Johnny-Jump-Up (Wild Pansy) Viola tricolor

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

Rose of Sharon Hibiscus

Rose of Sharon Hibiscus; Habiscus syriacus.  Several hibiscus are cold hardy enough to tolerate Dallas’ weather.  H syriacus is originally from southern China, but was collected from Syrian gardens, hence the species name.  Although it will not propagate locally, this medium sized, pink to lavender hibiscus is locally perennial, adding a dash of color during summer months.  The tough, slightly rough, narrow, but miltilobed leaves alternate along woody stems, sprouting again from leaf nodes in late spring.  The five lavender to soft pink, or even blue petals have a darker basal spot where they connect to the long pistol, which like other hibiscus, sprouts short stamen tipped with white anthers toward the tip.  The ovaries ripen into dry capsules that crack into 5 sections, allowing the seeds to disperse.  Although it can tolerate full sun, this hibiscus does best where the afternoon sun is dappled by shade trees, but it will not do well in dense shade.  Mature “trees” have several erect, somewhat leggy, weakly branching ‘trunks’.

Note; a weakly branching, erect, woody tree like bush with narrow, deeply lobed, rough, alternating leaves, producing pink to lavender flowers with a darker basal spot.

Note; alternating leaves with somewhat narrow, deeply cut leaves.

Laurel; Texas Sophora

Laurel; Texas Sophora/Eve’s Necklace Sophora affinis Torr; This leggy, woody, vining, deciduous tree, common on the ILC, has dark red heartwood and yellow sapwood, and long stems lined with opposite leaves alternating at long intervals.  Preferring limestone and chalk outcroppings, it often faces west, into the hottest summer sun.  Older trunks are a light grey, but younger, vining branches are streaked with green, climbing into the crowns of other trees for support.  Small clusters of light lavender to pink or white, slightly hairy flowers hang from leggy, axillary stems, and though attractive, have little fragrance.  The long (up to 10”), thin seed pods are black, slightly curved, and deeply constricted between seeds, giving them a “necklace” appearance. Though not as toxic as Mountain Laurel, Eve’s Necklace also contains high levels of mescal. (570-571) 4/16/15 – 4/27/15; 3/30/16 – 4/13/16; 3/30/17 – 4/14/17; 18 no obs; 4/16/19; 4/12/20 – 5/1/20;

Texas Sophora habit; a leggy, deciduous, woody, vining tree with rough, shallowly furrowed bark and long shoots, that climbs into the upper story of other trees, bearing loose pinnate leaves and axillary panicles of light lavender and purple flowers

Note; new, green shoots are very long and thin, budding widely spaced pinnate leaves with broadly oval leaflets, in an alternating spiral

Note; loose hanging panicles of small lavender and yellow, pea like flowers bud from axils of new growth

Note; hanging, axillary panicles of light lavender, pea like flowers with a yellow basal spot on the banner petal, open in slow succession

 

Yucca, Torrey Yucca

Torrey Yucca Yucca torreyi.  Rising from a fibrous corm, which divides both under the ground and above, this member of the Amaryllis family first forms a flattened, untidy rosette of narrow, fibrous, lance-like leaves, up to 12” long.  The pithy flower stem can grow very tall, branching to form a complex spray, unlike Y pallida, which remains as an unbranched spike, bearing flowers 2-4” across that, unusual for yucca, open fully and face outward, rather than drooping.  Each flower has 6 identical, elliptical petals arranged around a fleshy pistol, and 6 narrow stamen with a conspicuous, outward crook.  The narrow pods are more bean like than the peanut shaped pods of Y pallida.  Y torreyi is more common in drier parts of West Texas, but a few are attested in the ILC area.  Amerinds once used the fibrous leaves for cordage, after scraping the thin layer of pulp off, ate the corms and young flower stalks, and used to saponin laced corm to create a sudsing soap to bathe, or wash their hair in.  (55)  5/10/15-5/25/15; 5/1/18-5/20/18; 5/5/19; 5/1/20 – 5/15/20;

Torrey Yucca habit; growing from a thick, fibrous corm, from which sprout multiple trunk like stems, this yucca forms an untidy rosette of narrow, fibrous, lance like leaves which produce a thin, branching flower panicle bearing large, cream flowers that open fully

Note; Torrey’s Yucca is more slender and taller than Pale Yucca, and the fibrous leaves less tidy looking

Note; the large, cream flowers open fully, the 6 petals broader than the sepals, all surrounding a fleshy pistol and 6 slender stamen

Note; Torrey’s flowers are more slender, more upright, and open wider than Pale Yucca flowers

Woolyleaf, Pringle’s Woolyleaf

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

Watervine

Watervine (identification unknown).  

This vine has only been observed blooming along stream beds, marshy areas, or lake shores, but so far has eluded identification. The Medium sized (2-3”) leaves are strongly triangular with angular protuberances that curl around the stem, giving them a heart shaped profile, otherwise the leaf margins are smooth and untoothed.  Leaves are arranged alternately along the thin, fibrous vine, which twine up into the branches of low vegetation along streams.  Otherwise, the vine lacks any climbing mechanism.  Dense compound umbels of very fragrant, white flowers bloom in late August to September, most intensely fragrant in the afternoons and evening. Big Tree Circuit (Not in Books) 9/1/18; 19 not recrd;

Watervine habit; a vining plant with long fibrous stems, that lacking climbing tendrils, twines itself through surrounding vegetation, the strongly triangular, heart-shaped leaves born alternately

Note; dense compound umbels of fragrant, white flowers are born on peduncles 3-4″ long

Note; strongly triangular, heart shaped leaves with a prominent drip tip, are arranged along the fibrous, twining stems in an alternating pattern

Note; dense compound umbels of white flowers are born on stems 3-4″ long from the axils of leaves

 

Winecups

Winecups (Purple Poppymallow) Callirhoe involucrate. A low, pithy perennial with deeply cleft, narrow, palmate leaves arranged along the creeping stems in an alternating spiral.  The plant freezes back every winter, but buds anew from a deeply rooted tap-root, growing out in a multi-branched radial pattern.  The plant is inconspicuous until the flowers open, the bright red catching the eyes, even from a distance.  Chalice-like, deep burgundy-red flowers up to 1.5” across are born singly on long (4”) upright stems arising from leaf axils, the petals becoming white toward the center. Curly stamens sprout from the sides of a central pistol, with curled, filament like stigma, like other mallows.  Seed capsules are a round, wheel-like structure framed by the stiff bud sepals. Intolerant of shade, Winecups are found scattered widely in open country, even lawns, where their stems grow out over surrounding vegetation. (238) 4/10/15-; 3/20/16-6/6/16; 3/21/17- ; 4/22/18; 4/3/19; 4/11/20;

Winecups habit; stiff sprawling plant of open grassy areas, with palmate leaves and deep burgundy flowers born on long, slender stems

Note; five fingered, palmate leaves with narrow, deeply cut lobes held aloft on long, smooth stems bud off the main stem in an alternating spiral

Note; open, loose spikes of flowers bud off of leaf axils, each flower born aloft on long, smooth stems

Note; the five stiff sepals crack open, allowing the burgundy petals to unfurl.

Note; single born, chalice like 5 petal, rose-purple flowers, fading to white in the center

Note; curly stamens tipped with orange to yellow anthers bud directly off the central pistol, like other mallows

Note; hard, round wheel like seed capsule framed by the 5 stiff sepals

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.

 

Venus’ Looking Glass

Clasping Venus’ Looking Glass Triodanis perfoliata. The lower, alternately spaced, coarsely toothed leaves of this weakly upright, soft-stemmed plant do not have a petiole, or stem, but clasp the slightly grooved stalk, giving the plant its descriptive name.  Stems rarely branch, the plant consisting of increasingly long stems which eventually fall over.  Bright blue flowers are born singly from the cup of each leaf, each consisting of five elliptical petals with 3 linear veins.  Flowers open in slow succession from bottom to top.  Petals surround a green pistol and 5 purple stamen. Common in open to slightly shaded portions of PDU, CA, CC and DORBA (370) 4/22/15-5/20/15; 4/20/16-6/1/16; 4/20/17- ; 5/25/18, 5/4/19; 4/24/20 – 5/25/20;

Venus’ Looking Glass habit; long, soft stems with alternating leaves which clasp the ribbed stems, bearing bright blue, singly born flowers

Note; clasping leaves are arranged in an alternating spiral around the stems

Note; Blue flowers with 5 petals, streaked with darker blue veins, surround a central pistol surrounded by 5 basal stamen, each tipped with white anthers

Note; flowers are born singly on short peduncles from leaf axils

Note; heart shaped, coarsely toothed leaves have no petioles,  but clasping the grooved stem