Several (~1-2 dozen) individuals growing along roadside on shallow, calcareous clay over Lower Glenrose (Kgrl). Long, linear leaflets and ~dense raceme of numerous purplish flowers distinguish P. cyphocalyx from similar species in this area.
This was about 20-25 cm (8-10") in diameter.
The second picture is UV flora, aka Bee Vision
"Bees, the chief pollinators, must extract pollen from the narrow tube formed by the united stamens and ensconcing the pistil. They do this by vibrating their bodies against the tube, shaking the pollen out." ~ Wildflower.org
Thanks to @rlhardin and Oliver.
Saved me a trip to Burnet county
The stem of flowers are not hairy (glabrous), but the foliage are hairy (pubescent).....
The second picture is a closeup of flower stem
The last two pictures are UV flora, aka Bee Vision
It's sunny today, the best day for UV reflective photography.
See the last two picture, that's where the pollens left by a pollinator.
From the UV colorations, I think this plant is pollinated by Hawk moths or Butterflies....
Thank you @rlhardin and Oliver
The second picture is UV flora, aka Bee Vision
Thanks to @atlasmira and Texas Native Plant Society/Williamson chapter for inviting me!
Yellow sap. 2 Individuals along the road.
See detailed discussion re differences in leaves of T. cuneifolia vs. T platycarpa as shown here.
Also, I am posting my detailed description of differences in other aspects of these two species, with emphasis on trichomes.
Finally, I am also posting here my data on the comparative height of these two species.
This specimen at a construction site is larger than those in fields where there is more competion.
American Beaver. First image taken 2/25/23. Acoustic device placed at that time. Second image taken 3/1/23. Acoustic device removed. Two spectrograms added and two sound files. First sound file is chewing branch down. Time is 2/26/23 3:26 am Second sound file is consumption of smaller black willow branches. 2/26/23 3:38 am
Riparian marsh
A few miles from my other observation.
Looks like it has survived recent hard freezes. This one is growing at the top edge of a rocky limestone cliff above McNutt Creek. I saw one of these blooming nearby last summer here:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/8669699
not positive; these are about 2 inches tall, looked like Draba from the car, & were in a mow strip between two businesses not far from Brushy Creek.
Peppermint smell
The second picture UV flora, aka "Bug Vision".
About 40 plants observed in bloom and in fruit.
An old observation back in March 2017.
Extensive thicket up to ~8 feet high in understory of Quercus buckleyi
First specimen collection of the species for Balcones Canyonlands NWR. The specimen was collected from a limestone bolder in deep shade of Mason Hollow on the Victoria tract (see 5th image of my field notes for the day, CWS Field J., Vol. 37, pp. 54-55).
Original digital image of specimen from the TORCH database:
https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=30435843&clid=0
I may have taken photos (35mm slides) of these plants in the field, but those slides, if they exist, would be in the Refuge files at the Refuge HQ.
Smells like peppermint
Seen in caves at inner space caverns.
A few times over the years, I started a project like this where I carefully labeled and photographed early Spring seedlings in order to follow them to later identify them positively. I had the best of intentions, but I never seemed to go back and follow up on the documentation. Nonetheless, it did prompt me to learn a large portion of these winter rosettes. Here I'm uploading that portion of this particular experimental batch which I actually can identify.
This tract later became part of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserves (Bunten tract).
Scanned from 35mm Ektachrome slide.
in the riverbed of the Blanco river; looked different from what I commonly see in Austin area.
Prairie dog ran across the road in front of me. I pulled over and took some images. It stood up and barked at me. Most likely an escaped pet in progress, although I was surprised to see the range map is much farther south than I thought. Not sure?
A new species for me.
Abundant in a drainage area.
Williamson County, Texas; Lake Georgetown Overlook
1/9/2023
Tomostima cuneifolia
The only ones I have seen at this particular spot. Definitely didn't have the right lens on for macro work.
Later on the trail I saw a remnant flower stalk containing what was left of the dehisced fruits of this species. It appears to be a large population under the shaded woodlands.
Well into fruiting—many of the fruiting capsules have split open
Credit to @mikef451 for spying this
Round Rock, TX
Plateau Milkvine
overgrown fields with isolated juniper-oak patches
Williamson County
Observed April 16, 2022, 10:49
Brushy Creek/Champion Park
4/21/2017
Geranium sp.
I saw a number of these Geraniums around Williamson county in 2017 and unknowingly took shots of them in previous years as well. At first glance they look like G. carolinianum. However, they have 5 purple anthers instead of the 10 yellow anthers of G. carolinianum.
The only Geranium I have found in the literature which has only 5 anthers is G. pusillum. However, other characteristics of this plant, such as the pubescense on the sepals and pedicels and also the petal shape is different from what is described for G. pusillum. In fact the pubescence on these plants is a much better match for G. texanum (minute appressed hairs abaxially on the sepal veins mostly with retrorse appressed hairs on the pedicels), which is what I thought these plants were until I noticed the 5 purple anthers.
As mentioned, I have seen them in various places around Williamson county from out near Camp Tejas in the western part to Brushy Creek and Berry Springs more centrally and also Granger Lake in the east. However, though they appear to be somewhat common in Wilco, I have not been able to find any other Geranium observations in Texas on iNat that seem to match these (though only a small percentage of observations have photos good enough to use). Anyway, I thought I'd tag some of the frequent observers of Wilco plants and the surrounding areas to keep their eye out for this one. If anyone happens to have any other clues what it might be, that would be great, but I'd also like to see if the range is any greater than what I have seen.
Might be too young to tell apart to species
Phyllaries united up to c. 1/2 length, per Shinners and Mahler's
Late bloom! Notice how the corolla curves upwards at about a right angle. Hairs on calyx are inconspicuous unlike the longer ones on S. drummondii Old wood stems in last photo indicate this is a perennial.
Made a solitary visit to CR 364 near the Sugarloaf Mountain Bridge to observe what was there. Had not visited the area in a long time.
Shortish, maybe half the height of the Little Bluestem.
Old cemetery, blackland prairie.