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Native Observations 2015

I've seen those beetles on your Blackfoot Daisy, but if I ever knew what they were, I've forgotten.  They almost look like some sort of Lady Beetle, but maybe too small. 
 
About to rain this afternoon.  Here are a few pics from last weekend and to tide over until I get a nicer camera, a slide show of dragonflies and damselfies from previous seasons.  Most of those from my daughter are from her new camera.
Indian paintbrush on misty morning  Castilleja indivisa

Texas Star  Lindheimera texana

Do not remember what this is.  Will find out later

Antelope Horns not quite blooming.  Asclepias asperula

Wildflower Research Center Native Plant sale

 
Odonata assortment;
http://s975.photobucket.com/user/marsrats/slideshow/Dragonflys/Odonata%20Assortment
 
Have a great evening!
 
Today's input;
 
Candle Cholla cactus in front of Coral Honeysuckle
 
 

Drummond's onion all about to bloom.  Allium drummondi

Firewheel and pollenator  Gaillardia pulchella

Can anyone help with this ID.  Moist lowland plant.  I have a pic of the seed head somewhere.  Somebody told me Poke and I just refuse to believe that.

Four Nerve Daisy  Tetraneuris linearifolia

 
Remember the Spittlebug - Froghopper post a page or two back?  Here is  what I believe to be an adult spittlebug.  Not as great of pics as I would like.  I now believe that there is a possible symbiotic relationship between the Eryngo plant and this Spittlebug.  At least it choses Nitogen fixing plants.  All five of my Eryngo plants have spittle sign.  Another link about the bug with a few interesting paragraphs starting around the 6th paragraph.
 
http://crawford.tardigrade.net/bugs/BugofMonth21.html
 


 
Have a good weekend!
 
Nice!  I went looking for shrooms.  It's still a little early so no luck.  Mostly white flowers now except for violets.  Trillium leaves are just starting.  Here are some shots.  BTW, that Lady Bird site has helped me ID....thanks.
 


Dicentra cucullaria  Dutchman's breeches and Mayapples


 
This one came out pretty good for a phone pic.

 

Mertensia virginica  Virginia bluebells   Crappy pic.
 
Nice photos, guys.
 
capsidadburn said:
Can anyone help with this ID.  Moist lowland plant.  I have a pic of the seed head somewhere.  Somebody told me Poke and I just refuse to believe that.
Click to expand...
Definitely not poke.  Maybe some species of Rumex?
 
Rairdog said:
This one came out pretty good for a phone pic.
Click to expand...
 
That is a good one.  Dutchman's Breeches is one I don't have in my collection.  Need to keep my eyes open next time out and about.
 
Thanks for the Rumex pointer John. That looks like a good possibility. When I narrow it down I will let you know.

Jim, that Dutchman's close up is really nice!
 
 
Edit; Looks like Rumex pulcher is a good fit. (Fiddle Dock) The seed shape and the form of the seed head match real well.  There are more red veins in mine but, that could just be anthocyanin tan.
 
Thanks John
 
capsidadburn said:
Edit; Looks like Rumex pulcher is a good fit. (Fiddle Dock) The seed shape and the form of the seed head match real well.  There are more red veins in mine but, that could just be anthocyanin tan.
Click to expand...
 
Could be.  I was thinking Rumex sanguineus  might be a possibility, based on the red veins alone, but according to plants.usda.gov, it's not found in Texas.  It's sold as an ornamental, so I guess it could have escaped cultivation in your area, if other considerations match.
 
Some of the newer leaves coming on now have the fiddle shape.  The early rosette did not have them.  I saw this in several of the R. pulcher images.  I think I saw a UK version of the one you mentioned that did look very close.  The R. pulcher is not listed at the Wildflower database but it is in my (*bible) and listed as introduced with a distribution of south east Texas and central Texas.
 
*Shinners & Mahler's Flora of North Central Texas  You can't tell from the pic but it is almost 3 1/2 inches thick.  A birthday present from my wife last year.
 

 
Thanks for digging for info!
 
A fiddle-shaped leaf probably cinches the ID.  Nice book.  Is that a D. meadia on the cover?  Mine are white, but I'd love to find a pink or lavender one.
 
Sawyer said:
A fiddle-shaped leaf probably cinches the ID.  Nice book.  Is that a D. meadia on the cover?  Mine are white, but I'd love to find a pink or lavender one.
Click to expand...
 
Agreed!  Below is an origional rosette leaf, not a new one as I stated above, just maturing into form.
 
Yes that is correct and if I find some other than white, I will let you know.  My D. meadia (Midland Shooting Star) has germinated but is very small and have concerns what I may or may not get this season.
 
 
Sawyer said:
The wikipedia entry on cultivation of Dodecatheon has some interesting info on speeding up the time to flowering.  I'm impressed you even got them to germinate.
Click to expand...
Thanks for this info John.  I will follow the suggestions.  The seeds were some of the earlier cold stratification that I did.  I have seen a big difference between doing the cold strat and not.  I think I still have 3 or 4 varieties in the fridge.  Some of the stuff recommended for 60 days is popping at 30 so I'm happy, I just should have started sooner.
 
Stands of Four-nerve Daisy are everywhere along the roads now.  I think these are T. scaposa which seem to be a little smaller than what I have at home Tetraneuris linearifolia which has very lazy 10 to 12 inch stems with skinny leaves at the  base.  The petals each have three tips and also have four veins visable on each side, hence the name.  I have yet to see these veins and get a pic of them.  I will keep looking though.



This Red tipped Photinia is across my back fence in all my neighbors yards.  It is a cuss word amongst Natve plant folk as an invasive.  The Red Admiral butterflies have loved this one for several years.  I think my east neighbors is 20 feet tall.  I have to trim it back off my side constantly.


 
Austin Invasives plant link;
https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Watershed/invasive/2013_Invasives_guide_small.pdf
Milkweed blooms coming soon.  This is a purchased plant while my germinated seeds are pushing 10 to 12 inches tall but very lanky.

 
We leave for College Station tommorrow after work.  Texas State Science Olympiad.  Will post some results pics after Sunday probably.
 
Later, Mike
 
We did not do very well at Olympiad this year.  Next year will be my sons last effort.
 
On the way home today from work I took a few roadside pics.  Also had a couple more ready to go up.
 
Four-Nerve Daisy front and back magnified pics.  The back shows the nerves well.
 


 
Four Lined Bug Poecilocapsus lineatus with link;
http://citybugs.tamu.edu/2010/05/21/tiny-bug-packs-a-big-bite/
 

Texas Dandelion Pyrrhopappus pauciflorus believe it or not I collected seeds from this.  I could not help myself!


Roadside Silverleaf Nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium

Mostly Firewheel, Some Sunflower, and Mexican Hat.

Male Common Whitetail Plathemis Lydia

 
All today, Thanks!
 
Too bad about the Olympiad.  Better luck next year.
 
Not all dandelions are evil, just the alien ones.  I see Pyrrhopappus pauciflorus is also called desert chicory.  I wonder if the roots can be roasted as a coffee substitute like regular chicory.
 
Beautiful shot of the nightshade.
 
Okay, I guess I'm still a little bleary-eyed today.  I had to enlarge the dragonfly image to realize what it was.  At first, I thought is was some sort of rock toad sticking its tongue out at you.
 
Sawyer said:
Too bad about the Olympiad.  Better luck next year.
 
Not all dandelions are evil, just the alien ones.  I see Pyrrhopappus pauciflorus is also called desert chicory.  I wonder if the roots can be roasted as a coffee substitute like regular chicory.
 
Beautiful shot of the nightshade.
 
Okay, I guess I'm still a little bleary-eyed today.  I had to enlarge the dragonfly image to realize what it was.  At first, I thought is was some sort of rock toad sticking its tongue out at you.
Click to expand...
Thanks John! May have to find out how that "desert chicory" root tastes!

All to familiar with the bleary eyes mornings!

Have a good one.
 
Hey Mike, I thought about you today when I caught this little dude chillin' on the 7 Pot Primo upper sun deck today. It's a far cry from the quality of your work, but I had to post it anyway:
 
anole_apr29.jpg
 
Continuing with the "drive home" roadside pics;  This nice Oak Hairstreak on White Mist Flower.  It is very similar to the Gray above but the difference is mainly in the connection of the two orange and black spots and not connected in the Gray.
Oak Hairstreak Satyrium favonius

White Mist Flower  Ageratina havenensis

Texas Prickly Pear Opuntia engelmannii var. lindheimeri and link;  I have a small shovel machete hacked slice of this at home that is close to blooming.  The pollen inside these flowers looked like it was dancing slowly with the amount of critters down in each flower.



 
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=OPENL
 
A nice stand of Mealy Blue Sage Salvia farinacea


My Gaillardia pulcher at home looks so much different than the wild stuff.

Gulf Coast Penstemon or Beardtongue Penstemon tenuis  The database plants appear to be taller and lanky.  Probably the difference between wild, and Nursery, "living the good life" plants

http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=PETE3
Leaf footed bug nymph on my Coreopsis bud.  Acanthocphala femorata

 
Have a great weekend!
 
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