I cannot get this image any closer to the beetle (Collops of some sort?) without it being impossible to see clearly. This particular beetle is smaller than the more usual Collops vittatus that we find around here. I've yet to ID the flowering plant as well, so cannot provide information on that. The plant was growing in a wash (Skunk Creek) and on that part which regularly receives water run off. Moreover this part of the creek bed always gets fresh soil (and junk) whenever there's a heavy rain.