[Desert Needles: The Genus Palafoxia in the Southwestern Deserts of the United States]

Desert Palafox, Desert Needle, Spanish Needle

Palafoxia arida var. arida

Synonym: Palafoxia linearis var. linearis

Desert Palafox, Desert Needle, Spanish Needle: Palafoxia arida var. arida (Synonym: Palafoxia linearis var. linearis) - Desert Palafox, Desert Needle, Spanish Needle: Palafoxia arida var. arida (Synonym: Palafoxia linearis var. linearis)

A close-up of a flower head of desert needle as seen at left in a wash along the Mojave Valley Highway #95 about one or two miles north of Pintail Slough in the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge..........February 20, 2013. The photo at right shows desert needle blooming at the mouth of Henderson Canyon, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, CA.....March 24, 2010.

Desert Palafox, Desert Needle, Spanish Needle: Palafoxia arida var. arida (Synonym: Palafoxia linearis var. linearis) - Inflorescence of Desert Palafox, Desert Needle, Spanish Needle: Palafoxia arida var. arida (Synonym: Palafoxia linearis var. linearis)

A close-up of a flower head of desert needle as seen at left at the Indian Head Ranch north of Borrego Springs, California..........March 29, 2011. The photo at right shows a close-up of an inflorescence of desert needle as seen on desert washes adjacent to Ram's Hill, southeast of Borrego Springs, CA.......March 26, 2005.

Desert Palafox, Desert Needle, Spanish Needle: Palafoxia arida var. arida (Synonym: Palafoxia linearis var. linearis)

Desert needle in bloom along california Highway 78 in Sentenac Canyon several miles northeast of Scissors Crossing, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.....March 31, 2010.

Desert Palafox, Desert Needle, Spanish Needle: Palafoxia arida var. arida (Synonym: Palafoxia linearis var. linearis) - Desert Palafox, Desert Needle, Spanish Needle: Palafoxia arida var. arida (Synonym: Palafoxia linearis var. linearis)

Desert needle observed on the desert wash at Hawk Canyon, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, CA......March 30, 2010. Note the crab spider on the flower head!

Desert Palafox, Desert Needle, Spanish Needle: Palafoxia arida var. arida (Synonym: Palafoxia linearis var. linearis) - Desert Palafox, Desert Needle, Spanish Needle: Palafoxia arida var. arida (Synonym: Palafoxia linearis var. linearis)

Desert needle seen at Hawk Canyon, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, CA......March 26, 2006.

Paul Slichter