Texas bindweed flower and tendril
From April 13th in Great Hills Park, the picture above gives you a downward look at a Texas bindweed flower, Convolvulus equitans. Plants in the genus Convolvulus do indeed convolve, as confirmed by the photograph below, which shows a questing Texas bindweed tendril wrapping itself around some prairie verbena flowers, Glandularia bipinnatifida.
© 2017 Steven Schwartzman
Portraits of Wildflowers 
All that convolving no doubt resulted in “weed” becoming part of its name, but I still find the bindweed’s appeal straightforward. Not only is the flower pretty, those tendrils are fascinating.
The verbena reminds me that I saw another bit of purple last evening: liatris. I was a little surprised to find it, and I’m not certain which species it was, but it was lovely.
shoreacres
May 6, 2017 at 6:21 AM
The “weed” in many of the common names that the early American and European settlers gave to native plants expressed the view of people who struggled to stay alive. Today, at least in some quarters, those “weeds” have regained value as the native plants that they are.
A couple of times in Austin over the last decade I’ve found our local species of Liatris, mucronata, flowering months before its usual bloom period (late summer into fall). I hope you’ll get to go back to yours and take photographic advantage of it.
Steve Schwartzman
May 6, 2017 at 2:01 PM
Nice BLOG!!! ADD my BLOG too!!! Kisses!!!
nildamacedopaulino
May 6, 2017 at 6:39 PM
Obrigadinho.
Steve Schwartzman
May 6, 2017 at 8:27 PM
We have hedge bindweed here, also called field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) and like most of that genus, not native nor popular. Ours is more subtly colored and, as you might figure, resembles morning-glories.
I think yours is attractive enough to possibly raise its popularity.
Steve Gingold
May 8, 2017 at 8:55 AM
I forgot to mention…I’ve not been offered kisses on my blog yet…lucky you. 🙂
Steve Gingold
May 8, 2017 at 8:56 AM
Not sure how I’d collect on that offer, especially since the offerer lives in São Paulo, Brazil.
Steve Schwartzman
May 8, 2017 at 9:28 AM
I am guessing that Eve would not be encouraging of a trip to Sao Paulo.
Steve Gingold
May 8, 2017 at 9:36 AM
I’ll bet she would if she came along. Actually we’ve talked about going to Brazil: one more place on that long list of places to visit. Looks like we’ll try again for the Badlands of South Dakota, which we canceled a couple of weeks ago because of cold and rainy weather.
Steve Schwartzman
May 8, 2017 at 9:48 AM
Well, yeah, I guess it would be OK with a chaperone. The Badlands are fantastic…or so I understand vicariously.
Steve Gingold
May 8, 2017 at 1:17 PM
I hope to find out anti-vicariously, which is to say in person, and will show people here what I find.
Steve Schwartzman
May 8, 2017 at 4:48 PM
kisses!
melissabluefineart
July 19, 2017 at 9:38 AM
Aw, shucks, Ma’am. 🙂
Steve Gingold
July 20, 2017 at 3:48 AM
What’s a little osculation between friends?
Steve Schwartzman
July 20, 2017 at 6:27 AM
I couldn’t resist 🙂
melissabluefineart
July 20, 2017 at 8:39 AM
Miss Melissa
didn’t miss a
chance to kiss a
blogging friend.
She would do it,
wouldn’t rue it,
but pursue it
to the end.
Steve Schwartzman
July 20, 2017 at 9:20 AM
At least your ditty didn’t start with Steve and Melissa sitting in a tree.
Steve Gingold
July 20, 2017 at 6:29 PM
Now don’t go giving me ideas.
Steve Schwartzman
July 20, 2017 at 6:43 PM
That’s a two-fer. My first blogging kiss and the first time ever I was told I was irresistible. 🙂
Steve Gingold
July 20, 2017 at 6:30 PM
I imagine you’re grateful for the double gift.
Steve Schwartzman
July 20, 2017 at 6:44 PM
Some of that alien bindweed has made its way to central Texas as well. Fortunately the native species far outnumbers it. I’m not optimistic, though, that a lot of people will come to like it, even though it’s native.
Steve Schwartzman
May 8, 2017 at 9:31 AM
Beautiful shot Steve .. bind weed is not one of my favs though! Alive and well at Frog Pond Farm (not the Texas variety)
Julie@frogpondfarm
May 11, 2017 at 1:52 AM
Sorry to hear you have what I assume is the invasive kind from Europe, Convolvulus arvense. It’s unfortunately made inroads into the United States as well.
Steve Schwartzman
May 11, 2017 at 5:10 AM