English: Ocotillo; Desert coral; Coachwhip; Jacob’s staff; Vine cactus.
Botany: soil gypsum; desert; United States, Mexico; appears as large spiny dead sticks; stems partly green; flowers bright crimson, from rainfall in spring, summer, mild zygomorphic.
TaxonomyFouqueria is the sole genus of the
Fouquieriaceae. It is closely related to
Polemoniaceae but looks quite different, like a cactus.