Lon
Pioneer Prairie
July, 2008 Bluebell Gentians
Mesquite, Texas
Most of these photos were taken in during the first week of July, 2003. Plants seen included Purple Coneflower, Englemann Daisy, Common Sunflower, Drummond's Skullcap, Ratany, Yellow Puff, Little Blue Stem, Side Oats Grama, KR Bluestem, Johnson Grass, White Prairie Clover, Western Ironweed, American Germander, Redroot, Winecup, Prairie Acacia, White Heliotrope, Firewheel, Purple Horsemint, Narrowleaf Four-O'clock, Gayfeathers, Prairie Plantain, Showy Primrose, and many others. There were 2-3 kestrels, a red-tailed hawk, and other birds. Special thanks to James Rush for showing Derek & me the prairie that he has visiting over the last 2 years. Pioneer Prairie is bounded by Galloway Avenue, Republic Pkway, Columbia Pkway, Oates Dr., and Northwest Drive. The area is dissected by many off-road vehicle roads and a large powerline right-of-way. Due to the lack of periodic fire, there is much encroachment on the prairie by e. red cedar, honey locust, and other woody species. Plant list is at bottom of page.
2003 Update:
|
November, 2003
James Rusk reports for Pioneer Prairie:
They brought the
bulldozers in last Thursday. I've enclosed some pictures:
Note the above photos are typical of the continued destruction of remnant prairies in north central Texas. |
James Rusk submitted these 4 photos for identification. Please help identify these.
Upper Left: Redroot, New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)
Upper Right: White Four-O'Clock (Mirabilis albiflora) ?
Lower Left: Bull Thistle (Cirsium horridulum)?
Lower Right: Four-O'Clock (Mirabilis linearis)
Click on thumbnails below to enlarge...
Left to Right: Rattlesnake Master, Long Branch, Long Branch, Bluebell Gentians, Long Branch, clasping-leaf coneflower, white prairie clover
Left to Right: rattlesnake master, Long Branch, field of rough-stem rosin weed, purple prairie cover & basketflower,
mexican hat w. beetle, Texas star w. beetle, snow-on-the-prairie, Long Branch, yellow puff
Left to Right: rough-stemmed rosinweed, blue sage, rattlesnake master, wand milkweed, bluebell gentians, wild leek?, fiery skipper on prairie clover.
Left to Right: funereal skipper on purple prairie clover, maypop passion-flower, lance-leaf loosestrife, common sunflower, stream bed, power line right of way road, impacts from off-road vehicles (there are many of these roads
crossing the prairie).
Aerial photo with legend
Longbranch Prairie and environs – 8/1/03
James Rusk, Jack Hill & son, Jim Varnum
Plants listed in BRIT* order.
* BTIT = Shinners and Mahler’s Illustrated Flora of North Center Texas
|
No. |
Mark |
Scientific Name |
Common Name |
Plant |
Family |
Code |
Page |
|
1. |
X |
Juniperus virginiana |
Eastern red cedar |
Tree |
c |
203 |
|
|
2. |
X |
Ruellia humilis |
Low reullia, Wild petunia |
Forb |
Acanthaceae |
d |
216 |
|
3. |
X |
Toxicodendron radicans subsp. ? |
Poison ivy |
All |
Anacardiaceae |
d |
236 |
|
4. |
X |
Erynginium leavenworthii |
Eryngo |
Forb |
Apiaceae |
d |
252 |
|
5. |
X |
Erynginium yuccafolium |
Rattlesnake master |
Forb |
Apiaceae |
d |
252 |
|
6. |
X |
Torilis arvensis |
Hedge parsley, Beggar’s lice |
Forb |
Apiaceae |
d |
262 |
|
7. |
X |
Asclepias viridiflora |
Wand milkweed |
Forb |
Asclepiadaceae |
d |
282 |
|
8. |
X |
Asclepias viridis |
Green milkweed |
Forb |
Asclepiadaceae |
d |
282 |
|
9. |
X |
Ambrosia artemisiifolia |
Little ragweed |
Forb |
Asteraceae |
d |
309 |
|
10. |
X |
Ambrosia trifida var. texana |
Giant ragweed |
Forb |
Asteraceae |
d |
310 |
|
11. |
X |
Arnoglossum plantagineum |
Indian plantain |
Forb |
Asteraceae |
d |
314 |
|
12. |
X |
Aster ericoides (NEW Symphyotrichum ericoides) |
Heath aster |
Forb |
Asteraceae |
d |
318 |
|
13. |
X |
Brickellia eupatorioides var. texana |
False boneset |
Forb |
Asteraceae |
d |
329 |
|
14. |
X |
Centaurea americana |
American basketflower |
Forb |
Asteraceae |
d |
332 |
|
15. |
X |
Conyza canadensis var. = |
Horseweed |
Forb |
Asteraceae |
d |
341 |
|
16. |
X |
Echinacea angustifolia |
Purple prairie coneflower |
Forb |
Asteraceae |
d |
347 |
|
17. |
X |
Helianthus annuus |
Texas sunflower |
Forb |
Asteraceae |
d |
369 |
|
18. |
X |
Helianthus maximiliani |
Maximilian sunflower |
Forb |
Asteraceae |
d |
370 |
|
19. |
X |
Iva angustifolia |
Narrow-leaf sumpweed |
Forb |
Asteraceae |
d |
379 |
|
20. |
X |
Liatris mucronata |
Gayfeather |
Forb |
Asteraceae |
d |
384 |
|
21. |
X |
Silphium radula |
Rough-stem rosinweed |
Forb |
Asteraceae |
d |
406 |
|
22. |
X |
Solidago rigida |
Rigid goldenrod |
Forb |
Asteraceae |
d |
414 |
|
23. |
X |
Vernonia baldwinii |
Western ironweed |
Forb |
Asteraceae |
d |
428 |
|
24. |
X |
Catalpa speciosa |
Catalpa |
Tree |
Bignoniaceae |
d |
443 |
|
25. |
X |
Heliotropium tenellum |
Pasture heliotrope |
Forb |
Boraginaceae |
d |
450 |
|
26. |
X |
Rapistrum rugosum |
NCN, bastard cabbage |
Forb |
Brassicaceae |
d |
476 |
|
27. |
X |
Symphoricarpos orbiculata |
Coralberry |
Shrub |
Caprifoliaceae |
d |
510 |
|
28. |
X |
Ipomoea cordatotriloba var. ? |
Morning-glory |
Vine |
Convolvulaceae |
d |
556 |
|
29. |
X |
Cornus drummondii |
Rough-leaf dogwood |
Tree |
Cornaceae |
d |
561 |
|
30. |
X |
Curcubita foetidissima |
Buffalo gourd |
Vine |
Cucurbitaceae |
d |
568 |
|
31. |
X |
Curcubita texana |
Texas gourd |
Vine |
Cucurbitaceae |
d |
568 |
|
32. |
X |
Cuscuta sp. |
dodder |
Forb |
Cuscutaceae |
d |
572+ |
|
33. |
X |
Chamaesyce nutans |
Eyebane |
Forb |
Euphorbiaceae |
d |
596 |
|
34. |
X |
Croton monanthogynus |
Prairie tea |
Forb |
Euphorbiaceae |
d |
600 |
|
35. |
X |
Euphorbia bicolor |
Snow-on-the prairie |
Forb |
Euphorbiaceae |
d |
606 |
|
36. |
X |
Sapium sebiferum |
Chinese tallow |
Tree |
Euphorbiaceae |
d |
612 |
|
37. |
X |
Chamacrista fasciculata |
Partridge pea |
Forb |