"D" for Mohave Desert

This is a Joshua Tree:

The unusual Joshua Tree grows in the protective setting of the Joshua Tree National Park in California and in the Joshua Forest Parkway in western Arizona. The Joshua Tree is the largest of the yuccas and grows only in the Mojave Desert. The Joshua Tree's height varies from 15 to 40 feet and has a diameter of 1 to 3 feet. The Joshua tree has a lifespan of about 200 years. The Joshua Tree is a member of the lily family. The growing

habitat of the Joshua Tree is similar to one of the palm trees.The Mojave or Mohave Desert, is the smallest of the four North American deserts. It lies in South Eastern California at 35° to 36° latitude North and 115° to 117° longitude East. The Mojave Desert is situated between the Great Basin Desert to the north (a cold desert) and the Sonoran desert to the south (a hot desert). The Colorado River runs through the east of it, and the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the west.
The Mojave Desert is special because it has a little bit of everything. People refer to the Mojave Desert as a "high desert" because it has an elevation of 2,000 to 5,000 feet. It changes from a cold desert in the northern section and a hot desert in the southern section. The Mojave Desert covers 25,000 square miles. There are some fascinating features to be found in this desert, especially the Kelso Dunes. The Kelso Dunes are the largest of the Mojave dune fields, reaching 500 to 600 feet in height. When you run down these dunes you can hear an unusual "barking" sound. It is not entirely understood yet but some people believe that grains of quartz and feldspar rubbing against each other cause it.
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