Flowers in the Desert

They begin to close up as evening falls.

They are fecund.

And then the sun comes out, and one by one

they begin to open, exposing the pollen in all its glorious stickiness.

You can see it in the blossom lower left above.

and all over below.

These are very unfriendly plants.  Even the javelinas don't eat them.

Those curved spines are very sharp and very strong.

After all, their job is to protect beauty in the desert.  

I'd say they are doing a very good job.