Sunday, July 22, 2007

Unknown wildflower on side of road


Unknown

I hate posting a flower that I don't know the name of. I'm not sure why that is. Doesn't a rose by any other name still smell as sweet?

Thank you Audrey! It is a Texas Virgin's Bower aka Old mans beard aka Grandads Beard aka Goats Beard, or more precisely a clematis drummondii.

This flower (it's a vine) is interesting because the petals (the pink parts) are a small part of what we would consider the flower. The real show is its stigmas (center) and anthers (outer).

5 comments:

Audrey said...

Texas virgin's bower! HA! I found something. And I thought I wouldn't need my Texas Wildflower book anymore... pshht. ;)

Audrey said...

It's not really native to West Texas though. Must be because of all of the rain.

Bobbie said...

Very good identification, Audrey! Soon you will be THE authority.

Debi, what a beautiful plant. I thought "clematis" when I saw it and sure enough "clematis drummondii" as Audrey so quickly identified. So many Texas plants have this drummondii classification as you may have noticed. He was a Scottish naturalist who collected plant specimens in the early 1800's . http://www.stferguskirkglamis.co.uk/drummond.html

Antigone said...

Wow! It really is a pretty flower. You found this at your house?

And not being native but being here because of the rain reminds me...Last night while we were driving home and it was still sprinkling a little, there were frogs hopping all over the road. John tried to miss a few but I requested that he not kill us in the process. It was quite a task.

Debi said...

Audrey, I could just hug you! Actually I could any old time, but I would like to hug you right now for such a quick and accurate identification. Your Grannie is right, soon you will be THE authority.

Mom, I have heard of Drummond before and am always a little smug when I see the drummondii and know what that means.

Antigone, no I found this out further West, along Damascus Road, I believe. A gazillion sunflowers out there as well. And I'm glad you kept your head about the frogs, so to speak.