Ocotillo, Fouquieria splendens

#Ocotillo #Fouquieria #Fouquieriaceae

Close-up photo of leafy shoots. The stems have spines. The leaves are small and thin. Photo by Scott Zona CC BY-NC 2.0.

When leaves are liabilities (too vulnerable, too likely to lose water), plants ditch the leaves, at least temporarily. Some desert plants have leaves only during the rainy season. Here is Fouquieria splendens in full leaf. In the dry season, the leaves are discarded. #Fouquieriaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱