Clematis pitcheri – Purrple Leatherflower
This is part of the Purple Leatherflower, presumably the seed pod after the blossom has faded.
Clematis pitcheri – Purple Leatherflower
Here we see instead the flower, which is hanging, its four purple sepals looking like petals, which are absent. The flowers do appear to be somewhat leathery, hence the common name. It is a vine, from six to twelve feet in length, and makes its living standing on the shoulders of shrubs.
Liatris – Gayfeather
Here’s another shot of the Liatris mucronata in my front yard. Again, up close and personal and looking at a small portion of a spike, showing the needle-like leaves and the flowers. I feel confident in calling this one L. mucronata since that’s what the Wildflower Center had on its label when I bought it, assuming I bought it there…I will be posting some more Liatris in the next few days for which the species is not as certain, since they were found in the wild and mostly they weren’t in bloom, making it more difficult to identify them.
Liatris mucrinata – Gayfeather
Liatris is in bloom, and this spiky looking plant doesn’t mind the heat, providing nectar for a variety of insects. Last year, it was one of the few plants that stood up to the series of 100 degree days that we had. This is a close-up of the blossoms, which form along the sides of the spikes. While the photo gives you the details, it doesn’t convey the overall shape of the plant and flowers. That will have to wait for another day.
Acacia farnesiana – Huisache
Here’s a slight change of pace – a picture of the Huisache tree in the back yard following Monday night”s thunderstorms in Central Texas. Huisache is actually a member of the Pea family, and is a multi-trunked tree or small shrub. This one is perhaps a dozen years old and has about a half-dozen trunks. Here two trunks have been torn loose at the base and fallen across the fence, taking out several slats and the bird feeder. C’est la vie.
Maurandella antirrhiniflora – Snapdragon Vine
This little vine can be either a climbing vine or a groundcover, as it spreads in a dense mat of leaves. It will climb on fences and shrubs, and does well in the rocky calcareous soil of the Hill Country. The little flowers are about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch long. Blooms appear from March through October. Stands up to drought quite well,since it doesn’t get watered in my yard…
Verbena canescens – Gray Vervain
Gray Vervain is another one of those small plants likely to be unnoticed, or if it is, to be considered a weed by many. Here you can see some of the dense hairs that give it its “Gray” appellation. The small flowers of lavender or purple appear on 3″-6″ spikes from April through October.
Papilio polyxenes – Black Swallowtail larva
Here we have the larva of the Black Swallowtail butterfly doing what it does best – decimating and digesting Parlsey. Unfortunately, the Parlsey is non-native, and being grown in my wife’s kitchen herb garden. So the best I can hope for is that I can convince her to let them try to feed on one of my native plants instead of squishing them. Oh well. I don’t have any Queen Ann’s Lace, which is a native plant host for these beauties. Guess I’ll have to do some research and find out if there are any other native plants that feed this until it’s chrysalis time…
Dyssodia pentachaeta – Psarralena
This perennial composite is on the short side – less than a foot tall. It’s found on dry caliche throughout Central Texas. This one was photographed during June’s plant survey field trip. The flowers are at the end of peduncles from 1 to 4 inches. I might have seen this in someone’s front yard the other day, but didn’t have my Enquist with me at the time to check it out.
Dyssodia pentachaeta – Parralena
Centaurium texense – Lady Bird’s Centaury
Here’s another look at Lady Bird’s Centaury. this time a whole plant view. As mentioned previously, Mountain Pink is similar but it occurs in tightly bunched profuse cones of flowers, like a bouquet. As you can see, Centaurium texense is more loosely configured. In the field, this difference helps in the identification. Also obvious in this picture is the rocky calcareous soil in which it grows.
Centaurium texense – Lady Bird’s Centaury
Named after the former First Lady whose legacy lives on at the Wildflower Center south of Austin, this modest yet colorful little pink flower can be found on the rocky soils of the Hill Country. The individual bloom bears some resemblance to Mountain Pink, but the fact that one can isolate an individual bloom is a clue that this is indeed Centaurium texense.
bob's brain: living well with a movement disorder and other comorbidities 