Mojave Desert Wildflowers

The Mojave Desert eco-region extends from eastern California to northwestern Arizona, southern Nevada, and southwestern Utah, and boasts plant communities as diverse as alkali sinks, dune systems, Joshua tree woodland, pinyon juniper woodland, mixed mojave scrub, and even riparian woodland. This fully updated and revised edition will be appreciated not only by amateur wildflower enthusiasts, but experts will also find the detailed photographs and charts useful in distinguishing among similar species in difficult groups. Species are arranged by color and plant family for easy identification. This guide features 300 of the common species, full-color photographs (many brand new to this edition), detailed descriptions, information on bloom season, and interesting facts about each plant.

Pam MacKay Thomas teaches population and environmental biology, botany, microbiology, and tropical natural history courses at Victor Valley Community College in Victorville, California. She is involved in Mojave Desert conservation efforts, and has been instrumental in founding the new Mojave Desert Chapter of the California Native Plant Society where she currently serves as Field Trip Chair. She serves as a volunteer naturalist for the Golden Trout Natural History Association, leading hikes and natural history workshops in the backcountry of the southern high Sierra. Pam has a Master of Science degree in biology from Cal Poly Pomona and is also enrolled in a doctorate program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California at Riverside. Her favorite past-times include hiking, backpacking, and photography. Timothy Thomas has over 30 years of experience working as a field biologist in southern California. He has conducted surveys on all eight California Channel Islands, the South Coast, the Transverse and Peninsular Ranges from Santa Cruz to San Diego Counties, the deserts, and the eastern Sierra, including the Inyo and White Mountains. He has worked as a field biologist for a variety of organizations and agencies, including The Nature Conservancy, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the California Native Plant Society.