This winter I've developed an interest in Sonoran Desert plants that thrive in cool wet weather. These plants include ferns, spike-mosses, mosses and liverworts. We've had some cool wet weather this month and these plants seem to be doing well. They are generally found in small niche communities on north facing slopes or cliffs. Many of the plants prefer sheltered clefts in rocks and I've come across them on the bluffs east of Butcher Jones Beach near Saguaro Lake and in canyons on the north side of Usery Mountain. Mosses are bright green and abundant on boulders on the north side of Coon Bluff.
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| Parry's Lip Fern - Canyon on north side of Usery Mountain |
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| Star Cloak Fern - Bluff east of Butcher Jones Beach |
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| Wright's Lip Fern - Bluff east of Butcher Jones Beach |
The spike-mosses are creeping plants that can form dense patches in wet areas. The leaves are only green during wet periods but curl inward and become dormant during dry periods.
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| Spike-Moss - Bluff east of Butcher Jones Beach |
Another cool weather, shade loving plant is the liverwort. Liverworts are unusual due their lack of leaves and vascular system. The plant consists of a flattened multi-celled structure containing green photosynthetic material (chloroplasts) and a single-celled rhizome for an anchor. The plants can form large mats in wet, shady areas but completely dry out in arid periods.
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| Liverwort - Canyon north of Usery Mountain |
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| Liverwort - Bluff east of Butcher Jones Beach |
The cool, wet weather has also refreshed the moss communities. The following photos were taken along some boulders on the north face of Coon Bluff near Phon D. Sutton Recreation Area.
I'll be out looking for more over the next couple of months.
Adios
