This looks a great deal like Davy's Gilia, Gilia latifolia davyii, common in
the Mojave Desert. I have several photos taken at the California Poppy
Preserve, not far south of Red Rock Canyon. Gilia is of course in the
Polemoniaceae.

Scott Ranger

"Una Smith" wrote in message
...
(Inyo) wrote:
http://salinevalley.topcities.com/wi...ldflowers.html

Charles wrote:
Looks to me like sand verbena
http://www.desertusa.com/may96/du_sand.html
http://www.laspilitas.com/plants/1354.htm

Not to me. Verbena is a genus which usually has opposite leaves;
Inyo's specimen appears to have alternate leaves. In Verbena the
leaves are typically thick, leathery, with petioles, and not at
all dissected; in Inyo's specimen they are thin, not leathery,
and highly dissected. In Verbena the flowers are in umbels;
Inyo's specimen has clusters of flowers but the clusters do not
appear to be umbels.

To me, the genus Phacelia (Hydrophyllaceae) is a better match.

Una Smith

Los Alamos National Laboratory, MS K-710, Los Alamos, NM 87545