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!
I do love wandering around little towns and Willcox is a fun one to poke around in. And it is true that the town...
After reading the section about the canyon tree frog (Hyla arenicolor) in my old Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians by Robert Stebbins,...
In July of 2002 I produced an episode about the summer monsoon and spadefoots. It was so much fun to write and record. In...