Finally
My first pictures at the “vacant” lot in Cedar Park on May 6th were of the coreopsis colony that had brought me there on that sunny morning. Then I looked around to see what else was growing on the property. One find was a species I’d seen for years in Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country but had never encountered in person: cut-leaf germander, Teucrium laciniatum. In the second photograph, the yellow-orange daubs in the background came from coreopsis flowers.
© 2017 Steven Schwartzman
I laughed at “vacant.” I could fill up several vacations just exploring the vacant lots I’ve found around here. And, thanks to you, I think I’ve finally identified a plant I found in Brazoria County. It’s Teucrium cubense, or coast germander. Now that I have a clue, I need to take a better look at it in person, but I’m sure that’s what it is.
shoreacres
June 12, 2017 at 6:59 AM
It was the structure of the flower, which I was familiar with from Teucrium canadense,
https://portraitsofwildflowers.wordpress.com/2014/08/13/american-germander-flowers/
that clued me in to what this is—except now you’ve got me wondering if what saw isn’t in fact coast germander. The USDA marks that species for Travis County, and my find was in adjacent Williamson County. As I’ve thought so many times: it’s much easier to be a photographer than a botanist.
And as I’ve also thought and your experience has confirmed, “vacant” lots are great places to observe plants.
Steve Schwartzman
June 12, 2017 at 7:35 AM
Something entrancing about that species. Hardy little buggers.
Robert Cox
June 12, 2017 at 10:12 AM
So many plants are hardy, especially in arid places like the American Southwest.
Steve Schwartzman
June 12, 2017 at 4:45 PM
This and four or five other new posts were not sent by email notification. Today I checked the reader, and wow…. now is the problem a wordpress glitch or it is one with yahoo mail?!
Playamart - Zeebra Designs
June 12, 2017 at 11:02 AM
I’m sorry you’re having trouble. From time to time I’ve heard from other subscribers who haven’t gotten their regular emails. I wish I knew why that happens, but I’m afraid I don’t. At least you found the missing posts in your reader, so that’s a workaround if your emails continue not showing up. Let’s hope the emails resume as mysteriously as they stopped.
Steve Schwartzman
June 12, 2017 at 4:50 PM
Wow, that’s gorgeous!
montucky
June 12, 2017 at 6:34 PM
It was a happy discovery.
Steve Schwartzman
June 12, 2017 at 11:04 PM
Gorgeous Steve .. love the background
Julie@frogpondfarm
June 18, 2017 at 3:24 AM
You know how I like to play a subject off against a background.
Steve Schwartzman
June 18, 2017 at 7:56 AM
I do .. and you do it so well 😀
Julie@frogpondfarm
June 18, 2017 at 1:09 PM
Thanks, Julie.
Steve Schwartzman
June 18, 2017 at 2:19 PM