beautiful species.
Salado Creek Greenway Voelcker Homestead Area
Is it just me, or do the “female” ones get less gall? The ones I’ve seen this spring seem less afflicted.
Very confusing. Leaves w no petiole and bracts broader outer and narrower inner. BUT, like M. Citriodora tall and multi-stemmed
pretty small in size.
Smelled like rosemary/oregano
Phyllaries united most of their length (nearly to apex); ring of oblong-orbicular glands on phyllaries; alternate leaves.
Compare with https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/138642876 to see morphological differences in involucel between this and T. pentachaeta
Salado Creek Greenway 1604 Trailhead Area - mat formed in the creek bed
Eriophyid mite galls on leaves of Erodium texanum. I've seen a few other posts of these, and nobody seems to know what they are below family level. They were quite abundant at this site, infecting virtually every E. texanum plant in the immediate area.
For my ECR TMN "Let's Get Outside Activity!" for the week, I visited the Jones Prairie area in north Milam County on a warm sunny afternoon. Made a stop at the Little River Baptist Church Cemetery.
Found roadside in sandy soil, disturbed habitat. Full sun, no additional irrigation.
A bird gifted this to me. Seek came up with this id, don't know if it's correct.
Big Bend National Park, Upper Burro Mesa Pouroff Trail
probably not, but trying.
Ranch
Sandy loam soil with heavy rock
vacant lot
Extremely pubescent, many leaves with 6 pairs of pinnae, about 17 pairs of leaflets per pinna linear stipules Orbicular nectary at first pinnae pair
Montezuma Quail Trail - Davis Mountains State Park
Pretty flower. Lots of small thorns on the stems that are not easily noticed until you touch them!
National Butterfly Center
Argemone aenea (Golden Pricklypoppy):
Usually larger flowers with translucent lemonade-yellow petals that are usually held more erect (flowers appear more "cupped")
More numerous reddish filaments in the center of the flower
Argemone mexicana (Mexican Pricklypoppy):
Usually smaller flowers with opaque bold-yellow petals that are usually held less erect (flowers appear more like a shallow bowl)
Less numerous yellow filaments in the center of the flower
Eisenhower Park.
Would you like to learn how to reliably distinguish between the three most common shrubby Mimosa species in Texas? Use the guidelines below.
M. borealis (Pink Mimosa/Fragrant Mimosa):
Mature plant usually 2 to 4 feet in height, rarely taller
Single straight or slightly recurved prickles occurring randomly along the stems
Branches are straight from leaf node to leaf node
Growth habit largely erect
Bark usually light gray or straw-colored
Typically 1 to 3 pairs of pinnae per leaf with 3 to 7 pairs of leaflets per pinna
Inflorescences pink
Individual tiny flowers have separate petals (requires magnification)
Seedpods have an elongated stalk and are usually unarmed
M. texana (Texas Mimosa):
Mature plant usually at least 4 feet in height (unless growing in harsh rocky conditions), often becoming 6 to 8 feet in height with age
Single recurved prickles occurring below leaf nodes
Branches have a zigzag habit from leaf node to leaf node
Pronounced lateral growth habit; arching stems
Bark usually dark reddish brown in color
Typically 1 to 5 pairs of pinnae per leaf with 3 to 9 pairs of leaflets per pinna
Inflorescences can range from pink to white
Individual tiny flowers have united petals (requires magnification)
Seedpods lack an elongated stalk and are armed along the margins
Seedpods mostly nearly straight and fairly broad, with only minor constrictions between each seed.
M. aculeaticarpa (Catclaw Mimosa):
Mature plant comparable in size to M. texana
Paired recurved prickles located at leaf nodes (rarely prickles borne singly immediately below leaf nodes)
Branches have a zigzag habit from leaf node to leaf node
Pronounced lateral growth habit; arching stems
Bark usually reddish brown in color
Typically 3 to 9 pairs of pinnae per leaf with 8 to 17 pairs of leaflets per pinna
Inflorescences white
Seedpods lack an elongated stalk and are armed along the margins
Seedpods narrow and curved, with significant constrictions between each seed.
An aside: Virtually all of the plants sold at native plant nurseries in Texas as "Mimosa borealis/Pink Mimosa/Fragrant Mimosa" are actually Mimosa texana. Yes, even your favorite/most trusted plant nursery, it's a nearly universal case of mistaken identity.
Distinguishing M. borealis from M. texana:
https://www.biosci.utexas.edu/prc/digflora/mimosa/mimosa-dif.html
Distinguishing M. aculeaticarpa from M. texana:
https://w3.biosci.utexas.edu/prc/DigFlora/Mimosa/M_biuncif.html
Windmill Run Park
Would you like to learn how to reliably distinguish between the three most common shrubby Mimosa species in Texas? Use the guidelines below.
M. borealis (Pink Mimosa/Fragrant Mimosa):
Mature plant usually 2 to 4 feet in height, rarely taller
Single straight or slightly recurved prickles occurring randomly along the stems
Branches are straight from leaf node to leaf node
Growth habit largely erect
Bark usually light gray or straw-colored
Typically 1 to 3 pairs of pinnae per leaf with 3 to 7 pairs of leaflets per pinna
Inflorescences pink
Individual tiny flowers have separate petals (requires magnification)
Seedpods have an elongated stalk and are usually unarmed
M. texana (Texas Mimosa):
Mature plant usually at least 4 feet in height (unless growing in harsh rocky conditions), often becoming 6 to 8 feet in height with age
Single recurved prickles occurring below leaf nodes
Branches have a zigzag habit from leaf node to leaf node
Pronounced lateral growth habit; arching stems
Bark usually dark reddish brown in color
Typically 1 to 5 pairs of pinnae per leaf with 3 to 9 pairs of leaflets per pinna
Inflorescences can range from pink to white
Individual tiny flowers have united petals (requires magnification)
Seedpods lack an elongated stalk and are armed along the margins
Seedpods mostly nearly straight and fairly broad, with only minor constrictions between each seed.
M. aculeaticarpa (Catclaw Mimosa):
Mature plant comparable in size to M. texana
Paired recurved prickles located at leaf nodes (rarely prickles borne singly immediately below leaf nodes)
Branches have a zigzag habit from leaf node to leaf node
Pronounced lateral growth habit; arching stems
Bark usually reddish brown in color
Typically 3 to 9 pairs of pinnae per leaf with 8 to 17 pairs of leaflets per pinna
Inflorescences white
Seedpods lack an elongated stalk and are armed along the margins
Seedpods narrow and curved, with significant constrictions between each seed.
An aside: Virtually all of the plants sold at native plant nurseries in Texas as "Mimosa borealis/Pink Mimosa/Fragrant Mimosa" are actually Mimosa texana. Yes, even your favorite/most trusted plant nursery, it's a nearly universal case of mistaken identity.
Distinguishing M. borealis from M. texana:
https://www.biosci.utexas.edu/prc/digflora/mimosa/mimosa-dif.html
Distinguishing M. aculeaticarpa from M. texana:
https://w3.biosci.utexas.edu/prc/DigFlora/Mimosa/M_biuncif.html
Would you like to learn how to reliably distinguish between the three most common shrubby Mimosa species in Texas? Use the guidelines below.
M. borealis (Pink Mimosa/Fragrant Mimosa):
Mature plant usually 2 to 4 feet in height, rarely taller
Single straight or slightly recurved prickles occurring randomly along the stems
Branches are straight from leaf node to leaf node
Growth habit largely erect
Bark usually light gray or straw-colored
Typically 1 to 3 pairs of pinnae per leaf with 3 to 7 pairs of leaflets per pinna
Inflorescences pink
Individual tiny flowers have separate petals (requires magnification)
Seedpods have an elongated stalk and are usually unarmed
M. texana (Texas Mimosa):
Mature plant usually at least 4 feet in height (unless growing in harsh rocky conditions), often becoming 6 to 8 feet in height with age
Single recurved prickles occurring below leaf nodes
Branches have a zigzag habit from leaf node to leaf node
Pronounced lateral growth habit; arching stems
Bark usually dark reddish brown in color
Typically 1 to 5 pairs of pinnae per leaf with 3 to 9 pairs of leaflets per pinna
Inflorescences can range from pink to white
Individual tiny flowers have united petals (requires magnification)
Seedpods lack an elongated stalk and are armed along the margins
Seedpods mostly nearly straight and fairly broad, with only minor constrictions between each seed.
M. aculeaticarpa (Catclaw Mimosa):
Mature plant comparable in size to M. texana
Paired recurved prickles located at leaf nodes (rarely prickles borne singly immediately below leaf nodes)
Branches have a zigzag habit from leaf node to leaf node
Pronounced lateral growth habit; arching stems
Bark usually reddish brown in color
Typically 3 to 9 pairs of pinnae per leaf with 8 to 17 pairs of leaflets per pinna
Inflorescences white
Seedpods lack an elongated stalk and are armed along the margins
Seedpods narrow and curved, with significant constrictions between each seed.
An aside: Virtually all of the plants sold at native plant nurseries in Texas as "Mimosa borealis/Pink Mimosa/Fragrant Mimosa" are actually Mimosa texana. Yes, even your favorite/most trusted plant nursery, it's a nearly universal case of mistaken identity.
Distinguishing M. borealis from M. texana:
https://www.biosci.utexas.edu/prc/digflora/mimosa/mimosa-dif.html
Distinguishing M. aculeaticarpa from M. texana:
https://w3.biosci.utexas.edu/prc/DigFlora/Mimosa/M_biuncif.html