Hi Andy,

Ouch! Love your comments about variability and always love habitat shots - such a story to tell and these ones really tell it. Some of those plants must be ancient. I wonder if anyone has dated them?

Thanks for sharing them. Cheers, Paul

Andy, what's the location?

Oh I feel for you! I over wintered a Cholla here once for a friend and I swear (I did a lot when it was here) they do jump. I felt really bad when my Jack Russell got stuck by a chunk of it. It took 20 minutes to get all the spines out of her.

Yeah, the cholla can be aggressive. I was glad someone was there to help me dislodge it. I'm also glad that the spines pulled out without breaking and requiring a closer inspection for full removal.

This colony is in Queretaro Gonz. Robert and I will be giving a presentation on this trip this Saturday morning. I'm furiously trying to pull it together (and keep it under 45mins).

And the variability was amazing to see. Makes me wonder about what the boundaries of a 'species' are. And how many 'overlap'.

Hi Andy,

You say "remember to pay attention to where you are", I couldn't imagine anything more difficult with all of those plants to look at, you're lucky you got spiked just the once.

Thank's for the tour.

All the best, Nev.

WOWWWW! (*O*)

What can I say! hope I could be there someday, thanks Andy.

Hey Andy,

Looks like you had a most excellent trip! Thanks heaps for all these great habitat shots. Good luck in your mission to try to sort out those intriguing Hechtias. With so much variability of the same species within the same areas, I imagine your quest will not be easy. Dissection of floral bits will keep you busy, and your eyesight sharp.

LOL at the extra spiny hitch-hiker!

They look like pretty remote and wild areas you've visited. I was hoping you weren't there when that earthquake hit...were you? News is it was also felt strongly in San Diego. All O.K.?

K :)

Yeah, we got back the day before. It was a wild ride! I loved it. We drove right through that area (well, somewhat near that). It was really cool feeling the rumbles. It lasted long enough that we got to see most of it outside...the street was rolling a bit. My body naturally swayed to try to keep my body still while my feet were being shifted side to side. A couple of my columnar cacti were swaying with the waves too. All the aftershocks have been fun too. Every once in a while we will feel another one. Nice that the center was far enough away that I could enjoy it! The cracks in the walls and ceiling are a little bit bigger now. But it was great fun.
-andy