Plants




Bigtooth Maple in fall color


I guess this is the non-critter, critter page.
We'll start with a common wildflower list, with a
few photos, and a starter tree list follows that.  :)
(Close this window to return to main critters page)





The Common Flowers of Utopia and vicinity

This is not intended to be a complete listing, but
instead a list of the most common, obvious, easy
to find and identify types of flowering plants found here.
These are species a bumbling, begrudging botanist (moi)
was able to find, ID, and photograph, almost by accident.

Many species have gone un-identified as of yet, alas,
including some common (small, white & yellow) ones.
Eventually we hope to get the matching set of photos
of them up here too.  Meanwhile you can google
the names if you want to see pictures of them, other
than a dozen plus we included to show how diverse,
beautiful, and amazing, some of them are.  :)
For the most part, at least this list could help narrow
your search.



Eryngo - your plants are probably green and leafy?
(there is a flower closeup below)


The list below is composed of first the formal family name,
followed by the English (common) name for that family.
Then the members of that family below each family heading.
The larger family of composites is broken down into tribes
for ease of understanding relationships.

Only those species found growing in a natural wild state
are included. Many other hill country species are at
the library garden and other cultivated situations,
but they cannot be considered natural wild occurrences.
Though, widespread established non-native species are
included if found in a "natural" situation, such as say
Spearmint along a creek.

My primary identification reference has been
Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country,
by Marshall Enquist, 1987. It doesn't cover
everything here, but the overwhelming majority
is there, and it is the single best inexpensive
flower field guide for the local area here.
I highly recommend it. Lost Maples HQ has it.

There is some appendix type info at the end of this
list, some Uvalde area additions, and the start of a
preliminary local native tree list.

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The Utopia area common wildflower list

The 150 or so most obvious or easy to find or ID
flowers around the Utopia area and vicinity.
Partially illustrated with a few photos.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


False (or Erect) Dayflower


Commelinaceae - Spiderwort family
False (Erect) Day Flower - Commelina erecta
Widow's Tears - Commelinantia anomala

Liliaceae - Lily family
Crow-Poison - Nothoscordum bivalve
Wild Onion - Allium canadense
Wild Garlic - Allium Drummondii
Twist-leaf Yucca - Yucca rupicola
Straight leaf Yucca sps. - Y. sps.?
Red-flowered Yucca - Hesperaloe parviflora

Amaryllidaceae - Amaryllis family
Rain-Lily - Cooperia pedunculata

Iridaceae - Iris family
Blue-eyed Grass - Sisyrinchuim ensigerum
Celestials - Nemastylis geminiflora



Blue-eyed Grass (an Iris)


Orchidaceae - Orchid family
Chatterbox Orchid - Epipactis gigantea (Lost Maples)
(aka Giant Hellebore) (also at Big Springs, Real Co.)

Bromeliaceae - Pineapple and airplant family
Ballmoss - Tillandsia recurvata

Nymphaeaceae - Cow Lily family
Yellow Pond (Water) Lily - Nuphar lutea

Nyctaginaceae - Four-O'Clock family
Scarlet Musk-Flower - Nyctaginia capitata
(picture last item at very bottom of this page)
Angel's Trumpets - Acleisanthes longiflora

Ranunculaceae - Buttercup family
Prairie Larkspur - Delphinium carolinianum ssp vimineum
(blue at Lost Maples, I know of only one plant)
Old Man's Beard - Clematis Drummondii
Scarlet Leatherflower - Clematis texensis
(Purple Leatherflower (C.pitcheri) Big Springs, Real Co.)



Scarlet Clematis, aka Vaseflower and Leatherflower
(the round leaves are the Clematis)




Larkspur (Delphinium)

Berberidaceae - Barberry family
Agarita (Texas Holly) - Berberis trifoliolata

Lauraceae - Laurel family
Spicebush - Lindera Benzoin

Papaveraceae - Poppy family
White Prickly Poppy - Argemone albiflora

Cruciferae - Mustard family
Tansy-Mustard - Descurainia pinnata

Capparidaceae - Caper family
Clammy-Weed - Polanisia dodecandra

Crassulaceae - Stonecrop family
Yellow Stonecrop - Sedum Nuttallianum

Saxifragaceae - Saxifrage family
Canyon Mock-Orange - Philadelphus texensis (Lost Maples)



Canyon Mock-orange


Rosaceae - Rose family
Dewberry - Rubus trivialis
Escarpment Black Cherry - Prunus serotina var. eximia

Leguminosae - Legume family
Huisache - Acacia Rarnesiana
Catclaw Acacia - Acacia Roemeriana
Illinois Bundleflower - Desmanthus illinoensis
Texas Redbud - Cercis canadensis var. texensis
Two-Leaved Senna - Cassia Roemeriana
Lindheimer's Senna - Cassia Lindheimeri
Honey Mesquite - Prosopis glandulosa
Texas Mountain Laurel (Mescalbean) - Sophora secundiflora
Texas Bluebonnet - Lupinus texensis
Scarlet Pea - Indigofera miniata
Kidney Wood - Eysenhardtia texana
Black Dalea - Dalea frutescens

Oxalidaceae - Wood-Sorrel family
Wood-Sorrel - Oxalis Drummondii
Yellow Wood-Sorrel - Oxalis Dillenii

Linaceae - Flax family
Rock Flax - Linum rupestre

Rutaceae - Citrus family
Dutchman's Breeches - Thamnosa texana

Malpighiaceae - Malpighia family
Narrow-leaf Thyrallis - Thyrallis augustifolia



Narrow-leaf Thyrallis


Polygalaceae - Milkwort family
Purple Milkwort - Polygala Lindheimeri

Euphorbiaceae - Spurge family
Three-Seeded Mercury - Acalypha Lindheimeri
Queen's Delight - Stillingia texana
Snow-On-The-Mountain - Euphorbia marginata

Hippocastanaceae - Buckeye family
Yellow (red here) Buckeye - Aesculus Pavia var. flavescens

Sapindaceae - Soap-Berry family
Mexican Buckeye - Ungnadia speciosa
Bigtooth Maple - Acer grandidentatum

Anacardiaceae - Pistachio family
Prairie Flameleaf Sumac - Rhus lanceolata
Poison Oak - Rhus toxicodendron
Evergreen Sumac - Rhus virens

Vitaceae - Grape family
Virginia Creeper - Parthenoscissus quinquefolia
a wild grape sps. - Vitis sps.

Malvaceae - Mallow family
Turk's Cap - Malvaviscus arboreus var. Drummondii
Sida - Sida filicaulis
Velvet-Leaf Mallow - Wissadula holosericea

Cactaceae - Cactus family
Prickly Pear - Opuntia macrorhiza
Lace Cactus - Echinocereus Reichenbachii
Nipple Cactus - Coryphantha (Mammilaria) sulcata




Lace Cactus (L) and Nipple Cactus (R)


Onagraceae - Evening Primrose family
Limestone Gaura - Gaura calcicola
Stemless Evening Primrose - Oenothera triloba
Water Primrose - Ludwigia octovalvis

Umbelliferae - Parsley family
Prairie Bishop's-Weed - Bifora americana
Water-Pennywort - Hydrocotyle umbellata
Hedge-Parsley (Beggar's Ticks) - Torilis arvensis
Eryngo - Eryngium Leavenworthii




Eryngo



Sycamore-leaf Snow Bell


Ericaceae - Heath family
Texas Madrone - Arbutus xalapensis

Styracaceae - Storax family
Sycamore-Leaf Snow Bell - Styrax platanifolia

Gentianaceae - Gentian family
Mountain Pink - Centaurium Beyrichii
(picture below before tree list)

Asclepiadaceae - Milkweed family
Antelope-Horns - Asclepias asperula

Convolvulaceae - Morning Glory family
White Evolvulus - Evolvulus sericeus
Silky Evolvulus - Evolvulus Nuttallianus
Texas Bindweed - Convolvulus equitans
Lindheimer's Morning Glory - Ipomoea Lindheimeri
Purple Bindweed - Ipomoea trichocarpa
Alamo Vine - Ipomoea sinuata
Wild Potatoe - Ipomoea pandurata



Texas Bindweed


Polemoniaceae - Phlox family
Blue Gilia - Gilia rigidula

Hydrophyllaceae - Waterleaf family
Blue-Curls - Phacelia congesta

Boraginaceae - Borage family
White Heliotrope - Heliotropium tenellum

Verbenaceae - Verbena family
Texas Vervain - Verbena Halei
Gray Vervain - Verbena canescens
Dakota Vervain - Verbena bipinnatifida
Texas Lantana - Lantana horrida
Frog-Fruit - Phyla incisa

Labiatae - Mint family
Drummond's Skullcap - Scutellaria Drummondii
Prairie Brazoria - Brazoria scutellaroides
Shrubby Blue Sage (Mejorana) - Salvia ballotaeflora
Cedar Sage - Salvia Roemeriana
Tropical Sage - Salvia coccinea
Mealy Sage - Salvia farinacea
Lemon Beebalm - Monarda citriodora
Common Horehound - Marrubium vulgare
Spearmint - Mentha spicata
Mock Pennyroyal - Hedeoma Drummondii

Solanaceae - Nightshade family
Yellow Ground Cherry - Physalis viscosa var. cinarescens
Western Horse Nettle - Solanum dimidiatum
Buffalo Bur - Solanum rostratum
Jimson-Weed - Datura inoxia

Scrophulariaceae - Figwort family
Purple Sage (Cenizo) - Leucophyllum frutescens
Scarlet Penstemon - Penstemon triflorus
Snapdragon Vine - Maurandya antirrhiniflora
Plateau Agalinis - Agalinis edwardsiana
Prairie Paintbrush - Castilleja purpurea var. lindheimeri (orange)



Snapdragon Vine



Plateau Agalinis (with Giant White butterfly)


Caprifoliaceae - Honeysuckle family
White Bush-Honeysuckle - Lonicera albiflora (?)

Acanthaceae - Acanthus family
Low Wild Petunia - Ruellia humilis
Tube-Tongue- Siphonoglossa pilosella
American Water-Willow - Justicia americana
Flame Acanthus - Anisacanthus Wrightii (Seco Creek)

Rubiaceae - Madder family
Baby's Breath (Bluets) - Hedyotis nigricans
Buttonbush - Cephalanthus occidentalis

Cucurbitaceae - Gourd family
Buffalo (Stinking) Gourd - Cucurbita foetidissima
Balsam-Gourd (Snake-Apple) - Ibervillea Lindheimeri

Campanulaceae - Bluebell family
Cardinal Flower (Fireweed) - Lobelia Cardinalis



Buttonbush, with Celia's Roadside-Skipper (R)
and Crab Spider (front center) waiting for it.



Wooly Ironweed


Compositae - Sunflower family
broken down into tribes

tribe Vernonieae
Wooly Ironweed - Vernonia Lindheimeri

tribe Eupatorieae
Gay-feather (Blazing Star) - Liatris mucronata
Brickell-Bush - Brickellia cylindraceae
Blue Mist-Flower - Eupatorium coelestinum
White Boneset - Eupatorium serotinum
Thoroughwort - Eupatorium havanense

tribe Astereae
Roosevelt (Poverty) Weed - Baccharis neglecta
Rabbit-Tobacco - Evax (prolifera or verna)
(they chew, not smoke it)
Broomweed - Xanthocephalum dracunculoides
Tall Goldenrod - Solidago saltissima
Prairie Fleabane - Erigeron modestus

tribe Inuleae
Marsh Fleabane - Pluchea purpurascens

tribe Heliantheae
Black-Foot Daisy - Melampodium leucanthum
Texas Green-Eyes - Berlandiera texana
Engelmann Daisy - Engelmannia pinnatifida
Nerve-Ray - Tetragonotheca texana
Mexican Hat - Ratibida columnaris
Maximilian Sunflower - Helianthus Maximiliani
Common Sunflower - Helianthus annuus
Bush Sunflower - Simsia calva
Zexmenia - Zexmenia hispida
Frostweed- Verbesina virginica
Cowpen Daisy - Verbesina encelioides
Golden-Wave - Coreopsis sp. (basalis or tinctoria)
Navajo Tea - Thelesperma simplicifolium
Greenthread - Thelesperma filifolium
Straggler Daisy - Calyptocarpus vialis

tribe Helenieae
Indian Blanket - Gaillardia pulchella
Pincushion Daisy - Gaillardia suavis
Rock Daisy - Perityle Lindheimeri
Slender-Stem Bitterweed - Hymenoxys scaposa
Parralena - Dyssodia pentachaeta
Damianita - Chrysactina mexicana
Palafoxia - Palafoxia callosa

tribe Cynareae
Basket-Flower - Centaurea americana
Texas Thistle - Cirsium texanum

tribe Mutisieae
Silver Puff - Chaptalia nutans

tribe Cichorieae
White Rock-Lettuce - Pinaropappus roseus
Texas Dandelion - Pyrrhopappus multicaulis
Skeleton Plant - Lygodesmia texana
Sow-Thistle - Sonchus sps.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Many many scores more types are present that
I simply haven't seen or identified yet.
I have dozens in photos I have yet to ID.
Many flowers are in the butterfly photos pages,
though some may be partly obscured sometimes.



Mountain Pink

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
things to add:
an Aster (white?)
some type of currant
some thistles
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Uvalde area additions
Polygonaceae
Pink Smartweed - Periscaria bicornis
Nyctaginaceae
Scarlet Spiderling - Boerhaavia coccinea
Leguminosae
Sensitive Briar - Schrankia sp.
Retama - Parkinsonia aculeata
Malvaceae
Winecup - Callirhoe involucrata
Loasaceae
Stinging Cevallia - Cevallia sinuata
Cactaceae -
Tasajillo - Opuntia leptocaulis
Solanaceae
Silver-Leaf Nightshade - Solanum elaeagnifolium

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~





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TREES

a starter preliminary native tree list

Bald Cypress - Taxodium distichum
Ashe Juniper - Juniperus ashei
Pecan - Carya illinoensis
Arizona Walnut - Juglans major
Spanish (Buckley) Oak - Quercus buckleyi
Plateau Live Oak - Quercus fusiformis
Lacey (aka Blue) Oak - Quercus laceyi
Plateau Chinkapin Oak - Quercus muhlenbergii
Shin Oak - Quercus sinuata
Post Oak - Quercus stellata
Sugarberry (Hackberry) - Celtis laevigata
Cedar Elm - Ulmus crassifolia
Escarpment Black Cherry - Prunus serotina ssp.eximia
Texas Persimmon - Diospyros texana
Bigtooth Maple - Acer grandidentatum
Texas Madrone - Arbutus xalapensis
Western Sycamore - Platanus occidentalis
Huisache - Acacia smalli
Texas Redbud - Cercis canadensis var. texensis
Honey Mesquite - Prosopis glandulosa
Catclaw Acacia - Acacia roemeriana




Maples in fall colors


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~




Scarlet Musk-flower


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