Plume Thistle (Cirsium spp.); Fern Bluff Park, Round Rock, Texas

Plume Thistle (Cirsium spp.); lateral view of inflorescence, Fern Bluff Park Round Rock Texas

Within the Aster family, several genre of perennial flowering plants are commonly known as thistles. Among these is the genus Cirsium, which contains those most accurately referred to as plume thistles.

The plume thistles are distinguished from other thistle genre by having feathered [...]

Purple Milkweed Vine (Matelea biflora), Fern Bluff Park, Round Rock, Texas

Purple Milkweed Vine (Matelea biflora), Fern Bluff Park, Round Rock, Texas

The Purple Milkweed Vine (Matelea biflora) is rather common in its native habitat of the south central U.S. (Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico). However–because it is not showy–the species is more often missed than noticed by wildflower enthusiasts.

Indeed, most books on wildflowers omit mention [...]

Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis): Fern Bluff Park, Round Rock.

Scarlet Pimpernel Inflorescence with Leaves, Stem, Bud; Fern Bluff Park, Round Rock, Texas

Every walk I took in the Fern Bluff park in Round Rock, Texas, during 2007, began with parking on Park Valley Drive, next to the toddler playground. While on one of those walks, meandering between the curb and the playground, this pretty [...]

Mountain Pink (Zeltnera beyrichii), Linda C., Southwest Austin, 2005

Mountain Pink Zeltnera beyrichii Linda C Southwest Austin 06162005 1249pm

Linda had written me concerning a snake in her yard, but because she could not supply a photo it was not possible to be very helpful to her. We discussed the fine art of photography, and she admitted to being an erstwhile photog of [...]