May 4, 2017 by mattbuckinghamphotography

April Recap

April was off to a good start. I managed to check off five species early on, and had high hopes for the rest of the month. Unfortunately I couldn’t keep up the momentum and was unable to find any of my targets in April’s second half. I tried to locate Clasping Jewelflower (Streptanthus maculatus), Creeping Bluestar (Amsonia repens) and Texas Lady’s Tresses (Spiranthes brevilabris) at some historic sites with no luck. I hoped to check some locations in northeast Texas for Tapertip Trillium (Trillium viridescens), Fire Pink (Silene virginica), and Downy Yellow Violet (Viola pubescens), but was unable to make it that way. I doubt that I’ll get a chance to see these species this year…maybe next year! The following are the species on my 2017 biodiversity list I was able to find and photograph in April:

Missouri Foxtail Cactus (Escobaria missouriensis)

Nuttall’s Death Camas (Toxicoscordion nuttallii)

Widow’s Cross (Sedum pulchellum)

Blue Lupine (Lupinus perennis)

Green Adder’s Mouth Orchid (Malaxis unifolia)

2017GoalsApr

The following are some interesting observations I made in April:

I’ll start this post like March’s recap, with a giant Saturniid moth. For me, seeing this Promethea Moth (Callosamia promethea) was one of the most exciting of the year thus far. The Promethea Moth is a species typical of the rich deciduous forests of the Eastern U.S. Though range maps show it entering extreme eastern Texas, I am aware of few records of its occurrence in the state. I certainly have never seen one. Pictured is a female. Promethea Moths are sexually dimorphic, with males being much darker. I spent some time photographic her in all of her brilliance, and left her to continue pumping pheromones into the evening air, leaving chemical trails for males to seek her out and propagate future generations.

Promethea Moth

In April I also found a few new populations of the uncommon Indian Pink (Spigelia marilandica) on the rich deciduous slopes of the Pineywoods.

Indian Pink

While looking for the Kentucky Lady’s Slipper we came across this attractive Three-toed Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina triunguis). Most box turtles immediately withdraw into their shells when approached. This individual was fairly bold and allowed us to approach for some portraits.

Box Turtles have an interesting relationship with Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum), a spring ephemeral of rich eastern forests. These terrestrial turtles are the primary dispersal mechanism for Mayapple seeds. Most parts of the plant are toxic, however the ripe fruits are edible. While other animals will consume, process, and deposit the seeds; studies have shown that those that have passed through the digestive system of the box turtle have the highest rate of germination. Indeed, the drooping fruits seem to rest at a perfect height for a hungry box turtle.

Three-toed Box Turtle

Mayapple taken in March 2014

While exploring the Big Thicket we came across the uncommon Piedmont Staggerbush (Lyonia mariana). A member of the heath family (Ericaceae).

Piedmont Staggerbush

Carolina spotted this White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) dutifully incubating its eggs.

White-eyed Vireo

The Carolina Larkspur (Delphinium carolinianum) is Carolina’s favorite Texas native flower. Every year we seek them out. This year we found a large population in a xeric sandhill north of San Augustine. We also observed several Prairie Milkvines (Matelea cynanchoides), another species typical of these woodlands on deep sands.

Carolina Larkspur

Prairie Milkvine

We also spent an afternoon in a Fleming Prairie Remnant, where I photographed the Reflexed or Topeka Coneflower (Echinacea atrorubens), and Prairie Penstemon (Penstemon cobaea), two species that are rare in the Pineywoods.

Reflexed Coneflower

Prairie Penstemon

I hope to focus on the unique flora and fauna of xeric sandhills and prairie remnants in future blog posts. As the temperatures warm in May I hope that I will finally be able to check the first animal species off my list, though there are still plenty of plants to seek out, and special places to explore.

April 20, 2017 by mattbuckinghamphotography

An Adder in the Understory

Target Species: Green Adder’s Mouth (Malaxis unifolia)

Green Adder’s Mouth

The Green Adder’s Mouth is a peculiar orchid of the Eastern United States that reaches its southwestern limit in the Pineywoods of East Texas. I saw and photographed this species a few years ago, however it was when they were first emerging from the leaf litter and were not yet in bloom. I have since wanted to photograph them in full bloom.

Last year a friend told me about a population less than an hour from my house. This year I visited the site in hopes of catching them at peak bloom. The Green Adder’s Mouth tends to be found on gentle moist slopes adjacent to streams, seeps, and wetland margins. This particular population is adjacent to a wetland swale deep in a pine-hardwood upland. The site delivered as promised, and we observed hundreds of individuals in bloom scattered along the gentle slope grading into the wet depression. We even found a few scattered among the adjacent uplands.

Green Adder’s Mouth

The specific epithet unifolia is in reference to the single leaf that emerges from the leaf litter in later March/Early April. The leaf emerges with with a developing cluster of flower buds. As the plant grows the buds begin to spread out and unfurl, revealing the tiny, intricate blooms that lend the plant it’s common name. Adder’s Mouth is in reference to the pronged lip (lower petal), which is said to appear the fangs of an adder. The detail of individuals blooms is best appreciated from above, as in the shots that follow.

Though the plants may eventually reach heights of a foot or more, it’s tiny cryptic flowers and generic leaf make it a real challenge to spot. As Joe Liggio speculates in his book The Wild Orchids of Texas, it may indeed be more common than we currently suspect.

Green Adder’s Mouth

There was little blooming near the orchids, with the exception of the beautiful White Milkweed (Asclepias variegata). This is one of the earliest milkweeds to bloom in East Texas. The red band below the flowers’ hoods lends it the alternative common name “Redring Milkweed”

White Milkweed

Milkweed blooms are highly popular with pollinators. Just about every plant had a myriad of flies, bees, and beetles.

Trichiotinus lunulatus

Zebra Longhorn Beetle (Typocerus zebra)

It felt good to finally get the photos I have long wanted of the Green Adder’s Mouth, but just as rewarding was exploring an unfamiliar area of the Pineywoods. I can only hope that my pursuit of my 2017 biodiversity goals will continue to take me to new, exciting (at least to me!) places.

April 20, 2017 by mattbuckinghamphotography

The Other State Flower

Target Species: Blue Lupine (Lupinus perennis)

Blue Lupine

In keeping with the theme of “everything is bigger in Texas”, the Texas Legislature decided in 1971 that the original state flower, Lupinus subcarnosus, which was designated in 1901, simply wasn’t enough. Instead the Lonestar State decided that we would call any member of the genus Lupinus occurring within the state to be our official state flower. This would include the rare Blue Lupine (Lupinus perennis), even though it only occurred at a handful of sites in extreme southeastern Texas.

Known by other regional common names like Wild Lupine and Sundial Lupine, Lupinus perennis was first discovered in the 1930s in Orange County but subsequently disappeared from the county. In the 1970s it was rediscovered by premier East Texas botanist and conservation pioneer Geraldine Watson in the Big Thicket National Preserve.

Blue Lupine

Geraldine Watson was one of the most important, influential individuals in protecting the Big Thicket. She spent much of her life fighting to protect this unique area and documenting the flora of East Texas. Finding Blue Lupine after it was thought to be lost is just one of a long list of exceptional accomplishments attributed to her name.

Blue Lupine prefers open, sandy forests and savannahs. It has a curious distribution, occuring in Eastern North America, it ranges from eastern Minnesota in the west to the east along the Great Lakes into New England, then south and west again along the coastal plain until it reaches Deep East Texas. It is noticeably absent from the southern Appalachians and most of the South Central states. Lupinus perennis has been experiencing significant declines throughout its range. It has been extirpated in Maine, and has been declared as Threatened or Endangered in many of the states where it occurs. In many of the others where it is not listed, such as Texas, it probably should be.

County-level distribution of Lupinus perennis from http://www.bonap.org.

I had previously seen and photographed Lupinus perennis in Maryland, where it is also rare. It has long been a dream of mine to see it in East Texas. I researched Geraldine Watson’s herbarium specimens, and though the location information was rather vague I used it to look at aerial imagery and soil maps to determine where I thought they likely occurred. I contacted the state botanist as a backup, and the area he described was right in the vicinity of the spot I had identified. Carolina and I set out with some friends, and after an adventure of a trek through sketchy, flooded backroads, we finally found our quarry.

Blue Lupine

Blue Lupine is a spectacular plant. Much more robust than the more familiar Texas Bluebonnets, its raceme (flowering body) may be close to a foot long. The upper petals start out with white centers that turn purple with age. It is believed that the turn occurs after the flower has been pollinated. As bees, the primary pollinator for lupines, will more likely visit the fresher, whiter blooms to receive a greater pollen reward.

Blue Lupine

In my humble opinion, Blue Lupine is one of the most spectacular plants of the Big Thicket. It is a shame they aren’t more common, but seeing them at peak bloom in East Texas is an experience I will never forget.

April 19, 2017 by mattbuckinghamphotography

A Tribute to an Ice Age Relic

Kentucky Lady’s Slipper

Recently I made the annual trip to see what may be my favorite plant – the Kentucky Lady Slipper (Cypripedium kentuckiense). This year I was joined by my friends John Williams, Skip Pudney, and Terry Hibbitts, who were anxious for the chance to see and photograph the slippers.

The Kentucky Lady’s Slipper finds refuge deep in the cool, moist ravines of the Pineywoods. Here the sunlight barely penetrates the canopy, and in April, if the conditions are just right, its curled petals and broad sepals will unfurl, revealing the cream yellow slipper to the world.

Kentucky Lady’s Slipper

Today this spectacular orchid is rare throughout its range, hanging on as scattered populations from Virginia to East Texas. It occurs in the dwindling southern hardwood forests that remain as relicts from the last ice age. Here tends to be found adjacent to small, often springfed streams on small benches or the lower terraces of steep slopes.

As the glaciers began their retreat rich hardwood forests with beech, maple, hickory, and oak were likely the dominant cover type in the southern United States. As the glaciers receded and the climate warmed and dried, dominant species like American beech were pushed to these ravines where they remain as relicts – reminders of the forests that once were. They are accompanied by a suite of other species typical of northern and Appalachian hardwood forests. The Kentucky lady’s slipper is perhaps the most charismatic example of relictual flora in East Texas.

Kentucky Lady’s Slipper in habitat (shot in 2016)

Cypripedium kentuckiense is huge by orchid standards. The plants may reach close to a meter tall, and the slipper, which is really a modified petal may be the size of a chicken egg. This orchid is a bit of a trickster, as it lures bees, fully expecting a sweet nectar reward, into the lip. The bees find no reward inside though, as the orchid does not produce the sugary substance that the pollinators depend on. It is unlikely that many bees will make the mistake of returning to a lady slipper bloom after this initial disappointment. Therefore it is believed that the orchids are pollinated primarily by inexperienced individuals.

Kentucky Lady’s Slipper in habitat (shot in 2016)

The Kentucky Lady’s Slipper truly is one of the most striking inhabitants of the Pineywoods, and for my money one of the most beautiful plants in the country. Populations continue to decline, however, as these sensitive species succumb to a myriad of pressures from habitat destruction, climate change, increasing isolation of populations which creates a barrier for gene flow, and more. Fortunately many of the remaining Cypripedium kentuckiense populations in East Texas are protected, at least for the moment. So at least for now, these botanical treasures will continue to brighten our rich mesic slopes each spring.

Kentucky Lady’s Slipper in habitat (shot in 2014)

April 17, 2017 by mattbuckinghamphotography

The Flora of Weches Glades

Target Species: Widow’s Cross (Sedum pulchellum)

Widow’s Cross

Weches Glades are unique communities in the Pineywoods that occur where the underlying Weches Formation reaches the surface. Here lie exposed iron rocks and soil that are rich in glauconite, a greenish mineral composed primarily of iron and potassium. Weches Glades occur in a narrow band stretching across Nacogdoches, San Augustine, and Sabine counties and are home to a unique flora, including species that are found nowhere else on the planet.

The coarse soil of the Weches Glades are often saturated in the spring and summer, occasionally forming shallow pools in small depressions in bare rock. The heat and sweltering sun of summer quickly evaporates these pools, and leaves the soil dry and brittle. In the spring the boulders at some of the few remnant glades turn light pink, awash with the blooms of the Widow’s Cross (Sedum pulchellum).

Widow’s Cross is a species of the South-Central states, from extreme Northeast Georgia, Tennesse, and Kentucky in the east to Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas in the west. It is generally limited to glades and outcrops, communities where little else can grow. It thrives under shallow, harsh soil conditions. As these communities are often limited across the landscape, Sedum pulchellum is generally uncommon to rare throughout its range. In Texas it occurs in just a handful of counties in the northern and central portions of the state. In the Pineywoods it is limited to Sabine and San Augustine Counties.

Widow’s Cross

Widow’s Cross owes much of its success in these environments to its succulent leaves, which can quickly absorb and store water from fall and winter rains in order to put on a spectacular spring show. It’s easy to see how the plant gets its name. It’s actually named for the cross like shape of the four-petaled flowers, however the inflorescence also often forms in the shape of a cross.

Widow’s Cross

Though Weches Glades were likely always infrequent and highly localized, a great deal have been lost to glauconite mining. This mineral which seems critical for some species has long been used for soil enhancement and road filler. As result small scale surface mining operations have destroyed many of these unique communities. The vast majority of those that remain are on private land and site unprotected to this day.

Widow’s Cross

While I had previously photographed this species, I captured it on the tail end of its blooming cycle and the plants were past their prime. This year I aimed to capture them at their peak. While they generally bear 3 or 4-pronged racemes, I found some with 5 prongs.

Widow’s Cross

Weches Glades are also home to 2 endemic, Federally Endangered plants: The Texas Golden Gladecress (Leavenworthia texana) and the White Bladderpod (Lesquerella pallida). Leavenworthia texana is endemic to Sabine and San Augustine Counties. Here it occurs almost entirely on private land. These diminutive plants bloom in early spring, ad by the time Widow’s Cross blooms they have already dispersed their seeds. I photographed the individuals below in mid-February. In the second photo the developing stems of Sedum pulchellum can be seen.

Texas Golden Gladecress

The White Bladderpod is restricted to a handful of Weches Glades in San Augustine County. It is named for its spherical seed pods, which can be seen adjacent to the blooms on the photo below. It was in full bloom at the same time as the Widow’s Cross. Curiously, the bladderpod and gladecress generally don’t occur at the same outcrops.

White Bladderpod

White Bladderpot

While photographing the flora of the Weches Glades, one will immediately note the strong smell of mint that fills the air. This is a result of dense populations of the Limestone Calamint (Clinopodium arkansanum).

Limestone Calamint

There are many other interesting species that can be found blooming in Weches Glades. I leave you with a few of them.

Comanche Daisy (Astranthium ciliatum)

Drummond’s Stitchwort (Minuartia drummondii)

Pitcher’s Stitchwort (Minuartia patula)

April 11, 2017 by mattbuckinghamphotography

March Recap

Due to a combination of changed plans and other factors, March was not as productive in terms of 2017 biodiversity goal species as I was expecting. I was able to check off three species:

Yellowroot (Xanthorhiza simplicissima)

Blue Curls (Phacelia congesta)

Claret Cup Cactus (Echinocereus coccineus)

I spent most of the month of March exploring outside my home turf of the Pineywoods. From the South Texas Plains to the Edward’s Plateau, I observed an incredible diversity of habitats and species, which are highlighted in previous blog posts. I did however get to spend some time in the field around here. To follow are some of March’s highlights from East Texas.

This year has been good for Luna Moths (Actias luna). I observed several freshly emerged males. Males utilize their feathery antennae to pick up subtle pheromone cues from females and may fly miles to find a mate. Adult Luna Moths lack feeding mouth parts, and live on average about a week. As adults they really are driven by a singular purpose: to breed.

Luna Moth

March is a great time to enjoy flowering trees and shrubs in East Texas. This year most species put on a decent show. The Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) seemed to peak in late February, however several were still in flower in early March.

Eastern Redbud

Among my favorite spring displays is that of the Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida). This small tree ranges throughout much of the eastern United States. To me it is one of the emblematic spring blooms of East Texas. Christian accounts claim that Jesus was crucified on the wood of a dogwood tree. Story goes that they were once tall, stately trees that Jesus, following his crucifixion, morphed to their current gnarled form – presumably so no others could ever again be crucified upon their wood. Their “flowers” now appear as crosses each spring around Easter.

In reality the white “flowers” are modified leaves called bracts. The flowers are the yellow structures at the bracts’ centers. In the late summer the tree will bear red fruits that are cherished by wild turkeys. I also think that their growth form only lends beauty to this already stunning species.

Flowering Dogwood

Flowering Dogwood in the understory of a longleaf pine savannah

The Fringetrees (Chionanthus virginicus) seem to hit their peak as the dogwoods are beginning to fade. Their wispy, whitish green blooms light up the forest edge and the understory in open woods.

Fringetree

Dangling like little snowdrops are the blooms of the Two-winged Silverbell (Halesia diptera). These attractive little trees are often found along streams and in moist stream bottoms.

Two-winged Silverbell

Azaleas are a favorite of gardeners and nature lovers alike. In East Texas the Hoary Azalea (Rhododendron canescens) reaches the southwestern extent of its range.

Hoary Azalea

I couldn’t resist photographing a particularly large Sabine River Wakerobin (Trillium gracile). This lovely trillium is endemic to rich forests in the Pineywoods of East Texas and western Louisiana.

Sabine River Wakerobin

Another springtime favorite of mine is the Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum). This characteristic spring ephemeral of eastern forests can form large colonies in East Texas, often carpeting the forest floor. The fluffy white blooms hang below the large umbrella like leaves. Occasionally, as pictured below, the flowers may have a pink tinge to them.

Mayapple

Though I photographed a few in February, I couldn’t resist stopping to photograph some roadside populations of Birdfoot Violets (Viola pedata) in early March.

Birdfoot Violets

Birdfoot Violet

Also common along roadways and dry, open woods is the Plains Wild Indigo (Baptisia bracteata).

Plains Wild Indigo

I photographed this Yellow Star-Grass (Hypoxis hirsuta) with fresh morning dew still clinging to the bloom.

Yellow Star-Grass

Another characteristically eastern forb that reaches its southwestern extent in East Texas is the Lousewort (Pedicularis canadensis). Most of the flowers in Texas are yellow, however I have occasionally observed them with hints of maroon. Lousewort is reported to provide a plethora of medical uses. It’s roots have long been used to brew a tea that helps treat digestive and stomach problems and ulcers. Its leaves can also reportedly be ground into a poultice that helps alleviate swelling, muscle pain, and several skin conditions. Drinking its leaves in a tea is said to sooth sore throats, coughs, and headaches. It is also said to act as a powerful aphrodisiac.

Lousewort

The beautiful Big Thicket Phlox (Phlox pulcherrima) is endemic to the forests of East Texas. Like so many other species in this area of significant habitat modification by man, it is now most common along roadsides.

Big Thicket Phlox

The Nodding Penstemon (Penstemon laxiflorus) is also common along roadsides. It is so common that I never gave it much thought as a photographic subject, however this native has truly unique, beautiful flowers when viewed up close.

Nodding Penstemon

During March I also made a few visits to the Big Thicket to check on a species that I checked off my list in February: The Federally Endangered Texas Trailing Phlox (Phlox nivalis ssp. texensis). The plants were looking healthy and were still blooming mid-March.

Texas Trailing Phlox

Growing near the phlox I saw several Dollarleafs (Rhynchosia reniformis), a species of the coastal plain of the southeastern United States.

I’ll close out this March recap with a beautiful scene from a longleaf pine savannah near one of the few known locations of Texas Trailing Phlox. Here Rose Mock Vervain (Glandularia canadensis) thrives following a fire. These showy blooms are a testament to fire’s ability to maintain and vitalize certain vegetative communities.

With March of 2017 behind us, it’s time to move into April, where I hope to really start get going on my 2017 list of biodiversity goals.

March 9, 2017 by mattbuckinghamphotography

Are we in East Texas or Appalachia?

False Rue Anemone

I’m going to break my own rule again and make a post that is not about a species on my 2017 list of biodiversity goals to tell you about what may be, in my opinion, the nicest patch of forest in all of Texas. A couple of years ago Carolina and I were fortunate enough to meet Susan and Viron through a mutual friend. We joined them on a hike through the Sabine National Forest and it became clear that we were meant to be friends. They shared our love for exploring wild places. During our hike they talked about the property they owned in East Texas. They mentioned some plants that they had on their property including bloodroot and trout lily, and naturally my ears perked up. We parted ways with a promise to explore their land to see what other treasures it might hold.

We got our chance the next spring, and visited them at their home – a log cabin that they built themselves – nestled on a high ridge overlooking a steep, scenic slope. As we approached the house I could already begin seeing drifts of Yellow Trout Lily (Erythronium rostratum) and clumps of Sabine River Wakerobin (Trillium gracile). After visiting for a while we set out to explore.

A mesic calcareous slope on private land rich in spring ephemeral forbs that are rare in Texas. Taken in March 2016

They took us down a trail that lead away from the house. It climbed to the top of a hill covered in Mayapple (Podphyllum peltatum), and as we crested the ridge I was not prepared for the view that lay before me. I saw a steep slope that was literally carpeted with thousands of spring ephemeral herbs that were flowering in spectacular profusion. Thousands of Yellow Trout Lilies and Cutleaf Toothworts (Cardamine concactenata) had opened their blooms. Both species are rare in Texas. The scene seemed more appropriate for the slopes of the Great Smoky or Blue Ridge Mountains than East Texas.

There was also a species growing among them that I did not immediately recognize. It turned out to be False Rue Anemone (Enemion biternatum), and I was unsure if it had been previously documented in Texas. After returning home that evening I sent an e-mail to Jason Singhurst, the state botanist with TPWD and began doing a little research. It turned out to be the second documented population in the state. Having found the only other population, Jason was anxious to get out and explore the property to document this population and see what else this wonderful land might harbor.

False Rue Anemone

He got his chance a couple of days ago on a warm, rainy spring day. Jason and a group of excellent botanists joined me on the property, and while it rained on and off throughout the day, I could not find it in me to complain about the weather. To me, days like this are the epitome of spring in the eastern forests. Like me, Jason and the others could not believe their eyes. After arriving we soon located the False Rue Anemone which was blooming by the thousands.

The mesic, calcareous slopes turned out to be far more extensive than I originally thought, stretching for acres across the property. Perhaps the most dominant spring ephemeral forb was the Yellow Trout Lily, which had sent up hundreds of thousands of leaves. While there were several blooms they remained closed throughout the day, as they only open under warm, bright conditions. Fortunately I was able to photograph this species at the site the previous year. Yellow Trout Lily is rare in Texas, known only from a few high quality mesic forests. It is one of a few yellow-flowered in Eastern North America. It is easily differentiated by the others by its erect flowers and tepals (combination of petals and sepals) that are not reflexed.

Yellow Trout Lily. Taken in March 2016

Perhaps even more rare than the Yellow Trout Lily is the Cutleaf Toothwort. It too was blooming by the thousands here. This rare member of the mustard family (Brassicaceae) is a typical flower of eastern deciduous forests that is only known from a few locations in Texas. It is one of the hosts for the Falcate Orangetip (Anthocharis midea). Though we saw many of these beautiful butterflies during our visit, they were impossible to photograph as they refused to pause while bouncing from flower to flower in their quest for nectar.

Cutleaf Toothwort. Taken in March 2016

Several flowering groups of Wild Blue Phlox (Phlox divaricata) were also present. This showy phlox is rare in Texas, where it reaches the southwestern periphery of its range. However it can be downright abundant in the hardwood forests of the Appalachians and eastern North America.

Wild Blue Phlox

The rain presented several unique photographic opportunities. The day must have been just warm enough for the Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) to open. We found several of this quintessential forb of the eastern deciduous forest. I captured this photogenic plant with fresh raindrops on the petals. Like so many of the other plants at this site, Bloodroot is rare in Texas. Probably never particularly common, it has suffered through more than a century of habitat destruction and over-collection for its medicinal properties.

Bloodroot

Growing among the Bloodroot were several Southern Twayblade Orchids (Listera australis). It was the only orchid species we located during our visit, but there is certainly potential for more to be out there.

Southern Twayblade Orchid. Taken in March 2016

The Sabine River Wakerobin was also up in force. This attractive trillium is endemic to the Pineywoods of East Texas and western Louisiana.

Sabine River Wakerobin. Taken in March 2016

The understory was also full of flowering shrubs and small trees. Perhaps the most notable were the thickets of Red Buckeye (Aescuslus pavia). They seemed to have all bloomed in unison, and painted the understory red with their beautiful flowers.

Red Buckeye

The Flowering Dogwoods (Cornus florida) were also in bloom. To me, this plant, more than other, represents the essence of spring in East Texas and eastern North America.

Flowering Dogwood. Taken in March 2016

We took a break from searching for plants to admire this particularly robust Ravenel’s Stinkhorn (Phallus ravenelii) pushing up from the leaf litter.

Ravenel’s Stinkhorn

There were many other rare plants that were not yet in flower including Indian Pink (Spigelia marilandica), Virginia Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) and one species on my 2017 list: Starry Campion (Silene stellata). The presence of these botanical treasures provided an added incentive to return, however in truth the only reason we need is the opportunity to spend a day in the woods with our good friends Susan and Viron. After a long day, botanists and landowners parted ways content in seeing a bit of paradise nestled deep in the Pineywoods.

March 6, 2017 by mattbuckinghamphotography

A Tale of Two Trillium

Left: Texas Trillium (Trillium texanum). Right: Bloody Butcher (Trillium recurvatum).

This post does not include any of my 2017 biodiversity targets, however I had such a good time on a recent outing looking for two species of trillium in East Texas that I couldn’t resist posting about it. Both species are also very rare in Texas and are certainly worthy of their own treatment in my blog.

Last Thursday was Texas Independence Day. Working for the state I get all kinds of obscure holidays off. Even so, I decided to go into work in the morning to rack up a few hours of comp time and left a little before lunch. I set out in pursuit of two members of one of my favorite genera. Their populations are within a half an hour of one another, and I figured I could visit both in an afternoon, despite my tendency to lose track of time.

Texas Trillium

Texas Trillium (Trillium texanum) is one of the pedicillate trilliums (subgenus Trillium). Members of this group have uniformly green bracts and flowers separated from the leaf-like bract by pedicels. It is the only member of this group in Texas. It was formerly considered a variety of Trillium pusillum.

County level distribution of Trillium texanum from http://www.bonap.org. Yellow counties indicate that the species is present but rare.

Texas Trillium is extremely rare, occurring in only a few populations in East Texas and western Louisiana, though I recently heard from a botanist friend that it had been discovered in southwest Arkansas. While other trillium species in Texas generally occur on rich, mesic slopes, Trillium texanum occurs in forested seeps, growing from permanently saturated ground amid sphagnum moss in the shade of Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) and other tree species typical of these communities.

Texas Trillium

I found thousands of plants in my short visit, however only a small fraction of them were in bloom, with most plants only put up single bracts. The flowers were all fresh. As they age they will gradually turn a deep shade of pink before the petals weather away.

Texas Trillium

Growing near the Texas Trillium were several groups of Primrose-leaved Violet (Viola primulifolia). This tiny violet is similar to Viola lanceolata but can easily be differentiated by its leaves. It grows in similar saturated environments.

Primrose-leaved Violet

After spending an hour or so with the Texas Trillium I was ready to move on to the next Trillium species. As I’m driving I frequently glance on the roadside in search of any interesting plant that might catch my eye. While travelling between the two trillium sites I glimpsed a large patch of Carolina Vetch (Vicia caroliniana), an uncommon denizen of rich forests that barely enters Texas in the eastern part of the state.

Carolina Vetch

Trillium recurvatum has a number of common names, including Prairie Trillium and Red Trillium. My favorite, however, is Bloody Butcher – no doubt a reference to the deep red flowers. Bloody Butcher is one of the sessile-flowered trilliums (subgenus Phyllantherum). These differ from the subgenus Trillium by having variously mottled bracts and sessile flowers. Trillium recurvatum can be easily differentiated from the other sessile-flowered trillium of Texas by its petiolate bracts.

Bloody Butcher

Trillium recurvatum is a fairly widespread species. It is common throughout much of its range, but rare on the periphery, which includes Texas. In contrast to the mucky seep where I found Trillum texanum, I found Trillium recurvatum growing on a rich mesic calcareous slope with a variety of mesophytic hardwoods and calciphilic forbs.

County level distribution for Trillium recurvatum from http://www.bonap.org. Yellow counties indicate that the species is present but rare.

The majority of the plants I observed had deep maroon flowers, but a few were pale yellow. In the past I have also observed individuals with lemon-yellow blooms at this site. As is often the case with these East Texas rarities, at the few sites in the state that Trillium recurvatum does occur, it can be quite abundant. I was fortunate enough to observe hundreds of blooms.

Bloody Butcher with pale yellow flowers

Bloody Butcher with pale yellow flower

Once again while driving I caught sight of an irregularity on the roadside. This time it was not a plant, but one of our most spectacular insects: the Luna Moth (Actias luna). Luna Moths may have as many as three generations per year in East Texas with the first emerging in early spring. The individual pictured is a male, identifiable as such by its extremely feathery antennae. These antennae are loaded with receptors that can detect the pheromones of a female from miles away. They are members of the giant silk moth family (Saturnidae), and are among the largest moths in North America.

Luna Moth

I ended the evening in the floodplain of the Attoyac River admiring a particularly expansive patch of Butterweed (Packera glabella). The light was perfect, and I tried to capture a landscape image that showcased the beauty of these early spring wildflowers. Growing among them were Springcress (Cardamine bulbosa) and hundreds of violets. It was the perfect ending to a perfect afternoon.

Butterweed in the Attoyac River floodplain

March 4, 2017 by mattbuckinghamphotography

Cure-All

Target Species: Yellowroot (Xanthorhiza simplicissima)

Yellowroot

I wasn’t sure that I’d be able to check this one off my list. I first learned that Yellowroot occurred in Texas while looking through Geyata Ajilvsgi’s book Wildflowers of the Big Thicket. I then saw it mentioned in a couple of scientific publications and decided to do a little research. There are very few records from Texas, and those that exist are fairly vague as to the species’ location. Looking at the publications I had an idea where to look, but I had no idea if the plant would be common at that location, easy to see, or when it might bloom. I tried my best to guess the bloom time in East Texas based on the species’ phenology in other states.

A couple of weeks ago I caught a break. While attending the Texas Black Bear Alliance meeting I was chatting with a friend that works for a large timber company who happened to be a naturalist and plant enthusiast. He has access to hundreds of thousands of timber company lands and a penchant for exploring wild places. I casually asked him if he has ever seen yellowroot on timber land, and he said that he had, though he hadn’t seen it in bloom. We talked about getting out to look for it, and finally made it happen yesterday.

County-level distribution of Xanthorhiza simplicissima from http://www.bonap.org

Yellowroot is a subshrub that primarily occurs in the southern Appalachians. There is a disjunct population in East Texas and western Louisiana. Here it is very rare, occurring at only a handful of sites. It’s tiny flowers hang on drooping, branched panicles originating from the main stem. It grows on the banks of small streams that wind through sandy, acidic soils.

Yellowroot Panicles

My friend first took us to a site that I have visited before. We were joined by another friend with a love for the outdoors. We found many plants growing along the margins of a clear, spring fed stream just before it poured from a 20-foot waterfall. Seeing it here, one wouldn’t expect it to be so rare in the state. The sandy stream edge was lined with thousands of plants, many of them in full bloom.

East Texas Waterfall. Photographed in July, 2016.

Yellowroot is so-named for it’s bright yellow roots which contain berberine, an alkaloid with numerous medicinal properties. Native Americans and settlers used Yellowroot as a die and as a cure for a variety of ailments. Yellowroot tea was used to treat sores and other issues in the mouth and gums, congestion, allergies, stomach ulcers, upset stomachs, and indigestion. Crushed roots were used in salves that treated sores, cuts, rashes and swelling. Contemporary research has shown that Yellowroot has the potential to lower blood pressure and improve liver health and function. Advocates of homeopathic remedies still utilize Yellowroot tea as a natural cure-all.

Yellowroot Flowers

Perhaps these medicinal properties helped spell doom for Yellowroot populations in East Texas. It is entirely possible that over collection, along with habitat loss contributed to its current scarcity.

The tiny flowers are really striking, though they require some magnification to appreciate. We saw blooms ranging from brown to purple to greenish yellow. We wandered along the creek for a while enjoying the warm spring air and cold, clean water.

Yellowroot Flower detail

After leaving the falls we traveled to another site where we found Xanthorhiza simplicissima growing in great abundance. This site is also home to a slew of other plants that are exceedingly rare in Texas, including Silky Camelia (Stewartia malacodendron) and Common Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea).

Typical Yellowroot habitat along a clear, springfed stream.

My friend has a great knowledge of East Texas culture, history, and pre-history. He regaled us with stories of Native Americans and recent residents. It was fitting that while in search of a plant so important to native cultures that we would find an artifact alluding to a time long ago before East Texas was colonized by Europeans. We found this arrowhead along one of the streams we were exploring. Not a day goes by that I don’t long to see the East Texas that the native tribes experienced.

Arrowhead

Before going our separate ways, my friend had one final surprise in store for us. He took us to a relict dating even further back, to a time prior to human habitation, and possibly predating the speciation of Homo sapiens. This ancient palm fossil lies on exposed boulder of the Catahoula formation. It was a fine day spent in fine company. I learned a lot, particularly about the history of the region. I look forward to returning soon to find what other treasures this country is hiding.

March 1, 2017 by mattbuckinghamphotography

February – Chronicles of an Early Spring

Thanks in part to an exceptionally early spring this year, I have been able to get a good start of my list, knocking off four species in February. These species include:

Woolly Sunbonnets (Chaptalia tomentosa)

Texas Saxifrage (Micranthes texana)

Texas Trailing Phlox (Phlox nivalis ssp. texensis)

Spring Coralroot (Corallorhiza wisteriana)

I’m slowly making progress on my 2017 Species List

Though tracking down the species on my list has become a priority in my explorations of the natural world, I could never neglect the special places and familiar species that I have come to love over the years. I look forward to seeing them each year, and regardless of how many photos of a given species I might have, I can never resist the urge to try and capture new details, compositions, and natural history aspects.

I spent much of early February exploring the woods with my good pal James Childress. On one such outing we were lucky enough to find a gravid Smallmouth Salamander (Ambystoma texanum) under a log in a false bottomland.

Smallmouth Salamander

A few days later I received a text message from James that included a photo of a seldom seen sight: an East Texas tarantula. Tarantulas are typically associated with deserts, however the Texas Brown Tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi) ranges as far east as East Texas and western Louisiana, Arkansas, and Missouri. It is an unexpected thing to see one in the forests of the West Gulf Coastal Plain, but here they persist, though their populations seem to be declining. I have spoken to lifelong residents of the area who remember seeing many as children, and few to none in the past 20 years. James found this female, identifiable as such by its large abdomen, crawling in his driveway one evening. He was kind enough to hold onto it so that I may photograph it. It’s only the fourth tarantula I have seen in the Pineywoods, and the only female.

Texas Brown Tarantula

Texas Brown Tarantula Portrait

When I met James for our tarantula photo session he brought another surprise with him – a Banded Tiger Moth (Apantensis vittata) that had been attracted to his garage lights. This boldly patterned moth is equipped with bright hindwings that it will flash in an attempt to intimidate a potential predator.

Banded Tiger Moth

After admiring these invertebrates we went on to visit a rich mesic stream bottom that supports a variety of spring ephemeral herbs. Representing what is essentially the southwestern limit of the range of eastern deciduous forests, East Texas is on the periphery of the range of a suite of spring ephemerals. Spring ephemerals as a group are adapted to deciduous, hardwood forests, where they can carry out the majority of their life cycle in the early spring, when an abundance of sunlight reaches the forest floor prior to leafout of the canopy. Species are generally less common on the periphery of their range. As a result of this coupled with habitat loss over the past century and a half, several of these species have become rare in East Texas. These eastern forest elements are perhaps my favorite part of the Pineywoods.

The White Trout Lily (Erytrhonium albidum) is one such spring ephemeral. It’s leaves begin to emerge by early February and are mostly gone by late April. Members of the genus Erythronium are known as trout lilies in the eastern U.S. due to the resemblance of their leaves to the skin of the brook trout. In the western U.S. they are often known as fawn lilies, as the leaves look like the spotted pelage of young fawns. In Europe, they are usually referred to as dogtooth violets, a reference to the shape of the underground bulb. Erythronium albidum is rare in the Pineywoods, with larger populations in the Post Oak Savannah and Dallas region.

White Trout Lily

One of my all-time favorite flowers is the Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis). Another characteristic spring ephemeral of the eastern deciduous forests, it too is rare in Texas. In a typical year I can expect to see Bloodroot blooming at this site around February 20. This year many were already in fruit on February 10. Bloodroot is named for the thick red sap that oozes from it’s root when injured. This sap has a myriad of health benefits, and its abrasive nature makes it a good ingredient in toothpaste. These desirable properties have likely led to over collection of this species, adding to its rarity in the state.

Bloodroot

One of the more difficult to spot spring ephemerals is the Southern Twayblade Orchid (Listera australis). It’s tiny brown stems and flowers are practically invisible against the leaf litter. They are only betrayed by two green leaves near the base of the stem.

Southern Twayblade Orchid

Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica) is an abundant spring ephemeral throughout much of East Texas. Though it is easiest to find on lawns and other cleared areas, I prefer to photograph the individuals deep in the forest, where they are less commonly seen.

Spring Beauty

Carolina Jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens) is a common woody vine of the southeastern U.S. It slowly works its way from the ground to the canopy, and in early spring it paints the forest yellow with its large, tubular flowers.

Carolina Jessamine

It is interesting just how many species have Carolina in their common name, or some variation of it in their specific epithet. The reason is because many species native to the eastern U.S. were initially described in the far east, including the Carolinas. Virginia also frequently occurs in taxonomic vernacular. I take it as a good sign that my wife lends her name to so many pretty things.

Last Sunday Carolina and I had a very productive outing chasing after spring ephemerals in Deep East Texas. We covered a lot of ground and saw a lot of species. One of the most striking was the Birdfoot Violet (Viola pedata), named for its leaves which bear a superficial resemblance to bird’s feet. These are our largest violets, easily twice the size of the more common species. It occurs in scattered populations in East Texas, where it favors open dry mesic mixed pine-hardwood forests.

Birdfoot Violet

The Wood Violet (Viola palmata) prefers slightly moister sites with a greater hardwood element. With a few exceptions (Birdfoot Violet being one of them) the flowers of East Texas’s violets are difficult to differentiate. Wood violet is identified by its deeply lobed leaves.

Wood Violet

Violet Woodsorrel (Oxalis violacea) was also blooming. This native is often mistaken for the much more common Pink Woodsorrel (Oxalis debilis), a native of South America.

Violet Woodsorrel

The occurrence of the Louisiana Wakerobin (Trillium ludovicianum) in Texas was only recently discovered, as botanists closely examined a group of unusual-looking sessile-flowered Trillium. They had long been masquerading as the Sabine River Wakerobin (Trillium gracile). Differentiating the two species is a painstaking task that requires close examination of the flowers.

Louisiana Wakerobins

Trilliums are classic spring ephemeral flowers that occur in rich woods across much of the country. Their center of diversity, however, is in the eastern deciduous forests. Trillium ludovicianum occurs on rich mesic slopes dominated by American Beech and other hardwoods. Since its discovery in Texas, the Louisiana Wakerobin has only been found at a handful of sites.

Louisiana Wakerobin

While exploring the rich woods I stumbled upon this scene, and could not resist. The perfect clump of trillium with the similarily rare Wild Blue Phlox (Phlox divaricata) in the background represents to me, what is most magical about spring – exploring rich forests in search of ephemeral forbs and other interesting things that are awakening following a long period of dormancy. To me, the forest feels most alive in the springtime, and so do I. This shot ended up being one of my favorites from 2017 thusfar.

Rich mesic forest with Trillium ludovicianum and Phlox divaricata

This site is also one of the few areas where Wild Blue Phlox can be found in Texas. It too is a typical denizen of the rich eastern deciduous forests that reaches the southwestern extent of its range in East Texas. And like so many of the previously mentioned species it is rare here.

Though one might not think it so if they were to visit this particular spot, where it blooms in spectacular profusion on the banks of a clear East Texas stream.

Flowering trees are at their peak this time of year, and many species are beginning to decorate the understory with splashes of white and pink. Pictured below is one of the hawthorns (Crataegus sp.). Though habitat gives some clue, identification to species is difficult without the leaves present.

Hawthorn in Bloom

Near the hawthorn, Carolina and I stopped a moment to admire this beautiful redbud along a small ephemeral stream. Though it was getting late and the day was growing dim, the pink blossoms of the Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) brightened the woods around us.

Eastern Redbud

I spent February busily pursuing plants, but I have not neglected the other taxa of my list. Carolina and I continue to visit the local otter population on a weekly basis. Though we have not yet seen them, Carolina’s remote camera captured some incredible video of a male scent marking. Unfortunately I’m unable to upload it here, but I will leave you with the following image, otter tracks along a stream near the Trillium ludovicianum and Phlox divaricata site. Though I have yet to capture one on camera, the elusive river wolf continues to make its presence known.

American River Otter Tracks

A Naturalist's Journey

My Quest for Biodiversity

Pineywoods

April Recap

An Adder in the Understory

The Other State Flower

A Tribute to an Ice Age Relic

The Flora of Weches Glades

March Recap

Are we in East Texas or Appalachia?

A Tale of Two Trillium

Cure-All

February – Chronicles of an Early Spring