We hiked from Catalina State Park into the mountains, climbing up the Romero Canyon Trail to Romero Pools and back.

Along the way, purple owl clover was blooming.  Castilleja exserta is an annual herb that blooms in spring.   This hemiparasite is also called Exserted Indian Paintbrush.   It is a favorite of hummingbirds and seed is often included in wildflower mixes.

purple owl clover

Blue dicks were the stars of the desert canyons while we were there.   Dichelostemma capitatum is a lily which is also called desert hyacinth.  It is a perennial that grows in the open uplands.   Native people traditionally collected the corms for food.

blue dicks

A rock squirrel seemed unafraid as it warmed in the spring sun.

rock squirrel

We spotted rockmustard in several locations, always on the north side of a slope, in the shade.  Dryopetalon runcinatum is a biennial/perennial that grows in the cool season in the uplands.

rockmustard

Phlox tenuifolia is called Santa Catalina Mountain Phlox, Vine Phlox, or Desert Phlox.    It is a showy perennial that grows in canyons in the foothills.  In shady spots it sprawls and climbs through other plants.

desert phlox

Chamaesyce polycarpa is often called smallseed sandmat.  Several similar sandmats are part of the spurge family.   They are low-growing green, fleshy ground-covers with many flowers.   

sandmat spurge

We hiked the Sonoran Desert for a week and learned about many new wildflowers, but it will take more trips to the southwest to become more conversant with the wide variety of plants of the area.