Another mystery solved

Texas queen's-delight

Another plant mystery solved, thanks to one resident expert with the Highland Lakes chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists–Jerry Stacy. I spotted this unusual plant at my parents' house last Sunday. Their home is north of Boerne in Kendall County. I was walking across the rocky land that grows free and saw this leggy thing. It had already bloomed so I couldn't figure it out. I emailed these photos to Jerry, and he wrote back "Queen's-delight." He's right!

Texas queen's delight (Stillingia texana) is in the Euphorbiaceae family, so it's related to snow-on-the-mountain and Texas bullnettle. It's a perennial herb, but I have no clue what it's "good for." According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the species is also called Texas toothleaf.