Death Valley Phacelia

phacelia vallis-mortae

The Death Valley Phacelia (Phacelia vallis-mortae), often called Death Valley scorpionweed, is a striking desert wildflower native to the southwestern United States. Thriving in the harsh, arid environments of the Mojave and Great Basin deserts, this annual herb brings vibrant life to barren landscapes during the spring. It is characterized by its brilliant lavender-purple, bell-shaped flowers and deeply lobed leaves covered in fine hairs. This resilient plant is an essential component of the desert ecosystem, providing vital early-season resources for native pollinators. Despite its delicate appearance, Death Valley Phacelia is built for survival. It has developed a specialized life cycle that allows it to persist through years of drought as dormant seeds, only to erupt into bloom when rare rains arrive. Its unique beauty and hardy nature make it a highly sought-after sighting for desert hikers and botanists during superbloom events.

生息地: Found in sandy or gravelly washes, desert flats, and rocky slopes, often sheltered beneath desert shrubs within creosote bush and pinyon-juniper communities.

外見

This annual herb grows erectly from 15 to 100 centimeters tall, featuring branching stems covered in stiff, bristly hairs and sticky glands. Its leaves are deeply divided into several oblong lobes, appearing dusty green. The most defining feature is the inflorescence: a coiled, scorpion-tail-like cluster of lavender to pale blue, funnel-shaped flowers, each about 1 to 1.5 centimeters long, displaying prominent stamens that extend beyond the petals.

界Plantae門Tracheophyta綱Magnoliopsida目Boraginales科Boraginaceae属Phacelia

Death Valley Phacelia

カテゴリ

植物

レア度

Common

危険度

1/5 · 非常に低い

スナップ

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おもしろい事実

It is commonly called 'scorpionweed' because the tightly coiled flower clusters curve backward in a shape resembling a scorpion's stinger.

Its seeds have a tough outer coating that requires specific environmental triggers, like abrasion from sandy flash floods, to initiate germination.

Like poison oak, the glandular hairs on its leaves secrete an oil that can cause a severe, itchy skin rash in sensitive individuals.

特殊能力

Seeds can lie dormant in dry soil for years, germinating and blooming rapidly only after sufficient winter rains.

Unrolls its flower spikes sequentially like a scorpion's tail to extend the blooming period and maximize pollination opportunities.

Produces glandular hairs containing irritating oils that prevent desert herbivores from grazing on its leaves.

サイズと詳細

長さ: 15-100 cm
体重: 0.01-0.1 kg
寿命: 1 年

食性と食事

As a photosynthetic plant, Death Valley Phacelia utilizes sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to synthesize its own sugars.

主な食物

Sunlight
Carbon dioxide
Water
Soil nutrients

生態系とのつながり

mutualism

Creosote Bush

Larrea tridentata

Grows under the canopy of this shrub which acts as a nurse plant, providing shade and wind protection.

mutualism

Western Honey Bee

Apis mellifera

Provides crucial nectar and pollen to native desert bees during the spring bloom.

eaten by

Desert Bighorn Sheep

Ovis canadensis nelsoni

Occasionally browsed by desert herbivores during dry spells despite the plant's irritating hairs.

特徴

このオブジェクトにはまだ特徴バッジが割り当てられていません。

別名

まだ別名はありません。

コレクション

テーマが追加されると、このオブジェクトのコレクションがここに表示されます。

安全性

危険度

1/5 · 非常に低い

まだ特別な安全上の注意はありません。

よくある質問

Death Valley Phaceliaを見分けるには？

Death Valley Phaceliaを識別する最も簡単な方法は、Snappit自然識別アプリを使用することです。

Death Valley Phaceliaの長さは何ですか？

15-100 cm

Death Valley Phaceliaの体重は何ですか？

0.01-0.1 kg

Death Valley Phaceliaの寿命は何ですか？

1 年

Death Valley Phaceliaは何を食べますか？

As a photosynthetic plant, Death Valley Phacelia utilizes sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to synthesize its own sugars.

Death Valley Phaceliaは通常どこに生息していますか？

Found in sandy or gravelly washes, desert flats, and rocky slopes, often sheltered beneath desert shrubs within creosote bush and pinyon-juniper communities.