The desert islands of the Gulf of California are among the world's best-preserved archipelagos. The diverse and unique flora, from the cardon forests of Cholludo to the agave-dominated slopes of San Esteban remain much as they were centuries ago, when the Comcaac (Seri people) were the only human presence in the region. Almost 400 plant species exist here, with each island manifesting a unique composition of vegetation and flora. For thousands of years, climatic and biological forces have sculpted a set of unparalleled desert worlds.

Plant Life of a Desert Archipelago is the...