Broadleaf Plantain Plantago major. The broad, (2”) cross-hatched 7 veined leaves are up to 10” long, bearing large bare flower spike (396) The flower spike is short (3-4”), the flower head cylindrical (not cone shaped) and the white anthers barely project beyond the profuse bracts that hide the miniscule, green flowers, giving the bloom head a scaly look. Most common along paths, PDU, PL, roadsides (396) no pix 4/10/15-5/20/15; 4/17/16- ; 17 no obs; 4/?/18; 19 no obs; 20 no obs;
Johnny-Jump-Up Violet (Wild Pansy) Viola tricolor. This soft stemmed plant is occasionally perennial, but in most zones is a self-seeding annual. An immigrant from the Mediterranean, this violet ranges in color from solid yellow to dark purple, the most common pattern being painted, purple lip with yellow stripes, the petals split between yellow and lavender. The elongated leaves, which have coarsely toothed margins, alternate along a squared, somewhat trailing stem. The parent stock of commercial pansies, V tricolor produces viable seeds. This wild stock bears 3/8” flowers on long stems, one at a time. An uncommon visitor, this wild pansy escaped cultivation, and no occasionally blooms along forest margins, like Sunset Walk. Not in books. 3/15/19-3/29/19; 20 no obs;
Note; Johnny Jump Up, or Wild Pansy, single 3/8″ blue flowers with white stripes radiating from a yellow center, born in slow succession on long stems
Note; elongated, coarsely toothed leaves alternating along squared, slightly trailing stems
Note; blue, 5 petal flowers born singly in slow succession.
note; buds forming within deep bracts at leaf nodes
Pringle’s Woolyleaf Eriophylum pringlei. This miniaturized, fuzzy, grey-green plant of roadsides or heavily mowed areas rarely looks like a succulent and is rarely more than 3” tall. Several stems arise from the same rhizome like root system, rarely branching, but retaining a crowded, compact form. The short, elliptical leaves are densely clustered around the soft stems in a tight spiral, the uppermost leaves surrounding a dense cluster of tiny yellow-white flowers. Seed capsules are tiny pods with 3-4 holes, like salt shakers, from which the miniscule seeds are shaken out when struck by rain drops or disturbed by passing feet. (206 Soccer, roads, path edges, PL.) 4/28/15-5/20/15; 4/15/16; 17 not recrd; 4/22/18; 4/7/19; 20 not recrd;
Pringle’s Wooleyleaf habit; very short, grey-green, fuzzy miniature that tolerates mowing, the alternating spiral of thick leaves supporting a compact head of tiny, yellowish flowers
Note; dense clusters of small, fuzzy, elliptical, grey green leaves which end in terminal bunch of flowers
Note; the thick leaves resemble a succulent
Note; dense bunches of tiny yellow flowers embedded in rosettes of fuzzy leaves
Note; seed capsules are punctuated with 3-4 tiny holes, like salt shakers
Wright’s Vervain Verbena wrightii. A low growing, sprawling perennial consisting of tough stems radiating outward from a central tap root. Opposite leaves are divided into three deeply pinnate lobes, which are wider than those of V hasata, Blue Vervain. Thick, bushy, terminal spikes form a cone-shaped, tight cluster, or head, of light lavender-blue tube flowers. Many flowers are open at the same time, creating a ring of lavender around the head, with green, unopened buds at the top. The tubes are completely concealed in bracts, opening up to a corolla of 5 cleft petals, the bottom ‘lip’ petal being longer, and more deeply cleft. This vervain prefers full sun, so is not found in shaded or forested areas, but is common everywhere else, specifically prairies, mowed areas, and west facing forest margins, where it forms dense clumps of bright blue flowers. A favorite of butterflies and bees, Wright’s Vervain blooms early, goes dormant during summer heat, and resumes blooming in cooler fall weather. PDU, CC (372) 4/2/15 – ; 3/10/16; 3/12/17- ; 3/22/18; 3/23/19; 3/25/20
Wrights Vervain habit; dense clumps of sprawling stems radiating out from a central root bearing dense heads of bright lavender blue flowers
Note; deeply pinnate, three lobed, narrow leaves are arranged in opposite pairs along smooth stems
Note; terminal spikes form thick flower heads of bracts from which the lavender blue tube flowers emerge.
Note; tube flowers open to a corolla of 5 petals, the lip petal being longer, and cleft into two lobes
Petty Spurge Euphorbia peplus. A short (10-15”), soft stemmed plant with opposite pairs of spatula shaped, clasping leaves, this sun-loving spurge is most common on overgrazed, or bare soil. The upper part of plant is loosely branching, producing thin flower stems from leaf axils and terminal buds. The final pair of leaves are joined so as to produce an elliptical “boat” which cradles pairs of fleshy, yellow-green flower, each with prominent “horns” and yellow anthers. Flowers convert to round, fleshy fruit capsules. Like other Euphorbia, all parts of the plant produce a milky sap when cut, and have a bitter taste, making infested pastures inedible to livestock. PDU CC (398) 4/7/15-5/20/15; 3/28/16-?; 17 not recrd; 4/22/18; 4/7/19; 4/5/20
Petty Spurge habit; short, compact, readily branching plant, with opposite pairs of spatula shaped leaves that bleed white sap, and tight clumps of yellowish green flowers
Note; horn like projections, and yellow stamen on flowers
Note; alternating spiral of spatula shaped leaves
Note; final pair of leaves are fused, producing a boat that cradles fleshy green flowers.
Note; all parts of the plant produce a bitter, milky sap when cut
Snake Herb (Oblong Leaf Snake-Herb) Dyschoriste linearis. A low-growing (10”) perennial with slightly hairy stems, and oblong (1-2”) leaves that are slightly hairy on the underside and have a very finely toothed edge. The relatively large (1” long) lavender tube flowers, with light purple veining and spots in the throat, open to a corolla of five lobes, two nearly fused petals pointing upward and three widely separated petals pointing down. The middle lobe is a lip, marked by a roughened, light area flecked with dark blue spots, giving it the nickname “poka-dots”. Tightly furled flower buds are set in a cage of sepal bracts, the flowers, born directly from these bracts at leaf axils and plant tips, lack notable pedicles. Tendril-like stamen and pistol are visible in the mouth of the flower, coiled against the roof of the tube. Slight ribbing on the lip floor forces insects up against the anthers, leading to pollination. No information on the illusion to snakes. Prevalent In isolated colonies along PL, PDU, MK. (Not in book, see 372) 5/12/15; 5/2/16- ?; 5/2/18; 5/17/19; 19 no obs; 5/28/20
Snake Herb habit; Low growing clumps of tough stems with narrow, spatulate, opposite leaves and lavender tube flowers
Note; the stamen protrude beyond the mouth of the tube
Note; single flowers are set deep in bracts, opening in slow succession,
Note; tube opens to a corolla of 5 lobes, two pointing up, three pointing down.
Note; the lip has roughened calluses, forcing insects to brush the stamen
Egg-leaf Skullcap Scuttelaria ovata. A shade loving, slightly fuzzy plant up to 3’ tall with large, egg shaped leaves, the margin marked by rounded teeth. Leaves and flowers are arranged in opposite pairs set at 90 degrees to the next set. Terminal spikes bear opposite pairs of soft, green bracts, from which emerge ¾” long lavender-blue flowers. The tube-like flowers are smooth except for the hooded “cap”, which is only slightly fuzzy. The S shaped tube faces straight out of leafy bracts, bends sharply upward, then turns forward, broadening and opening to a lip with two pronounced, lighter colored calluses. The bottom of the throat is white, speckled with lavender-blue. The seed capsules are shaped like skull-cap. Forested road sides, SWk, PDU, DORBA (376?) 6/3/15-; 5/16/16-7/1/16; 5/9/17- ; 5/15/18-; 19 no obs; 20 no obs
Egg Leaf Skullcap habit; tall pithy plants with opposite, egg shaped leaves, ending in terminal spikes of blue flowers
Note; opposite pairs of egg shaped leaves with rounded teeth
Note; S shaped profile of blue, smooth, tube flowers, sporting two calluses on an abruptly down turned lip
Note; soft, fuzzy green bracts in opposite pairs along the flower spikes
Note; upturned “skullcap” shaped seed capsules
Drummond’s Skullcap Scuttelaria drummondii. A rather short plant (5-10”), with square stems, and fuzzy, oval leaves arranged in opposite pairs, each rotated 90. Dark to medium blue, tube shaped flowers rise singly or in pairs from soft, fuzzy, green bracts at the axils of uppermost leaves. Tube open to a corolla of a hairy cap and a lip of 4 lobes, which unlike sage flowers, does not angle sharply downward. Two white stripes, which begin under the cap, run down the winged lip. A nectar tube begins under the hood, running back into the flower tube. The dried seed heads are flattened disks, said to look like little skull-caps. Common on open prairies during mild spring temperatures. PDU (376) 4/28/15-6/5/15; 5/10/16-6/10/16; 4/25/17-5/15/17; 4/25/18; 4/22/19; 4/25/20
Drummond’s Skullcap habit; short, square, fuzzy stems with opposite sets of oval leaves, each pair rotated 90 degrees, supporting spikes of bright blue tube flowers
Note; blue tube flowers with a fuzzy hood and a four lobed lip marked by two white stripes
Note; the winged lip is not as sharply bent down as the Sages.
Note; seed capsules are convex disks, like tiny, hairy skull caps
Texas Sage Salvia texana. Not to be confused with the flowering shrub Leucophyllum frutescens by the same name, this diminutive, native flower is a short, low growing (10”), weakly erect fuzzy plant with short, upturned, needle like leaves arranged opposite each other along thin stems. Light blue tube flowers set in deep, fuzzy bracts emerge in opposite pairs from along the upper end of the stems. Flowers have a smooth, arching, narrow upper cap and a wide, four lobed lip set at right angles. The lip is marked by a set of parallel white stripes, and white anthers set deep within the tube. Unlike other salvia (sage plants), the leaves of this species do not have an aromatic smell. Chalky flats (not in book) 5/10/16- ; 5/10/17; 18 no obs. 4/22/19; 4/20/20
Texas Sage habit; a low growing, weakly upright flower with fuzzy stems, small, upturned opposite leaves, and bright blue tube flowers set in fuzzy, green bracts.
Note; short, weakly upright, fuzzy plants with flowers emerging singly from leaf nodes along the upper end of the stems
Note; the light blue, tube shaped flowers that open to a smooth, arching cap and a wide, 4 lobed lip set at 90 degrees to the column.
Note; light blue tube flowers set in deep, fuzzy, green bracts
Note; light blue flowers, down-turned 4 lobed lip with twin white dots, and white anthers deep within the tube
Scarlet (Blood/Cedar Sage) Sage Salvia coccinea/roemeriana. A late blooming perennial that sends up multiple, tall (up to 30”), square stems from a central clump. Pairs of fuzzy, triangular (cordate), slightly drooping leaves with rounded teeth (crenate), are arranged opposite each other on hairy, round stems. Leaves emit a pungent, though not unpleasant smell when brushed or crushed. Bright scarlet tube flowers emerge from soft green bracts arranged in whorls at each node along a terminal spike, and later from spikes budding from upper leaf nodes. The tube opens to a upper cap and a lower corolla of a 4 lobes, partially fused into a downturned lip. White stamen protrude beyond the flower cap. Papery seed capsules produce two round, black seeds each. S coccinea prefers shade, often growing in juniper forests, thus earning the alternate name “Cedar Sage”. SWk (318 7/3/15 -9/4/15; 6/1/16; 5/10/17; 18 not recrd; 19 not recrd; 5/10/20
Scarlet/Cedar Sage habit; long, hairy, round stems lined with opposite; egg shaped leaves with rounded serrations, and terminal spikes of bright red flowers
Note; scarlet tube flowers in whorls from each node along the terminal spike
Note; paired, opposite, egg shaped leaves with rounded teeth along the margins
Note; leaves and stems emit a pleasant, but pungent smell when brushed or disturbed
Note; red tipped stamen protrude well beyond the flared lip, turned down at 90 degrees
Trail Trotter's Flower Guide 