Rembrandt comes to central Texas

Seed head of a Texas thistle, Cirsium texanum; click to enlarge.

Yes, here’s a Rembrandtesque view of a Texas thistle drying out and coming apart, which it must do to accomplish its purpose of disseminating seeds. As pretty as a thistle flower head can be when it’s fresh, it has a different appeal—but still an appeal, even if chaotic—when it’s drying out. Shown here is a Texas thistle, Cirsium texanum, that had already advanced to that stage on the Brushy Creek Regional Trail in Williamson County in mid-May of this year.

© 2011 Steven Schwartzman