Better late than never

I photographed this plant in our Meadow beneath the live oaks on April 17, 2012, but didn't post the pictures because I didn't know the species. Now I do: starhair groundcherry (Physalis viscosa) in the Solanaceae family.

From the same day...Slender false pennyroyal (Hedeoma acinoides).

Shrubby copperleaf, also called three-seeded mercury, (Acalypha phleoides)

Bromeliad blooming again

The bromeliad that our neighbor Jerri gave us as a wedding gift in May 2006 is blooming grandly again! Isn't it just beautiful?

This and that

Photographed in our Meadow....

White heliotrope (Heliotropium tenellum)

Seed pod of purple milkweed vine (Matelea biflora)

More cool pods

Coastal indigo (Indiogera miniata)

Sida (Sida filicaulis)

Prairie tea (Croton monanthogynus)...thanks, Jerry Stacy, for the ID!

Prairie tea

Jerry proposed a Diodia sp. It was TINY! (Maybe Diadia teres?)

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. 

Stock tank update

Just thought I'd share a photo today of our stock tank pond. (I got up on a ladder for the shots.) If you look at the side of the rock nearest the pond edge, you'll see some of my gambusias swimming past. We've had children in the past few weeks, and I spotted some finally this week. I'm sure they hide in the vegetation until they get past eating size by the adults. Our little pond has inspired Martha D. in McGregor and Kathy A. in Corpus Christi to make their own!

Nature Nights at the Wildflower Center

Last night, we drove over to Austin and attended Nature Night at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. The free Thursday events run through July 26. Last night's theme was "The Power of Plants." We got there early so we walked the trails for awhile....

Bluebonnets blooming in JULY! Can you believe it? We found these growing in a test plot on the Restoration Research Trail.

We spotted several eastern cottontails along the John Barr Trail. This one let me get fairly close for a photograph.

This one, on the other hand, tried to hide.

At Nature Night, we met Commander Ben, the Invasive Hunter. He was on hand to teach kids about the danger of invasive plants in our habitats. He is one cool young man!
 (And thank YOU, Benjamin, for the nice mention and photo of us on your blog!)

At other booths, kids made more nature-related crafts.

In the center's pond, a resident red-eared slider ignores nosy photographers. Like me.

My article in Reverchon Naturalist

During our Master Naturalist training, I met Ricky Linex, a wildlife biologist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Weatherford. He told me about Malta star-thistle, a wicked invasive that I later realized was growing in our Meadow! After sharing some e-mails back and forth about the species, he later asked me to write an article on my misadventures for the online newsletter called Reverchon Naturalist. 

I just happened to remember to check and see if my article's come out yet. Yep–it sure has! To read "Malta star-thistle: Every Master Naturalist's Nightmare and Yours, Too," go to this link, then click on May/June 2012, Issue No. 15.