Cloudcroft Phacelia search is a partial success!

Two locations of the Cloudcroft Phacelia were found during our Aug. 18-21, 2011 search. One of the two was on the same dry travertine rock outcrop in Fresnal Canyon where the plant was found last year, but this time we found 12 adult plants (instead of the 4 found last year) in good flowering or fruiting condition. About 25 seedlings were also noted at the base of the outcrop. The second location was about 200 meters from the first one. Only one adult plant with 15 flowering racemes was found on a sandstone lens in some limestone bedrock. About 20 seedlings were noted in the loose, gravelly soil below the outcrop. A search of La Luz, Laborcita and Cuervo Canyons failed to reveal signs of the Phacelia. Not only does Phacelia cloudcroftensis remain elusive, so does its habitat (dry travertine rock outcrops, loose or gravelly soil in full sun).