Persimmon; Texas Persimmon

Persimmon; Texas Persimmon Diospyros texana Scheele;. This tall, somewhat ragged, deciduous tree has leaves that are thicker at the end than the stem (spatulate), arranged in an alternating pattern along this year’s twigs.  The heart-wood is dense and brown (unlike the black persimmon from further south in Texas), and takes a nice polish.  Young stems are smooth, but the bark on mature trunks is broken into corky cubes.  Small greenish white, cup-shaped flowers (no pix) erupt from this year’s leaf axils, forming round, orange, pulpy fruit up to 1” across with many flattened almond shaped seeds less than ½” long.  The fruit is sweet when it ripens, but contains more seeds than pulp.  The fruit that falls is eaten by possum and coyotes, but from the prevalence of the seeds in scat, most are eaten by raccoons.  Persimmons prefer deeper soils along streams in bottom lands.  (838-839) 17 no obs; 5/6/18; 5/11/19; 5/10/20;

Texas Persimmon habit; a tall, straight tree with dark grey, corky bark broken into cubes, bearing alternating spatulate leaves and fleshy flowers that convert to 1″ orange, pulpy fruit.

Note; grey bark is broken into corky cubes

Note; spatulate leaves arranged in an alternating pattern along new twigs.

Note; orangish, pulpy fruit about 1” in diameter, full of ¼” seeds.

Note; fall colors yellow to orange

Note; greenish, bell shaped flowers

Note; seeds prevalent in racoon scat

 

Buckeye; Texas Buckeye

Buckeye; Texas Buckeye Aesculus arguta Buckley;. A low-growing, shade loving, weak, crooked, deciduous, understory tree which grows in moist soils, bearing large (12-18”), soft, palmate leaves with a toothed margin. The hand-shaped leaves have up to 9 “fingers” with herring-bone veination radiating out from a central stem.  The light gray bark is soft and scaly looking.  Dense, terminal panicles sprouting from new shoots produce greenish white to yellowish bulb-shaped flowers, the pistol and filamentous stamen (topped with brown anthers) protruding beyond the petals.  Flowers convert to a dry, ball-like, prickly seed pods covered with dull spikes, containing 2 flattened lustrous, smooth seeds 5/8” to ¾” across.  Found only along creek beds in low lying areas. Stream-side portions of Big Tree Circuit and DORBA trails (678-679) 3/28-4/13/15; 3/21/17-4/7/17; 3/22/18-3/29/18; 3/25/20 – 4/1/20;

Texas Buckeye habit; a short, soft, deciduous understory tree with large, hand shaped leaves, each with up to 9 fingers, found locally only along stream beds

Note; the soft, scaly bark has random, corky knobs embedded in it.

Note; the large, palm shaped leaves have 7-9 narrow elliptical leaflets, each with toothed margins, all radiating from a common stem.

Note; terminal panicles of bulb shaped yellow-green flowers with protruding pistol and filamentous stamen, each tipped with brown anthers. Late March to early April

Note; the seed pod is a dry, round, brown pod with dull warty projections.

Sorrel, Violet Sorrel

Violet Sorrel Oxalis violacea. Growing from underground, nut like corms, this sorrel sends up long (6-8”), soft stems, each supporting one large, green or burgundy leaf with 3 squared off, triangular lobes 1.5” or more across.  The squared lobes droop, or tent around the stem.   The slender flower stalks arise from the base of leaves, sending up a single, dense, umbel cluster of deep, cup shaped flowers, white to light pink.  Mostly grown in flower gardens, O violacea tastes like ascorbic acid.  The burgundy leaves make a good addition to salads, or gardens.  Does not grow naturally on the ILC (298) 4/20/15-; 3/1/16; 2/18/17-?; 3/5/18; 2/25/19; 2/20/20;

Violet Sorrel habit; dense clumps of triangular, deep purple leaves that tent around the long stems, bearing umbels of white to pink flowers

Note; dense clumps of deep burgandy to purple leaves, divided into three triangular leaflets, with zonal mottling along the midrib

Note; dense umbels of deep, white to pink flowers, the 5 petals fusing into a tube marked by greenish base.

Note yellow pistols and stamen deep in the throat.

Sorrel, Lavender Sorrel

Lavender Sorrel Oxalis violacea.  Growing from nodules or corms up to 2” underground, the visible portions of this plant are large green, 3 lobed, drooping leaves and spikes of lavender tube flowers.  Leaves, 1” or more across, which are deeply cleft, each lobe looking like a green valentine, are born singly.  Unlike Wood Sorrel, which bears flowers singly, O violacea spikes bear umbels of pink-lavender flowers, each nearly ¾” across.  The small clusters (3-5), of deep, cup shaped flowers, ranging from white to light pink, are a shallow tube opening to a corolla of five whorled petals.  The pistols and stamen stay deep within the tube.  Mostly grown in flower gardens, where it spreads primarily by division of the corms.  The stems taste like vitamin C (ascorbic acid), making a good addition to salads. Although it is not native to the ILC it has escaped cultivation, now occurring along paths in the woods wherever the corms might have been dropped. (298) 4/20/15-; 3/1/16; 2/18/17- ; 3/5/18; 3/5/19; 3/28/20

Lavender Sorrel habit; Clumps of green, three lobed leaves rising from an underground corm, bearing sparse, umbel clusters of lavender tube flowers that open into a corolla of 5 petals

Note; the tube striped with deeper purple, yellow anthers contained deep within the tube.

Note; three lobed leaves, born singly on long stems, are divided into two lobes, like green valentines.

Snapdragon Vine

Snapdragon Vine Maurandia artirrhiniflora. A slender, shade loving, vining plant with small (3/4” – 1 ½ ”), light green, triangular, pointed leaves, that grows in dense masses, twining up plants.  At every leaf node a leaf and a filamentous flower stem sprout, alternating sides along the vine.  Lacking climbing tendrils, the stems of flowers and leaves curl around small objects for support.  Dark red to purple tube flower are born singly, opening to a corolla of 5 lobes, two which point up, three which point down, the middle “lip” being reduced.  The throat of the flowers is a light yellow, the stamen visible on the roof of the tube mouth, like a snap dragon flower.  Flowers are frequently visited by hummingbirds.  Flowers convert to small capsules, the hard, angular seeds sprouting readily. Locally uncommon, the largest plant is at the first junction of the SWk (248) 3/15/16-6/20/16; 3/11/17-4/25/17; 3/25/18; 4/7/19; 2/20/20

Snap Dragon Vine habit; a vining plant with triangular, pointed leaves, bearing lavender and white tube flowers.

Note; Two petals up, three petals point down, the middle one reduced

Note; triangular leaves with sharply pointed lobes, alternate along fibrous stems

Note; dense masses of vining stems drape surrounding vegetation

Note; purple and white tube flowers with a white to yellow throat unfold to a corolla of 5 petals

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

Sage, Scarlet Sage (Blood/Cedar Sage)

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