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August 9, 2007

They're yellow, I'm sure of that...



I *think* these are Engelmann daisies, according to a Texas wildflower website.

Scientific Name: (Engelmannia pinnatifida)
Definition: Part of the Sunflower Family (Asteraceae), the Engelmann daisy is a favorite for grazing with livestock and much of the plant has been eaten out of the grasslands, prairies and savannah that makes up so much of Texas. Grows upright to spreading with stems stout and woody, one to several. Flower heads 1-2" across, usually 8 petals. Flowers found few to several ending in clusters. Grows in all parts of state except Northeast. Blooms February - November.

On the other hand, they may very well be:

Damianita

Scientific Name: (Chrysactinia mexicana)
Definition: Damianita is a strongly scented, leafy shrub growing 1 - 2 feet. Flowers are golden yellow, 1 inch across on slender stems at the end of branches. Blooms June - October.

Both look very much alike to me, but it has more petals than what the first one described.

Taken on a dirt road just off of Hwy 60 in front of the Arrington ranch house (now a bed and breakfast). Some of the scenes from the Tom Hanks movie Cast Away were filmed there. (photos of that to follow!)

2 comments:

Unknown said...

know nothing about Texas wild flowers but by the descriptions I'd go with the latter.

Mike said...

Well, from what was said about the first one being a fav. forage food, it made me think that was what it was, because I never see them in the pastures, but only in the ditches and set back a way from the fence line, the distance that a long nose can reach thru the wire and crop some off for a snack! lol

Wished I had dropped a penny nearby to show you; the blossoms aren't much larger than that. The ground was pretty hard right there, mostly rocky caliche and I was amazed at how it had taken root in such poor soil.

Thanks for posting!