What is a Desert Five-Spot
Below is a transcription of the above sign found at the Valley of Fire Visitor Center.
Desert Five-Spot or Lantern Flower – Eremalche rotundifolia
COMMUNITY
Creosote Bush Scrub or Arroyo Woodland
HABITAT
Washes, alluvial fans
ELEVATION
2000 to 11,500 ft (650 to 3800 m)
TYPE OF SOIL
Sand/gravel
SOURCE OF WATER
Surface
BLOOMS
March-May
HEIGHT
4 to 16 inches (10 to 40 cm)
POLLINATION
Wind, insects
ADAPTATION FOR SURVIVAL
An annual whose flower reduces evaporation by never fully opening.
Stem and leaves covered in greenish, star-shaped hairs to deflect direct sun.
COMMENTS
Succulent appearance contrasts sharply with harsh landscapes it prefers.
Rare in the Valley of Fire area.