Wildflowers of the Negev, 2016 version

1 purple flower 031616MITZPE RAMON, ISRAEL — One of my last posts from a trip into the Negev is a selection of flower images. (Here is the previous wildflower post. None of the blooms are the same.) I don’t know any of their names, so I depend on commentators to help me add them. Above is a nice purple flower from Makhtesh Ramon.

2 Light purple flowersAnother purple flower, this one with four petals. Makhtesh Ramon.

3 Flower with two insectsThis swirly purple flower has two insects on it. Did one arrive to eat the other? Makhtesh Gadol.

4 Blood red flowersThese blood-red flowers are on a common shrub in the wadis.

5 Red flowersThese flowers of unusual shape are very common in all the wadis I visited.

6 Spiky bubbles bushA spiky bubble bush in Makhtesh Gadol.

7 Spiky bubbles closeA closer view of the spiky bubble bush. I was told that squeezing the bubbles produces a foul smell. I did not experiment.

8 Wrapped thistleThese thistle-like plants are always wrapped in some sort of insect or spider silk.

It was a beautiful season for flower diversity, if not abundance. Comments welcome!

About Mark Wilson

Mark Wilson is a Professor of Geology at The College of Wooster. He specializes in invertebrate paleontology, carbonate sedimentology, and stratigraphy. He also is an expert on pseudoscience, especially creationism.
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1 Response to Wildflowers of the Negev, 2016 version

  1. Greg Wiles says:

    Going through the posts I feel like I have now gone on a desert field trip this spring break – thanks and it’s good to have you back.

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