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White Wildflower Gallery

Miscellaneous Shapes

Solanaceae - Nightshade family (Potato family)

White Nightshade (Texas Nightshade) Solanum triquetrum

Flower about 3/8" wide, white can have lavender blush.  Anthers touch, don't spread apart like other Solanum species.  Red berries are 1/4" wide on older stem.   Leaves at bottom are are largest.  They have three lobes, some are deeply cut, the center lobe is the largest.  Leaves in the middle of the plant are long and narrow.  Leaves near the flowers are small and narrow.  Plants about 12" tall.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, June 2004, October & November 2005

(Native of Texas)

lower leaves can be mistaken for Carolina Snailseed

see similar   purple nightshade ,   yellow nightshade

Phytolaccaceae – Pokeweed family

American Pokeweed (Poke, Polk Sallet) Phytolacca americana

Flowers are white.  Fruit clusters are 8"-10" long with 1/4" wide berries, green then dark purple. This mounding to upright plant can get 10 feet tall.  Dark green leaves can get 12" long but are usually 5"-6" long.  Stems turn reddish-purple as they age.  It has a fleshy taproot.  Plant grows well in deep shade or full sun.

"Sallet" is an old term for cooked greens. Young shoots are boiled twice discarding the first water to rid the leaves of poison.  Season with salt and bacon drippings. The root, older leaves and possibly the berries can be toxic.  Many birds, fox, opossum, raccoon and mice eat the berries.

Photos taken in Brown County, Texas, September 2005

Tall bush photo taken in Taylor, Texas, October 2005

(Native of Texas, Introduce into Europe)

Boraginaceae - Borage family

Margined Stickseed Lappula marginata  (L. patula)

Flowers are about 1/16" wide.  Petals can have a blue tint.  Lobed pod is about 1/8" wide with 3 larger and one smaller white edged loops (the dehiscent fruit has 4 one-seeded mericarps).  This plant is tiny, the stem with leaves is a total of 1/4" wide.  Stems grow to about 12" long from a central base, no main stem.  Folded leaves are longer near the base, up to 1" long.  Leaves and stems are covered in white fuzz.  USDA does not have this plant listed in Texas.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, April 2005

(Introduced)

Similar Species

Flatspine Stickseed (Western Stickseed, Beggar's Lice, White Stickseed) Lappula redowski (L. occidentalis, L. cupulata, L. desertorum, L. echinata, L. texana)

Seed is rounder, without the white margin, and grows out on a stem.  Leaves are spaced farther apart.  Upright to sprawling plant with a central, branching stem.

(Native of Texas)

European Stickseed Lappula squarrosa  (L. erecta, L. fremontii , L. lappula, L. myosotis)

Seed is rounder and grows out on a stem.  Leaves are spaced farther apart.

(Introduced from Europe)

Boraginaceae - Borage family

Pasture Heliotrope (Slender Heliotrope) Heliotropium tenellum (Lithococca tenella)

White flowers with yellow eyes grow at the tip of the stems and are about 1/4" wide.  Strap-like leaves are 3/4"-1" long.  Plant has many branches and is 8"-10" tall.  Leaves and stems are covered in short stiff hairs.  Hairy fruit is evenly spaced up the stem.  They have four distinct lobes and dry into nutlets.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, September 2006

(Native of Texas)

Rubiaceae - Madder or Coffee family

Southwestern Bedstraw  Galium virgatum

Flowers are about 1/16" wide and grow tight to the leaf node.  Flat, double pod is about 1/8" wide.  Leaves grow 4-7 in a whirl.  Leaf hairs are hooked to snag.  This plant is tiny, the stem with leaves shown is a total of 1/4" wide.  Upright to sprawling stems grow to about 6" long.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, April 2005

(Native of Texas)

Similar Species

Stickywilly Galium aparine

Flowers on short thin branch from leaf node.  6-7 whirled leaves are very small.   Leaf hairs are hooked to snag.  Much larger plant.  (Native of Texas)

Rubiaceae - Madder or Coffee family

? Common Name **zw 6** Galium sp.

I missed the flower but it should be similar to Galium virgatum.  Main stem has 4 narrow leaves, about 1/2" long, in a whirl.  Each whirl has thin "Y" shaped branches that have smaller leaf whirls.  Flower/pod attach at each of these smaller nodes.  Double pods have hooked hairs.  Leaves and branches have hooked hairs.  Upright to sprawling plant with main stem over 2 feet long.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, May 2005

(Native of  Texas)

Similar Species

Licorice Bedstraw Galium circaezans

flowers are on thin "Y" branches, 4 whirled leaves are wide (Native of  Texas)

Texas Bedstraw Galium texense

 (Native of  Texas)

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