The Sonoran Desert pane of 10 stamp designs is the first in an educational series titled "Nature of America." Illustrated by John Dawson, the stamp art depicts 25 animals and plant species common to the Sonoran Desert. The scene was developed from the artist's imagination, but each element is based on photo references and on research provided by Professor David E. Brown, a specialist in the classification of biotic communities. Descriptive text, including the common and Latin names of each plant and animal, appears on the backing of each stamp.