Bothriochloa laguroides ssp torreyana – Silver Bluestem

This not an attempt to create an artistic effect with photography – this is the result of a grossly overexposed photograph which one tried to recover or save using the “Enhance” menu in Photoshop Elements. On the other hand, it does appear somewhat like a watercolor filter effect. The Silver Bluestem grasses are blooming these days, and their distinctive seedheads are a distracting sight as one drives along the highways and byways. And with so many options available on a digital camera, it doesn’t cost too much to experiment with exposures and timings.

Bouteloua rigidiseta var rigidiseta – Texas Grama

Texas Grama is a weedy grass, often a sign of disturbed soils. It grows on dry plains, rocky hills, and overgrazed land throughout all of Texas except for the northeast. This particular specimen was photographed in Burnet County, although it is common in Williamson County as well, the home base for this blog. Texas Grama also goes by the aliases Bell Grama and Mesquite Grass, showing once again that you just can’t depend on common names. So Bouteloua rigidiseta will continue to wave its bell-shaped seedheads in the wind, providing aesthetic pleasure to those who pay attention.