Welcome to Catnapin's

White Wildflower Gallery

Ball Shapes

Asteraceae (Compositae) - Sunflower family

White Barbara's-buttons Marshallia caespitosa

Flower about 1 3/4" wide. Plant 8"-18" tall.  Strap-like leaves are at the base.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, April 2004

(Native of Texas)

Leguminosae - Legume family

White Prairie Clover Petalostemum multiflorum

Flower ball about 5/8" wide.  Bud ball about 1/4" wide.  Plants shown are 2-3 feet tall. 

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, July 2004

(Native of Texas)

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Polygonaceae - Knotweed family

Wild Buckwheat Eriogonum annuum

Flower clusters about 1/2" wide, occasionally pink.  Upright plant 1-3 feet tall branched in upper portion.  1"-3" leaves alternate up the hairy stalk.  Eaten by many animals.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, September 2005

(Native of Texas)

see similar   Snakecotton,   Longleaf Wild Buckwheat

Similar Species

Wild Buckwheat Eriogonum wrightii

Looks like E. annuum but has multiple clusters on branches.  Leaves are at the base and covered in white hair, tiny leaves up the stem. 

Heart-sepal Wild Buckwheat Eriogonum multiflorum

Tiny flowers in large flat clusters, looks like Babies-breath.

Fabaceae (Leguminosae) - Legume family

Illinois Bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensis

Flower is a 1/2" wide, white ball.  Upright plant to about 3 feet tall.  No thorns.   Bipinnately compound leaves are about 2"-4" long, pinnate up to 2" long, leaflets are very small and linear.  1/2"-1" curved pods grow in tight clusters.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, July 2005

(Native of Texas)

see similar     Texas Prairie Acacia,     Catclaw Mimosa,    Fragrant Mimosa

Fabaceae (Leguminosae) - Legume family

Velvet Bundleflower Desmanthus velutinus

No thorns.   Flower ball about 5/8" wide very sparse linear petals, 10 stamens.  Leaves are small.  2" long pods grow in clusters.  This sprawling plant stays small, stems usually less than 20" long.  Woody stem at base.  Stems are covered in fine fur.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, May-June 2004

(Native of Texas)

see similar     Texas Prairie Acacia,     Catclaw Mimosa,    Fragrant Mimosa

Similar Species

Slenderlobed Bundleflower Desmanthus leptolobus

Smaller flowers with only 5 stamens.  Stems are not hairy and grow over 3 feet long.

Capparidaceae (Capparaceae) - Caper family

Large-Flowered Clammyweed (Sandyseed Clammyweed) Polanisia dodecandra ssp. trachysperma

Flower ball about 4" wide.  Each flower is about 1" long with 4 long heart-shaped petals and long maroon stamen.  A gland at the base secretes a bright red fluid.  Fuzzy pods are 2"-3" long and grow out and up instead of drooping.  This plant grows to about 2 feet tall, many hairy stems from a single stalk.  Lower leaves have three leaflets.  Simple leaves cover the main stems.  While handling the plant, your hands will be covered in a sticky residue.  Plant stinks when broken but is not known to be toxic.  Blooms May-October.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, July 2006

(Native of Texas)

Similar Species

Red Whisker Clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra ssp. dodecandra

Smaller flowers with petals about ¼" long and stamens that are barely longer than the petals.

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