Skeleton of a Cactus

[pluton]

Sometimes you find these as you walk along in the desert.  From the spines, it appears to be what's left of a barrel cactus.  D3 with a 28mm.

[Frank Fremerey]

You got rain & clouds finally? Show us the lush green hills you were talking about!

Love the intense color of wet stone with lichen

[Akira]

This is a true objet trouvé.  I've never seen or thought about such a remnant of a cactus.  Well depicted.  Thanks for sharing!

[John Geerts]

Fascinating structure of the cactus, enhanced by the stones and lichens

[Thomas Stellwag]

very informative picture and a  nice one at the same time
I never thought about a cactus skeleton - thanks

[Bjørn Rørslett]

An exoskeleton in this case, unlike the endoskeleton of the Chollas. Well seen and captured.

[Andrea B.]

Very interesting! And nice photo with the touches of lichen colour in the background.
I love the desert plants and animals.

[pluton]

You got rain & clouds finally? Show us the lush green hills you were talking about!

Love the intense color of wet stone with lichen

Just a shady spot in a typically dry area, Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona.  Absence of dust on the smooth rock may give an impression or illusion of wetness.   The next night it rained and then snowed(lightly)!

[elsa hoffmann]

well captured and interesting photo content

[Erik Lund]

Very well captured and colourful image

[Bill De Jager]

Just a shady spot in a typically dry area, Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona.  Absence of dust on the smooth rock may give an impression or illusion of wetness.   The next night it rained and then snowed(lightly)!

The surface of the rock is covered with desert varnish http://www.abdnha.org/TSP-desert-varnish.html, a coating of Fe and Mn oxides which can often present a shiny surface.

I love this photo!  It brings back memories of the deserts where I spend time many years ago.

[pluton]

Thanks Bill for the info link, and to all for looking/commenting.