Page 77 - Walks In The Black Range, Vol. 4

J. The watershed for the ciénaga is limited, but at times the rainfall can be intense and the volume of water collected by the watershed can be substantial. Small arroyos channel the water from the hillsides into the ciénaga. On August 18, the arroyos had recently been scoured, indicating that a significant amount of water had flowed through them and down into the ciénaga (photo right).
Along the banks of the arroyo there were a few of the more common plants of the area, including Zinnia grandiflora, Plains Zinnia, shown below right. But the fact that it is common here does not mean that the species is common world- wide. As shown in the BONAP map below, its range within the US is limited. In Mexico, it is found in the north (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Sonora, and Zacatecas).
We also found Chrysactinia
mexicana, Damianita Daisy
or simply Damianita
(photograph from August 18
at the top of the following
page) in the arroyo. Again,
although common in our
area, this species has a
limited range. Its US range is shown on the BONAP map to the right. In Mexico, it ranges south of the borders with Texas and New Mexico to as far south as Puebla.
And lastly, Eriogonum pharnaceoides, Wirestem Wild Buckwheat, Wright's Cudweed, Slender Cudweed, was growing on the rocky banks of the arroyo in mid-August (see photo at the end of this article). Within the US, its range is restricted to New Mexico, Arizona, and S. E. Nevada. In Mexico, it is found in Chihuahua.