even more of big bend
 
The fauna and flora of Big Bend is certainly varied. You can begin a hike in the Chisos basin, surrounded by prickly-pear cactus and agave, and end up in a mountain meadow, with cedar and pine for shade. 
This is an agave plant. The agave plant is the key ingredient in Tequila. Mexico won't authorize a liquor with the name 'tequila' unless it has at least 50% agave. The premium tequilas have 100%. (Thanks and a tip o' the hat to RWD.) Those spiny, sharp looking leaves are just that--- spiny and sharp. I slipped near one, and its point stuck me right in the knee. It was sore for a couple of days. A very personal lesson in the effectiveness of evolution in self-defence systems of plants. 
There are also a lot of interesting animals, from wild javalina to white-tail deer and
mountain lion. Last time I was there, some of the primitive trails were closed due to
mountain lion sightings.
 
 
An ocotillo plant. These get to be very tall, this one about as tall as I am, 5'8". They are found in the 
Chihuahua desert areas of Big Bend. 
That's the Rio Grande in the background. This photo was taken near Boquillas Canyon. 
 

The famous "Yellow Rose of Texas"? It's the flower of a cactus.
 
Still Even More BIG BEND

All text and photographs1997, Randal P. Dean
E-mail me at
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