Melanie Peck - Enduring Desert Ecosystems

an illustration showing a surreal landscape transition from a deep blue starry night with a glowing frog and white orchids, to a red rock desert under a purple moon with a howling wolf, ending in a warm golden sunrise with a quail and desert flora

Enduring Desert Ecosystems

My illustrations, featured in this year's Orchid Show at the Cleveland Botanical Garden, draw from the dramatic, often-overlooked beauty of the desert—a landscape that has inspired me during my extensive travels and life across the southwestern United States and Mexico. I am deeply moved by the dramatic forms, resilient flora, and unique fauna of the desert environment.

I focus on the incredible plant life that endures there, from the iconic Joshua tree to the surprising native orchids found in the Sky Islands region of southeastern Arizona. My goal is to capture the quiet beauty and vulnerability of these ecosystems, highlighting species fighting for survival.

By sharing these illustrations, I hope to connect with the community, raising awareness of the critical balance of life in nature and inspiring us all to protect these delicate desert worlds.

illustration of a Sonoran Desert Toad with a glowing turquoise throat, sitting on a lily pad beside a tall White Bog Orchid. The background features a deep indigo to sunset-orange gradient sky filled with stars and faint chemical molecular structures, set against a silhouette of desert cacti

White Bog Orchid (Platanthera dilatata) and Sonoran Desert Toad (Incilius alvarius)

Though one is a flower of cool, wet ground and the other a creature of the arid Southwest, both thrive in the specialized, localized springs and seepages that create vital micro-wetlands within the Sonoran Desert.

illustration of a silhouette of a coyote howling from atop a jagged red rock formation under a large, hazy purple moon. The sky transitions from deep violet to a warm orange glow, filled with stars and ethereal, geometric line drawings of Chatterbox Orchids floating like constellations

Coyote (Canis latrans) and Chatterbox Orchid (Epipactis gigantea)

While the coyote is the true "chatterbox" of the canyonlands, filling the night with its distinctive calls, the orchid earns its name from its bell-like structure.The Chatterbox Orchid is one of the few native orchids that is relatively common in Utah's wetlands and seepage areas.

l illustration of a Gambel’s Quail and several small chicks on a reddish desert hillside at sunrise. The foreground is dotted with pink Coleman’s Coralroot orchids, while a bright, soft sun rises behind rolling hills and cactus silhouettes, casting a warm golden and orange glow across the sky

Gambel's Quail (Callipepla gambelii) and Coleman’s Coralroot (Hexalectris colemanii)

Deep within the secretive beauty of the Arizona Sky Islands, The Coralroot, a rare orchid that lacks chlorophyll and lives completely underground, relies on deep-forest fungi to survive. Though the Quail does not directly pollinate the flower, it plays a vital role in seed dispersal, helping the orchid spread its delicate presence across the forest floor of its high-elevation habitat.

watercolor illustration of a Blue Disa orchid with vibrant purple and periwinkle petals blooming from a tall green stalk. The orchid is planted in a decorative Talavera-style ceramic pot featuring intricate floral patterns in shades of indigo, magenta, and violet, all set against a clean white background

Blue Disa Orchid (Disa uncinata)

Valued globally for its breathtaking, blue coloration—a hue highly uncommon in the orchid world—the flower is a testament to nature's most brilliant artistry.

watercolor illustration of three Monkey Orchids with reddish-brown petals and faces that resemble small primates, blooming from a tall green stalk. The orchid is planted in a decorative, rust-colored ceramic pot featuring intricate floral patterns in yellow, orange, and deep red, set against a clean white background

Monkey Orchid (Dracula simia)

The genus name, Dracula, was assigned because the two long sepals on either side of the flower are thought to resemble the fangs of a dragon or vampire. The species name, simia, is Latin for "monkey," referencing the flower's resemblance to a monkey's face.

watercolor illustration of a yellow and purple Donkey Orchid blooming from a green leafy base. The plant is in a cream-colored Talavera-style pot with geometric green, yellow, and purple patterns. A small, purple toy donkey with yellow spots stands nestled among the orchid leaves, all set against a clean white background

Common Donkey Orchid (Diuris longifolia)

Native to Australia, this flower earns its name from the two long, erect petals that resemble a donkey's ears. Beyond the visual humor, this plant employs a clever strategy: some species use sexual deception to attract male bees for pollination, making this orchid a master of disguise in the plant world.

illustration of a desert tortoise centered between two large, symmetrical clusters of prickly pear cacti blooming with vibrant pink and yellow flowers. A simple purple, pink, and yellow rainbow arches over the top of the scene against a clean white background

Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) and Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia engelmannii)

This tortoise relies heavily on the prickly pear not just as a food source, consuming its pads and fruits, but as a source of essential moisture in an arid environment.

watercolor illustration of a vertical green saguaro cactus section with small white blossoms at the top. Three small Elf Owls are nestled inside a round, orange-rimmed hollow in the center of the cactus. The image is set against a clean white background

Elf Owl (Micrathene whitneyi) and Saguaro Cactus (Carnegiea gigantea)

The Elf Owl and its young utilize the protective, ready-made cavity of the saguaro as a nest. The fascinating, symbiotic relationship between the desert's largest plant and its smallest owl celebrates the ingenuity of life in the arid Southwest.

watercolor illustration of a bleached animal skull with gold-tipped antlers. A Panamint alligator lizard crawls across the forehead and left antler, while vibrant pink Panamint monkeyflowers bloom along the right antler

Panamint Monkeyflower (Mimulus bigelovii) and Panamint Alligator Lizard (Elgaria panamintina)

Who knew Death Valley was home to such vibrant life? Both species are perfectly adapted to the hot, dry conditions of the Panamint Range, showing that even the most extreme landscapes support unique and tough residents.

illustration of three peyote cacti in shades of neon green and purple on a solid black background. Each cactus is topped with a blooming pink or teal flower, and the word 'Peyōtl' is arched above in a bubbly, rainbow-gradient font. The scientific name 'Lophophora williamsii' is written in small green script at the bottom

Peyote (Lophophora williamsii)

illustration of a desert at night featuring a glowing rainbow neon sign shaped like a saguaro cactus with the word 'SAGUARO' in vertical blocks. Below the sign, a yellow and orange marquee displays the scientific name 'CARNEGIEA GIGANTEA.' The scene is set against a dark starry sky with silhouettes of real saguaro cacti in the foreground

Saguaro Cactus (Carnegiea gigantea)

illustration of a desert road at night, stretching toward a neon sunset over distant mountains. Vibrant, multi-colored Joshua trees line the road under a dark, starry sky. A glowing sign on the right displays 'Joshua Tree' and the scientific name 'Yucca brevifolia' in small text

Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia)

Saguaro National Park

Death Valley National Park

Zion National Park

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