Dakota mock vervain (G. bipinnatifida) included in photos for comparison purposes only.
Pore near the apex of the capsule, seeds ca. 0.5 mm, biconvex, smooth and polished. Most nodes include a cleistogamous flower. Final photo is a comparison of T. texana seeds on the left (small, dark, quadrangular, with reticulate, rough surface) and T. biflora seeds on the right.
Williamson County, Tx; Berry Springs Park
9/24/2018
Physalis cinerascens
Always difficult from the literature to really distinguish P. cinerascens from P. mollis, but on most of this plant (with the exception of the calyx) the hairs are not obscuring the surface, so going with P. cinerascens.
Same population as this observation in January. I collected a few dried fruit capsules, might look at the seeds.
Pore at apex of the capsule.
Only about 5-6 species this could be based on location.
Diagnostic or useful features to ID as E. modestus include: scale-like phyllaries with many fine hairs that stick out; strigose stem that is reddish proximally; withered basal leaves during flowering; leaves gradually reduced distally, very strigose distally; lower leaves toothed near ends; ray and disc florets match description in literature re number and color; plant is growing next to rocky driveway (species likes gravelly sites).
Same population: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/107799985
Medina County, Texas; Hill Country State Natural area
7/18/2019
Zeltnera texensis
Localized mainly to the early rocky portions of the Medina loop, at least on this trail. This population just barely sneaks into the northern portion of Medina county. Petals typically 6-7x2mm. Corolla tube typically about 7mm with calyx just shorter around 6.5mm. Coiled anther sacs to abt 1mm. Plants typically 12-14mm tall.
Long vine that holds tightly to other plants. Has small thorns spread out along the stem.
New location. Medlin Cemetery
leaves ascend part way up the stem, not all basal as in T. scaposa
Image scanned from 35mm Ektachrome slide.
Met fellow iNaturalist @ubowernat who led the NPSOT Winter Tree Walk on New Year's Day 2022.at Old Settler's Park. Great day for joining fellow naturalists outdoors and learning new things. 2nd photo shows Gary demonstrating to the group of NPSOT, TMN and iNaturalists how the limbs of a Southern Live Oak grow.
This one was a lot neater and easier to take photos from than the first observation. Once again the flowers were all quite small enough for me to suspect this species, although I'm no expert on the morning glories.
Edit: Tracking nearby observations at Berry Springs Park and Preserve for similar plants/identifications.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/63238166 2020
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/96151549 2021 - Second observation I made on same day.
Herbarium specimens of I. triloba at GBIF
I think it's Z. drummondii because of the relatively short perianth tube, compared to our other local contender, Z. chlorosolen.
I would love help in IDing this red sage, which looks similar to cedar sage, but the leaves have a more papery texture, the plant grows 3-4 feet in height, and is a prolific bloomer and spreader. Its defining characteristic is that while gorgeous to look at, it smells like herbaceous cat urine when crushed, pulled, or cut. The smell is powerful, lingering on hands or clothes until they are washed. It is one of the first sages to emerge after the winter, and one of the last to die back as freezes set in. Once it comes up, it is constantly setting forth vivid red spikes of trumpet-shaped flowers.
Day # 4 - ECRTMN Weekly "Let's Get Outside!" activity suggestion: Make at least one iNat observation every day.
Good or bad, this grass population is increasing in the open area between the yard fence and the stock tank.
Yellow-flowered mallow, auriculate bracts underneath sepals (auriculate=ear-lobe like lobe, so the base of bracts are lobe shaped) , 6-10-rayed stellate hairs on stems/underside of leaves (need 10X lens to see), and reddish immature fruits.
purple color in center of flower, and hairs are appressed?
I happened to notice there was something strange growing out of this live oak.
Getting closer I realized it was a hackberry... growing straight out the middle of the trunk!
Following the branches to their joints, the trunk of the hackberry stuck out in a crevice where the oak split its trunk, and the rest of it was embedded deep into the heart of the oak. Who knows how long it took for that oak to grow that far around it? How did the hackberry even survive?
This is the craziest thing I've seen this week, and it has completely made my day.
I was out checking the rainlilies when THIS popped into my view near the drainage area. I couldn't believe it for a minute! This species of milkweed! Here! The entire time! How is it possible that I've never seen this until now? Based on the size it appears to have been here for quite a while. Where did it even come from? I don't even think there are any other observations of this species here...
First all those rainlilies, now this. The rain last weekend has really worked miracles.
I'm going to check some of the other swampy areas to see if there could be more...
This is really what I love about plants though. Even when you think you've seen everything somewhere, something new and spectacular will pop up!
Edit: I was wrong. RIP. Unfortunately it turned out to be nonnative Tropical Milkweed rather than the uncommon Butterfly Weed. But then again, another thing I love about plants: there's always plenty of room to learn!
I was watching this butterfly for a while. It was flying around, quite jittery of outside movement, when it suddenly stopped, fluttered in circles around a nearby oak (I believe a planted Quercus sinuata) before landing on the truck. I decided to try and get a few photos of it before it would inevitably noticed my presence and scatter off again. but surprisingly, it did not seem bothered by my presence as I moved closer to try and get better shots.
It was around this time I noticed its proboscis sticking out from the camera screen. Perplexed at what it was tasting, I peered around my phone to see, and noticed the sap oozing out of the broken twig it was resting on. The butterfly was feeding on the sap, probing its proboscis between the torn fibers and thoroughly enjoying itself.
In fact, there must have been something in the sap, either a lot of sugar, or maybe some fermentation, because it started to unstably totter around a bit. Almost like it was high on the sugar or something similar! Likely the reason it didn't notice or react to my presence was due to its thorough enjoyment of its lucky find. So engrossed was it in its behavior that a lucky bird could've easily snatched it up! Though it does look like it may have already had some past experiences with birds.
It happened that I found these two commonly confused rain lilies right beside each other! Too good an opportunity to miss. You really get a good comparison of how they differ from each other. Not sure if I should get this to species. These sorts of photos can come in handy.
Gasp Is this Obi-Wan Conobea?!!!
Growing alongside the marshy area I haven't observed before.
Unexpected find on the rooftop of Patterson.
I went down to Austin TPWD headquarters to get a replacement truck -- the previous one had over 100K miles, so I got a new one! :) On the way back north, I visited this incredible park, Bull Creek District Park, to see some of the plants that Andy, Eric, and Joshua (among others) have seen. Really cool place.
See spines at base of petioles, on abaxial side.
The leaves on these look clasping.
Edit: link to quick tips: https://www.inaturalist.org/posts/51636-triodanis-quick-tips#activity_comment_cc308afd-7399-444c-b321-afa791658bde
Is there a guide for identifying Genus Callirhoe? I know C. involucrata. but besides that not much.
S. engelmannii or S. texana? The wikipedia information has a cryptic statement about texana having unopened buds at the top...
These were everywhere. I couldn't resist getting some more photos of this plant!
Don't recall ever seeing blooms for this species so pale.
Scattered all over the beginning of the trail and parking lot.