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 an emeritus 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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One 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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