Lantana, Calico Lantana

Lantana; Calico Lantana Lantana urticoides/horrida. A native of central and south Texas, this deciduous, invasive plant quickly spreads onto poor, overgrazed, or disturbed soil.  A first generation succession plant, it can provide ground cover to reduce erosion, and can help stabilize leaf litter and add humus to the soil.  However, its leaves have a pungent smell, it stalks are lined with tiny, stiff, and sharp spines, and its juicy blue-black berries are poisonous to most animals, making it unpalatable to most livestock, hence the alternative species name, horrida.  Locally, Lantana is a deciduous perennial, but it cannot withstand severe freezes of northern clines.  Mildly fragrant, clustered flower heads begin as yellow, but turn lavender, purple, and red over time, hence the name ‘calico’.  Sphinx moths pollinate the flowers in the warm air of summer evenings, and several green orb spiders set up their webs for smaller fair that are attracted to the flowers.  Unlike many Texas natives which flower before leafing, Lantana blooms from new shoots that leaf out first.  The large, folded leaves, born in opposite pairs, have coarsely toothed margins.  DFW is in the extended range of Lantana, so while it will survive if planted and watered, it does not propagate locally, and so is restricted to gardens and flower beds.

Note; dense heads of 5 petal tube flowers begin as yellow, turning lavender with age.

Note; stiff, woody stems lined with ridges of small, stiff, sharp thorns

Note; days old flowers turn lavender with red centers around a nectar tube.

Note; bunches of juicy, blue black berries are strong smelling, and poison to most animals, though some birds eat them

Violet, Missouri Violet

Missouri Violet (Wood Violet) Viola missouriensis. The only violet native to the ILC, this herbaceous perennial sprouts a cluster of deeply notched, cordate (heart-shaped) to arrow-shaped leaves.  Each flower stem produces a single, short-lived flower composed of two upright, light blue sepals, two lower, deep violet-blue petals, and a central, modified petal called a lip that sports three or four darker purple streaks.  The petal is modified into a small opening leading to a short, rounded nectar tube, just large enough for insects to insert their tongues.  Flowers convert to thin seed capsules full of tiny, dust like seeds.  Blooming season lasts 2-3 weeks.  Locally it is found only in shaded areas along forested trails where there is deeper, moist soil, but occasionally in yards, where it tolerates mowing.  Only found in low areas of MK trace, CC, SWk (378) 3/15/15-4/7/15; 3/10/16-4/1/16; 2/22/17-4/5/17; 3/15/18-4/2/18;

Missouri Violet habit; clumps of lightly toothed, heart-shaped leaves with single blue and white flowers born on short stems.

Note; glossy, smooth, heart shaped leaves with a lightly toothed, rounded margins, born on slender stems 3-4”long

Note; two upright, lavender petals, two darker purple petals that point down, a central, purple lip petal streaked with dark purple

Vervain, Wright’s Vervain

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

 

Vervain, Blue Vervain

Blue (Tall) Vervain Verbena hastata.  A tall (1-3’), stringy, perennial with strongly upright, weakly branching, slightly grooved stems off of which leaves with deeply pinnate lobes are arranged in opposite pairs.  Sparse, tiny, blue, tube flowers bud directly off long terminal spikes, deeply enough embedded within shallow bracts so that no peduncle (stem) can be seen. The tube opens into a corolla of 5 petals, each cleft with a small wedge.  Although it tolerates full sun to partial shade, this plant is widely scattered in yards, as well as open fields, since it is tall enough to compete with other leggy plants.  Though tiny, flowers attract many butterflies.  PDU, CC and CA (372) 4/10/15; 4/18/16; 3/21/17- ; 4/22/18; 4/20/19; 3/25/20

Blue (tall) Vervain habit. Note; very leggy, branching plant with tall, erect, grooved stems, lined with very narrow, deeply pinnate leaves in opposite pairs, bearing terminal spikes of tiny blue tube flowers.

Note; tiny, blue tube flowers deeply embedded in smooth, terminal flower spikes.

Note; tube flowers open to a five lobed corolla, each petal with a wedge shaped cleft.

 

Texas Plume

Texas Plume (Standing Cedar) Ipomopsis rubra.  A biannual, the first year is spent as a low rosette of lacy, deeply cut compound pinnate, thread-like leaves.  The second year the tall (3-4’), pithy stem grows up out of the rosette, lined with increasingly smaller leaves, producing a spike like panicle of tubular, trumpet shaped, bright orange-red flowers with darker orange spots.  Unexpectedly, the 1” long by ½” wide flowers begin blooming from top down, small side branches producing dense clusters of orange flowers, .  Filamentous anthers and an even longer pistol protrude beyond the lip of the central nectar tube, which splits into five petals.  Seed capsules are tucked in the thread-like leaves, turning tan as they mature.  Plants grow readily from seed, especially in garden soil.  SWk. (312) 5/6/15-; 4/29/16-7/1/16; 4/22/17- ; 5/3/18; 5-6-19; 5/1/20

Texas Plume habit; a tall, pithy stalk lined with lacy, pinnate, thread like leaves culminating in a spike of bright orange red flowers, which begin opening from the top

Note; thread like, deeply cut, compound pinnate leaves arranged in a rotating spiral around the tall pithy stalk

Note; bright, orange-red, trumpet flowers opening up to a 5 petal corolla, with red specks on the petals.

Note; the 5 basal stamen, tipped with white anthers and a split pistol, originating within the nectar tube, protrude beyond the flower corolla.

Note; seed capsules embedded in lacy leaves turn tan when mature

Sundrop, Narrow-leaf Sundrop

Narrow-leaf Sundrop Oenothera fruticose.  A pithy, erect, if straggling plant with very narrow, toothed, strap-like leaves arranged around the tough, reddish stems in a spiral.  The leaves lack petioles but do not clasp the stems.  Leaves of the similar Drummond’s Sundrop, Calyophus drummondianus, are nearly twice as wide. The elongated buds unfurl as they open into a showy flower with four somewhat narrow, crape like petals surrounding a prominent nectar tube that leads to the ovary.  The 1” bright yellow flowers have a prominent three lobed stigma on an elongated pistol, and 8 shorter, light yellow anthers.  The 3/4 ” seed capsules are dowel-like. Chalk flats along roads (158) 5/8/15-6/1/15; 5/10/16; 4/14/17- ; 4/25/18; 19 no obs; 5/5/20

Narrowleaf Sundrop habit; clumps of pithy, reddish stems with very narrow, sharply toothed, strap-like leaves, bearing bright yellow flowers

Note; bright yellow flowers with four, narrow petals arranged around a nectar tube.

Note; elongated pistols and stamen from the rim of the nectar tube

Note; clumps of pithy, reddish stems lined with very narrow, toothed, strap like leaves

Note; reddish, dowel like seed capsules

 

Snake Herb, Oblong Leaf Snake-Herb

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

Skullcap, Egg-leaf Skullcap

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

Skullcap, Drummond’s Skullcap

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

Sage, Texas Sage

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