Draba cuneifolia (Desert Whitlow)


Fabaceae: Dalea mollis (Silk Dalea)


Zygophyllaceae: Fagonia pachyacantha (Sticky Fagonia)


Alma Wash & Alma Canyon

Euphorbiaceae: Chamaesyce setiloba (Yuma Spurge)

Because of its radiating branches, this species has been called "starfish spurge."

Close-up view of several urn-shaped cyathia showing red glands and deeply-parted petaloid appendages.

  See The Wayne's Word Euphorbia Page  


Polemoniaceae: Gilia latifolia (Broad-Leaf Gilia)


Onagraceae: Camissonia cardiophylla ssp. cardiphylla (Heart-Leaved Evening Primrose)


Malvaceae: Sphaealcea ambigua var. ambigua (Apricot Mallow)


Scrophulariaceae: Penstemon clevelandii var. connatus (Cleveland's Penstemon)


Desert Harvestmen (Order Opilones)

Harvestmen superficially resemble spiders, but they actually belong to a different order (spiders belong to the order Araneae. They are also called "daddy long-legs," but this name is also used for crane flies (Tipulidae) and cellar spiders (Pholcidae). Unlike spiders, they have no fangs and do not inject venom. In addition, their abdomen is fused to the cephalothorax. They typically have only two eyes on a single turret-like tubercle at the top of their head region. The second pair of legs are longer than the others, and are used like tactile antennae. Harvestmen are typically scavengers that feed on dead insects, spiders and pillbugs (isopods). Apparently the first species to be described were seen in the fall during harvest time.

A harvestman from Alma Canyon. It belongs to the family Phalangidae and possibly the genus Leiobunum.

  See Another Harvestman From The Merriam Mts. In San Marcos  

A harvestman from Alma Canyon. Its left rear leg has a minute parasitic mite.

  See Magnified View Of A Spider Mite  

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