One of the rarest sedges in North America is Carex specuicola, a species that occurs in the southwestern US deserts in “hanging gardens". The desert habitats of the Colorado Plateau in northern Arizona and southern Utah, sometimes called the Painted Desert, are famous for tiny desert microsites where ground water seeps out of porous layers of rock cliffs. Lush, green micro- wetlands form in narrow bands, sometimes high on otherwise dry cliffs. These sites are also sometimes sheltered by overhangs, making for a nearly cave-like setting. Some of the most famous of these are in the reddish Navajo sandstone formation in northeastern Arizona and adjacent Utah. They are unique habitats, difficult of access. Without a guide, one could wander for weeks without discovering these tiny spots. Visiting the sites of Carex specuicola was made possible through the kind help of Daniela Roth, Botanist for the Navajo Natural Heritage Program.

Desert Habitats