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Carlowrightia arizonica: Location descriptions
In 2016 we became interested in finding Carlowrightia arizonica in bloom and gradually started mapping them.
Pictures of Carlowrightia arizonica
First indications suggested a very limited populations, but we started adding and adding and will probably find more.
Thanks to Tom Chester for pointing out the locations known in 2016.
Tom Chester Plants in San Diego
The locations Sweeney Pass, Smuggler canyon don't show the actual numbers on the map.
How to ID Carlowrightia arizonica in the field:
1) Fruit is by far the best way to be absolutely sure.
2) Opposite leaves, reddish brown or green. Sometimes leafless.
3) Plants are often grazed by wildlife, sometime almost to the ground.
Lookalikes:
1) Narrow leaf ditaxis, Ditaxis lanceolata.
Alternating leaves. The first leaves are opposite, so always check for the second pair of leaves.
Plants are often grazed by wildlife, sometime almost to the ground.
2) California ayenia, Ayenia compacta.
Check for the dentated leaf margin found on Ayenia compacta.
Plants are often grazed by wildlife, sometime almost to the ground.
3) Chuparosa, Justicia californica.
A small Justicia californica can look similar to a larger Carlowrightia arizonica.
June/8/2020
Carrizo Canyon East Fork Palms
Plants mostly leafless, but green. A couple of them in bloom and showing very recent bloom.
Added a couple of plants higher up in the canyon.
December/24/2018
Ironwood Canyon West
A canyon close to Ironwood Canyon.
6 Plants found.
November/27/2018
In a fork of Mine Wash, highly visible after rain.
Very recent fruit.
We did a short survey, so we might have missed some or a lot.
25 plants leafed out and grazed.
10/2/2018
In the first fork of Cool Canyon a small number at the entrance.
Further into the fork on a granitic rock slope a larger group of plants.
35 plants leafed out and grazed, there must be more plants in the area.
3/1/2018
Carrizo Canyon East Fork Palms Loop
Our second survey of the area.
Plants scattered close to the main wash.
In a fork close to were it meets the main canyon.
Plants grazed and some leafing out, a couple of plants with fruit.
10 additional plants plants found.
4/8/2017
Rockhouse canyon - Four Frogs canyon loop
Plants in a small fork of Rockhouse canyon.
The plants where just leafing out after the recent rain in January 2017, after a long drought .
Now most plants were in very good bloom.
This is the first time we were able to ID plants from a distance by the flowers.
It was a good thing the plants were in good bloom, otherwise we might have ID some plants as Justicia californica.
Some plants were huge at 50 cm high and at least that wide, not getting eaten by sheep allows the plants to grow larger than in other locations.
So far this is the biggest cluster of plants in the entire Anza-Borrego Desert.
117 plants alive, most in very good bloom.
2/19/2017
Bisnaga Alta wash loop
Plants leafing out, found only one with fruit.
We missed most of these plant on a previous loop that hikes down the same Bisnaga wash. Plants where probably without leaves at that time.
27 plants added, the total on this loop is now 37.
The previous hike was on 3/12/2016.
We expect more plants in the many rocky drainages in this area.
1/14/2017
Lizard Wash Chuckwalla Wash Loop
On the sun facing rocky slope, slippery to reach plants higher up.
This population was (mostly) not grazed by sheep.
Confusing plant in the area: California ayenia, Ayenia compacta (dentated leaf margins), Narrow leaf ditaxis, Ditaxis lanceolata alternating greener leaves (check the second pair of leaves).
Some plants where difficult to ID, because they didn't have a sufficient number of leaves. So we may have missed a couple of plants.
80 plants alive.
1/10/2017
Plum Canyon Loop
Tom Chester Plum canyon
In the rock just above the canyon floor (west).
22 plants alive.
1/7/2017
Rainbow canyon
Location before the largest dry fall, plants are left and right of the wash.
The main population in the rock just above the canyon floor (north).
22 plants alive.
1/7/2017
Mine wash loop
Tom Chester Mescal Bajada
Plants on the north side of the wash.
We probably missed a couple of plants as they where leafless at the time. Tom Chester found 32 plants
28 plants alive.
3/12/2016
Bisnaga wash loop
Plants in a faint wash, weird looking.
We have yet to do a complete survey of the area.
10 plants alive.
Found 2 blooming plants in 2016.
In 2/29/2017 we added plants we missed before.
3/25/2016
Palm canyon trail
Plants scattered close to the main wash.
We didn't do a complete survey of the area, so we may have missed some.
16 plants alive.
Found blooming plants in 2016.
3/10/2016, 4/1/2016, 4/4/2016
Flat Cat canyon palms
Plants scattered around the rocky end of Flat Cat canyon, close to where it meets the Hellhole canyon wash.
101 plants alive.
Found blooming plants in 2016.
3/31/2016
Carrizo Canyon East Fork Palms
Plants scattered close to the main wash.
In a fork close to were it meets the main canyon.
108 plants alive.
1/7/2014
Smuggler canyon
Close to the wash.
30 plants alive.
12/16/2012
Sweeney pass
Scattered in the wash.
50 plants alive.
Found blooming plants in 2016.