I can never seem to get enough of this flower. Whether biking or hiking, I literally stop in my tracks when I spot a Texas Skeleton Plant in bloom. I photographed these two photos on a hike at Doeskin Ranch, part of Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge, a reliable spot for Hill Country wildflowers not far from home.
Texas Skeleton Plant (Lygodesmia texana) is a member of the aster family, and it goes by a few other names: Texas Skeleton Weed, Purple Dandelion, and Flowering Straw. Each plant grows 1 to 2 feet tall (30 to 61 cm), with a single flower head opening at a time, about 2 inches (5 cm) across. Look closely, and you’ll count 8 to 12 petal-like ligules, each tipped with five tiny teeth — the fringed edges you can see in these photos.
Several things attract me to this flower. First and foremost, I like its light, orchid-pink color. It brings to mind how delicate these flowers are. On the other hand, since they grow wildly across the Texas Hill Country and even in parts of Austin, I know this has to be a tough plant to endure our heat. It favors dry, well-drained limestone soil and blooms from April through August, sometimes into fall.
The second thing I love about this flower is the curling white filaments at its center. Don’t you think they look like light bulb filaments, the kind you’d find in an old-fashioned bulb? Those coils are actually the style branches — the tips of the pistil — which twist and curl as they emerge from the fused ring of stamens at the flower’s heart. The plant’s name comes from a different feature altogether: its nearly leafless, wiry stems, which grow at odd, bare angles and give the whole plant a skeletal look. Break one, and it bleeds a milky sap that hardens into a gum. You can see that in the photo below.
Butterflies love it as a nectar source, and it’s mostly left alone by deer — one more reason this plant holds its own in tough Hill Country conditions. I doubt I’ll ever walk past one without stopping for a photo.
That is the story behind the shots. If you liked this post, you may also be interested in others featuring Balcones Canyonlands NWR, Doeskin Ranch, Flower Hour, One Step, Parks, Texas, Texas Skeleton Plant, and Wildflowers. Until the next time, keep clicking and capturing the beauty your eyes find.
Posted for Terri’s Flower Hour #33.
Posted for Pepper’s One Step at a Time #14.
Sources:
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Native Plant Database — Lygodesmia texana — https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=LYTE
- Native Plant Society of Texas — Lygodesmia texana — https://www.npsot.org/posts/native-plant/lygodesmia-texana/
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shoestringdiary
The filaments of this plant are unique and gorgeous. Your macro shot captured it perfectly.
Anne Sandler
What a beautiful and delicate flower, Egidio!
Tra Italia e Finlandia
Effettivamente è molto bello.
Writing to Freedom
What an interesting plant. Thanks for the beautiful photos and tour Egidio.
Toonsarah
An interesting name for a very interesting plant! The flowers are truly beautiful – like you I love their delicate shade and the tiny filaments that do indeed look a bit like those in a light bulb.
shoreacres
This is one of my favorites, as well. I once found them mixed with Gaillardia amblyodon, the maroon blanket flower, in the hill country, and the combination of red and delicate purple was lovely.
I. J. Khanewala
Wonderful photos. It’s a lovely lower.
Anita
Beautiful captures of this remarkable little wildflower, Egídio.
margaret21
A lovely, delicate looking plant.
restlessjo
A delicate but tough little beauty, Egidio. Lovely photos xx
Terri Webster Schrandt
Truly a stunning flower, Egidio, no wonder it stopped you in your tracks! I always enjoy your field notes.