After the magical time in the ravine, we head back to the barrens towards our cars.
Our first find and a new location was the Hall’s Dalea (Dalea hallii)! This Dalea with its yellow and red flowers are surprisingly hard to spot in the grasses and soil. Of course, it did not escape Jeanne’s sharp eyes. And this was the only one we found that was still blooming! Way to go Jeanne!As we moved on to the top, Skeleton Plants were still blooming! Always a fun plant to find! Wildflower.org says this, “Skeleton plant gains its common name from its minimal foliage. What leaves it does have are so unobtrusive as to make the stems appear bony and twiggy.” Certainly this big rock was moved here as it is out of place. No doubt placed here to block vehicles.Never the less, the rock has many cool fossils embedded in it. Like this crinoid!More fossils from the same rock above.On the side of rock was this nest/casing! So no idea what insect made it. However I think it was a tiny fairy mason since the pebbles were glued together so nicely. LOLAs a result of the recent rain, rain lilies are still going!Eryngo (Eryngium leavenworthii) is a super plant! However it is a bit pointy to the touch but you can’t beat the color. These berries won’t be here much longer. This is the White Honeysuckle (Lonicera albiflora) which is native to North Texas!In this case, there are four berries clustered together. However, there was up to six in a cluster.Greenthread (Thelesperma filifolium)!Circle the wagons! The Prickly Pear cactus (Opuntia) was in this unusual arrangement.Lastly, here is a tiny plant that I had been ignoring. Oh well, I do that sometimes. And it is new to the grasslands list! It is the Shaggy Portulaca (Portulaca pilosa)! The flower thrives in the limestone barrens.It is a very tiny flower measuring in at two to three millimeters across!
I love the fairy mason and youre right. The rocks are so well placed it has to be a master mason. The eryngo colors are wonderful.
Eryngo is a fall plant I always look forward to!
Love me some barrens! Thanks for sharing the great photos.
Thank you!
The portulaca looks so much like the domestic cousin moss rose I grow!