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A dense band of jumping or chainfruit chollas (Cylindropuntia fulgida) almost surrounds the Pan Quemado Mountains. |
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There are a few colonies of other chollas. At left above is a hillside of buckhorn chollas (Cyl. acanthocarpa) in the Pan Quemado Mountains. At right is a colony of teddy bear chollas (C. bigelovii) in the West Silver Bell Mountains. |
Few areas in IFNM have many prickly pears, but this area west of the Sawtooth Mountains is thick with Opuntia engelmannii. Another gallery showcases this unusual cactus dune. |
Saguaros (Carnegiea gigantea) are the visually dominant plant in much of IFNM because of their abundance and the fact that they stand taller than most of the trees. This is a bajada of the Silver Bell Mountains looking toward Ragged Top. |
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The surrounding four images show a few examples of the many saguaro forests in IFNM. Clockwise from upper left: Ragged Top, Silver Bell Mountains, Waterman Mountains, and Silver Bells again. |
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Above and right: Barrel cactus populations are rarely dense. Some limestone slopes of the Waterman Mountains have impressive colonies of California fire barrel (Ferocactus cylindraceus). |
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