The botanical name for jackass clover is Wislizenia refracta and for clammy weed it’s Polanisia dodecandra. I translate those very cool names in this episode. They are both in the Cleome family Cleomaceae having left the caper family, Capparaceae, due to DNA analysis. Well, fine! But listen many of the plants in Cleomaceae can be quite aromatic or foetid smelling. Your choice and both jackass clover and clammy weed live up to that description.
I think I showed great restraint, by the way, in not shouting jackass several times during this episode. I only tell you this so you can see how I’ve matured over the years. And hey, the photos are mine. The flowers of both species, the jackass clover above and clammy weed below, are beautiful!
Petey gets very excited about the flight of male Horse Lubber grasshoppers.
I sure talk about a lot different flora and fauna. From three species of quail, to canyon wrens, to Yarrows spiny lizards, to bristlehead...
Simmondsia chinensisis is now in its own family, Simmondsiaceae, and not in the boxwood family, Buxaceae. Yay! The foliage and stems of jojoba are...
