Anza Borrego Annual Desert Wildflowers, UCSB Greenhouse (Anza Borrego natural environment), Started: 10/15/2025

This project is aiming to germinate rare desert species found in Anza Borrego in the UCSB greenhouse. Utilizing several different treatment groups for all 10 species (Lupinus arizonicus, Eschscholzia minutiflora, Oenothera deltoides, Hesperocallis undulata, Chylismia claviformis, Malacothrix glabrata, Mimulus bigelovii, Abronia villosa, Geraea canescens, Rafinesquina neomexicana). Treatment groups included presoaking seeds in concentrations of 125ppm-1000ppm gibberellic acid, 4-6 week stratification periods, physically removing seed coats, and pre-soaking in water/ liquid smoke. Once plants germinate, we plan to obtain the spectral signature of leaves and petals to couple with satellite imagery of Anza Borrego. This project is part of Sarah Payne's larger project of assessing how ephemeral vegetation escapes drought and her use of remote sensing these blooms in the desert to better understand their response to intense evaporative stress.