Crotalus scutulatus

Mojave Green
Crotalinae

Of the two rattlers found in the Mojave, Crotalus scutulatus is by far the more dangerous. Larger (most specimens reach an average size of 3ft, with larger specimens reaching over 4ft in length), more aggressive, and significantly more toxic than the sidewinder, this animal has the distinction of being potentially the most toxic of all the rattlers, as well as one of the most toxic of all the New World venomous snakes. Unlike most members of the Crotalinae, C. scutulatus carries a binary toxin, with both a hemo- and neurotoxic component.

These snakes are most active during April to September, and hibernate during the winter. They're an important element of the desert ecology, serving as a top predator of both small rodents and reptiles. They prefer high desert and low mountain slopes with open, arid areas of creosote, mesquite and Joshua-trees, while avoiding dense vegetation or rocky outcrops. Females are ovoviviporous, retaining their eggs inside the body before giving birth to live young.

Like all other rattlers, the best way to interact with these snakes is to leave them alone. They will vigorously defend themselves when confronted, but are usually polite enough to rattle and warn the potential assailant of their presence. Giving the animal a wide berth and not antagonizing it are two of the best ways to avoid being struck. Never, under any circumstances, should an untrained person handle one of these snakes.

Chamaesyce vallis-mortae

Death Valley Ground Spurge
Euphorbiaceae

Low growing, and easily missed, Chamaesyce vallis-mortae is a member of one of the most diverse plant families in the world. This species is found exclusively in California, and is a List 4.2 plant with the CNPS, meaning that while not heavily threatened, they are under a low level of threat due to habitat loss, and could become endangered in the near future.


The leaves of this spurge are heavily tomentose, giving it a silvery appearance. The "flowers" of this plant are in truth an inflorescence of multiple staminate flowers with one central pistillate flower.

Enceliopsis covillei

Panamint Daisy

Asteraceae

Most special status plants in the desert are small and unobtrusive, requiring careful searching to find them. Enceliopsis covillei is not one of those plants. A member of the sunflower family, this plant bears more resemblance to the family's namesake than most species commonly associated with the family, being very large in size. The diameter of the flower heads can reach up to 13 cm, and contain both ray and disk flowers. The flower stalks can reach a full meter long, and are abundant.

Though normally found on cliff faces and the like, these plants can also grow down in the base of their home canyons on the West side of the Panamint mountains. These plants are endemic to the western Panamints, being found nowhere else in the world. As a special status plant, they are protected by law under the Bureau of Land Management's Land Use Plan.

Eriogonum inflatum

Desert Trumpet

Polygonaceae

One of many Eriogonum species found in the Mojave, E. inflatum has a most unusual flower stalk, inflating to form a large, hollow bulb at the apex of the main stalks. These bulbs were originally thought to originate from parasitoid wasps inhabiting the stalks as a nest, but recent work has disproven this, instead showing that the inflation is due to the build up of CO2 gasses in the chamber. What is of note, however, is that these bulbs do indeed act as either nesting chambers or larders for different species of insect.

Though technically an annual plant, E. inflatum can survive for multiple seasons if conditions at the site are good.

Salvia dorrii ssp. dorrii var. dorrii

Gilman's great basin sage

Lamiaceae

Prevalent in the east facing canyons of the Sierra nevada mountains, this species of sage brush is among the more widely distributed plants in the uplands of the Mojave. Forming large stands of silvery-white brush, and producing vibrant purple-blue flowers in the spring, this sage is a fragrant and beautiful representation of the woody mints found in the desert.

This plant's nectar is a major component of the honey gathered by bees in the region.

Cymopterus ripleyi

Ripley's cymopterus

Apiaceae

Like its cousin the Cymopterus deserticola, C. ripleyi is a rare plant listed by the BLM as a species of concern in the Mojave. It is visually distinct from its relative in that it is considerably smaller in size, and its leaves are fleshier, glossier and not as strongly palmately compound.

This plant is found near the northern edge of the Mojave range in California, usually near dune systems and blow sand. One of the largest documented concentrations of the species is at Haiwee Reservoir, where it can be found in small to medium sized patches during Feb to April. The plants will usually be in clusters of up to 15 individuals, spaced out over only a few meters of ground, which in turn are separated by a considerably larger area where the plants are completely absent.

Prunus andersonii

Desert peach

Rosaceae

A relative of our stone fruits, Prunus andersonii is a small to large shrub found in the canyons of the Sierras. Thorny and tenacious, this species is quite spectacular when in bloom, bursting with pink "cherry-blossom" type flowers. After the blooms have been pollenated, the plant will produce small, fuzzy, reddish fruits, which will be fleshy in wet years, and dry in dry years. These are a food source for rodents, who eat both the fruit and seeds.

These plants also reproduce asexually, spreading by rhizomes to form large clone patches. Like many desert perennials, these plants are armed. In this case, the plant has true thorns (sharp, hardened branch tips), which create a formidable barrier against both herbivores and botanists.