Partridge pea
Click for greater clarity.
Yes, partridge pea, Chamaecrista fasciculata, making its first appearance in this blog alongside the now-familiar Liatris mucronata, known as gayfeather or blazing-star. Whether partridges eat the peas produced by this member of the bean family, I don’t know. I do know that I took this picture on August 9 just east of Interstate 35 on the prairie in northeast Austin.
© 2012 Steven Schwartzman
Portraits of Wildflowers 
Ooh, the colours are fabulous in this one Steve!! I love the way the bushy blazing-stars seem to surround and protect the more delicate partridge pea. 🙂
photosfromtheloonybin
August 24, 2012 at 6:13 AM
Happy prairie colors to you this morning.
Steve Schwartzman
August 24, 2012 at 7:43 AM
Another new plant for me to meet. I looked it up in the the “all knowing” wiki and learned that it is especially good to plant in disturbed areas for soil erosion control. Thanks for sharing a new friend.
Dawn
August 24, 2012 at 8:09 AM
As many native species as I’ve introduced here in the past 14 months, there are still more to come, along with new views of what I hope will become old favorites.
Steve Schwartzman
August 24, 2012 at 8:36 AM
Those leaves look like they might be the sort that’s sensitive to touch. And I take it those are the little pea-pods ranging up the stalk.
As for food, I don’t know about partridges, but the Texas Parks and Wildlife folks say that partridge pea is a good winter food source for bobwhite quail. As it turns out, so is ragweed. I’ll have to modify my disdain for that plant just a bit!
shoreacres
August 24, 2012 at 8:17 AM
Good conjecture: Shinners and Mahler’s Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas says that the leaflets are “very slightly touch sensitive.” And yes, those are pods, but they look small and dry, as if they didn’t make it (as sometimes happens). Happy dis-disdaining when it comes to the ragweed.
Steve Schwartzman
August 24, 2012 at 3:31 PM
Love the colours in this pictures. It reminds me of bright sunshine, which I haven’t seen much this year..
bentehaarstad
August 24, 2012 at 10:06 AM
I’m always willing to send a good dose of sunshine from Texas to Norway to cheer you up.
Steve Schwartzman
August 24, 2012 at 3:32 PM
Nature’s colors always seem complimentary….beautiful image!
dhphotosite
August 24, 2012 at 11:58 AM
Thanks, David, and welcome to a Texas prairie.
Steve Schwartzman
August 24, 2012 at 3:34 PM
Inspiring Easter egg colors in the month of August! We are so fortunate to have both the ability to see and the capability to understand color!
Bonnie Michelle
August 24, 2012 at 1:54 PM
Make that Easter egg colors in a florally autumnal August. Long live colors!
Steve Schwartzman
August 24, 2012 at 3:35 PM
You do have a way with words as well as photographs, but we already knew that! lol!
Bonnie Michelle
August 24, 2012 at 3:49 PM
By the way, WordPress doesn’t like the adverb florally and puts little red dots under it each time I type it.
Steve Schwartzman
August 24, 2012 at 4:52 PM
[…] a closer view of a partridge pea flower, Chamaecrista fasciculata. Don’t you love the curving maroon and yellow stamens, which have […]
A closer look at partridge pea « Portraits of Wildflowers
August 25, 2012 at 6:01 AM
Your wildflowers are stunning… This is lovely.
snowbirdpress
August 28, 2012 at 7:27 PM
Texas is duly famous for its wildflowers. I still have pictures of many more species to show.
Steve Schwartzman
August 28, 2012 at 8:21 PM