Still no rain today. 🙁 Unless you count the few drops that fell. Fingers crossed for the chances forecasted this week.
The creek post continues now.
Tick-clover (Desmodium) were plentiful along the bank.
Indeed an awesome looking Flatsedge (Cyperus)!
Wow rain drops. Not many but what a surprise. Furthermore it was the nice breeze that came that was most welcome!
At this point we looked up to see where the drops had come from. Weird. We could not see the rain cloud.
Assassin bug (Apiomerus) nymph on Smartweed.
A stand of Sycamore trees!
The Bladderpods (Sesbania vesicaria syn Glottidium vesicarium) were fairly tall. In fact several feet taller than us.
The flowers are a beautiful orangey yellow!
Members of the Fabaceae (Legumes) family of course have bean pods. The Sesbaria’s pods are taper at both ends. Two beans are the usual per pod. However some can have more or less. After the pods dry out you can rattle the bean pod. I have done that in the late fall/winter. The Zarucco Duskywing (Erynnis zarucco) will use this as a host plant. However not many have been recorded in Texas. Additionally BugGuide said they were difficult to separate from Wild Indigo Duskywing and Horace’s Duskywing. That day I did see a Duskywing. I wonder?
I did not grow up in Texas. So Sesbania was new to me when I moved here. Hence I did not know about this fun trick that Jeanne was about to show.
Choose carefully. Not all of them pop. Look for those that are more inflated.
I just loved the POP! Now I have even more of an appreciation for this plant as a source of entertainment. LOL Thank you Jeanne!
I love S. vesicaria flowers. So pretty! Glad the pods are entertaining too!
Hmmm, squeezing bladderpods and you felt drips of “rain” with no clouds. Hmmm.
😄😄😄😄Kathy. I bet youre right.
I didn’t know about Sesbania. It’s neat!