We ended up driving in the dark over the Ruta de Sierra, a two laner with no shoulder over incredibly mountainous terrain. I don't recommend this, haha. But we made it to Moctezuma safe and sound, in time for me to have some excellent carne asada tacos and for us to rent a very nice room at a funny little place called Hotel Biguan.
In the morning, I headed back west through the mountains to look for plants. Odd to see Stenocereus thurberi growing in mountainous woodlands:
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_270_1.jpg)
Mammillaria sp. (grahamii sort of olivae?):
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_269_1.jpg)
Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa:
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_271_1.jpg)
Another local Opuntia:
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_273_1.jpg)
A couple of the local trees that caught my eye. This leafless, smooth-barked gray tree flowering in January with nice cup shaped flowers:
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_276_1.jpg)
One of the fallen flowers:
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_275_1.jpg)
The bark on this tree really cool, reminds me of the Alligator Juniper that grow in southern NM:
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_313_1.jpg)
A Mammillaria species growing in the shaded woods along with M. heyderi (?):
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_315_1.jpg)
M. heyderi (?):
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_281_1.jpg)
Another cool Mammillaria:
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_277_1.jpg)
Most exciting for me was finding Coryphantha recurvata and a miniature Agave. First, C. recurvata. Only found a couple plants in a very large area.
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_291_1.jpg)
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_293_1.jpg)
The miniature Agave. At first I thought it might be Agave toumeyana ssp. bella, but that form is only known from Arizona. Maybe these are Agave parviflora? I was quite enchanted by the tiny rosettes, filiferous leaf margins and white markings.
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_284_1.jpg)
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_286_1.jpg)
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_288_1.jpg)
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_289_1.jpg)
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_300_1.jpg)
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_302_1.jpg)
Echinocereus bristolii ssp. pseudopectinatus:
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_290_1.jpg)
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_308_1.jpg)
East of Moctezuma, we stopped in an area to look for Mammillaria mainiae and luckily found them right away. Very pretty plants:
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_323_1.jpg)
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_333_1.jpg)
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_328_1.jpg)
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_337_1.jpg)
Another couple Mammillaria in the vicinity:
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_327_1.jpg)
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_332_1.jpg)
A cool cholla also in this area, not sure what species:
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_339_1.jpg)
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_342_1.jpg)
Another interesting Fouqueria-like tree with strange peeling green bark, also in this area:
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_335_1.jpg)
Finally, very near Agua Prieta, some impressive Echinocereus fendleri rectispinus:
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_349_1.jpg)
![Image](http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix/576_351_1.jpg)
That's it for the trip, except I'll probably post some more tourist-y photos in the Free for All section. Happy New year all,
peterb