Flower Shots

[Al]

Thanks guys, great shots!  . . . another Prickly Pear and beetles shot. 

Randall, is that a bug or what on your flower shot?



Jeff, the Prickly Pear blooms west of town are abundant here but this particular one gets a LOT of sun. 



Al

[Al]

With trusty list in hand, among other errands, my wife directed mua to get a couple of these hardy native Texas plants yesterday, independent of the recent flurry of trumpet flower photos:

http://bexar-tx.tamu.edu/HomeHort/F1Column/2006%20Articles/David'sPlantoftheWeek/SEPT3.htm

Kind of windy here tonight but with image stabilization I was able to take an OK shot or two:



Bonus Canna.



Al

[randell]

Randall, is that a bug or what on your flower shot?

Yup.

[Al]

Gotta love all them megapixals.  Great shot!

Al

[randell]

Here are some more from my memorial day trip:


Plains Blackfoot


Plains Fleabane


Yellow Spiny Daisy


Engelmann's Daisy


Prairie Coneflower/Mexican Hat


Soft Golden Aster


Spectacle Pod (because the leaves look like spectables)


Tansy Aster


Bindweed


White Prickly Poppy


Lemon Mint (this one smells like pledge and contains an oil from which citronellol can be obtained)

[fartymarty]

Far from Big Bend does anyone know what this is?  Looks like a trumpet but I'm used to seeing these as a vine . . .



Al

   Al, try doing a google image search on "Tabebuia caraiba - Silver Trumpet Tree" see what you think. It looks right to me, but you were there.
Going by the dimly lit truck and car below, that's a good sized flowering tree.

[Al]

FM, that appears to be an excellent guess.  Every thing appears right including the approximate zone in Florida.

http://hort.ufl.edu/trees/TABCARA.pdf

Here's a shot that shows more of the tree.



Al

[Al]

I think we should vote that Randall can't post any more flower shots . . . he's kicking us into the ground!  Flower stress like I've never imagined, until now . . . thanks Randall.

Al

[SA Bill]

This plant is all over S Texas, including BB.
   Bill

[SA Bill]

Ocotillo!
  Bill

[randell]

This plant is all over S Texas, including BB.
   Bill

Cool find!  It is the Antelope Horn (Asclepias asperula).  Very poisonous, yet they are used as a healing herb.  The genus name (Asclepias) is derived from Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine and healing. 

[SA Bill]

Thanks Randell!
I always want to say that it's "horse something", not that antelope horn makes any more sense to me.
  Bill

[Al]

SABill, incredible to catch that Antelope Horn at such a perfect time.  Dr. Randall, thanks for the ID and background.

Al

[Al]

Digging deep. Dr. Randall, what's this native Texas Plant?



Al

[randell]

Hey, I got a photo of one of those this past weekend as well!  I'm no doctor, I just look in one of my handy Texas Wildflower books. 


Silver-Leaf Nightshade (Solanum elaegnifolium)
The fruit of this plant, a berry that is dark yellow to almost black, was used by southwestern tribes in making cheese. The berries were also used to treat sore throat and toothache. Nightshade berries mixed with cream and applied to the skin have reportedly been used as a cure for the rash caused by poison ivy.