Baja California Summer 2013

[peterb]

Hello all, just got back from Baja, my 6th trip in the past few years. I revisited many favorites and rare plants such as Morangaya pensilis, Echinocereus lindsayi, etc, but also found some I hadn't seen before: Pereskiopsis porteri, Grusonia robertsii, Echinocereus pacificus, etc. A great trip all around. The tent zipper gave out and the tent itself ripped, so I ended up in more motels/hotels than I prefer. The photo albums below include a larger than usual number of city pics as a result. But there were several high points, including finding Grusonia robertsii and Pereskiopsis porteri, as well as some surprisingly located Peniocereus johnstonii and getting some night pics of flowering Peniocereus striatus.

The links are public and there is no need for a Facebook account:

Tecate to Santa Ines
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... d9f962dfe8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Santa Ines to the East Cape
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... ebced0ab8d" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

East Cape to Guerrero Negro
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 926750a4d1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Guerrero Negro back to Arizona:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 8732979b82" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hope you enjoy.

peterb

[tumamoc]

Awesome photos as usual!

[A. Dean Stock]

Thanks Peter. Great Trip!!
Dean

[peterb]

Thanks Greg and Dean. I was just blwon away by that Grusonia robertsii, such a cool plant. I suspect it is a hybrid between Grusonia (I am told Grusonia has been replaced yet again by Corynopuntia?) invicta and Cylindropuntia alcahes, as indicated by the unusual fruit which looks a bit more like Cylindro fruit than Grusonia fruit. Another indicator is the remarkable rarity of the plants in habitat, with only about 6 known, according to Rebman. Also, it did not look like any of the fruit on the plant I saw had any viable seed in it. Jon Rebman does not believe it is an intergeneric hybrid, however, but a good species. It is a real beast of a Grusonia, however, with only the spine tips sheathed and a few morphological similarities to invicta.

Pereskiopsis porteri also interested me, having a very tropical appearance indeed.

peterb

[A. Dean Stock]

Nice photo of a very rare plant!! I suspect that it is an ancient hybrid but not with Cylindropuntia. The generic names will change as more DNA work is done so I don't pay much attention to them at this point. Grusonia is good enough for now.
Dean

[peterb]

robertsii also bears a resemblance to the giant Grusonia of western/southern AZ, kunzei.

peterb

[Minime8484]

Fantastic photos - I too am enamored by the Grusonia! Cool plant! I love a good mystery!