Mala Mujer or Cnidoscolus angustidens is an interesting plant in Euphorbiaceae, the spurge family. It’s found in southeastern Arizona and south into Sonora on rocky slopes from 2,500′ to 5,000′ in elevation. What makes it interesting, at least to me, are the green maple-like leaves covered in white dots that are actually little mounds, each holding up a stinging hair. They do sting and some folks have a bad reaction to the sting. As you can see from the photo I clasped the stems and yes I got stung (very cool!), but I didn’t a bad reaction. Sometimes native plant nurseries will have this Euphorb in stock, so it’s well worth asking your favorite nursery person if they grow it.
I like this paragraph from The Vascular Plants of the Gila Wilderness: “Psacalium decompositum is a distinctive plant that apparently reaches its most northern...
There are three species of Acourtia found in Arizona. If you are a desert rat of sorts, say you walk around, poke around in...
While admiring a blooming rubber rabbit brush Petey finds many butterflies feeding on nectar and he gets very excited. What’s new?
