Botanical Census of Plot Located on Southwestern University Campus in Georgetown, TX
 |
| 30 38’ 21”N 97 39’ 44”W |
Southwestern University is located in Georgetown, TX which is located in the Texas hill country that is a part of the Edwards plateau, a major ecological habitat of Texas and the nation. The Texas hill country is also known as the Balcones Canyonlands. This habitat is known for its clayey vertisol soil type and a woodland and forest type vegetation. The purpose of my study was to conduct a biological census of a plot marked out at 30 38’ 21”N 97 39’ 44”W. I visited the plot several times over a month period and observed the different plants growing in the habitat. I identified the different species of plants present in the habitat and determined their USDA classification of being native or introduced invasive. I also collected information of interesting facts pertaining to each species. If the species was a non-native, I also attempted to determine its mode of arrival to the country.
 |
| Inside Portion of the Plot |
 |
| Outside Portion of the Plot |
Gum Elastic:
Gum Elastic:
- Other common names: Gum bumelia, chittamwood, False buckthorn, shittimwood, and coma.
- Scientific Name: Sideroxylon lanuginosum/Bumelia lanuginosa
- Family: Sapotaceae
- Leaf Description: semi-evergreen. Alternate and whorled branching. Grow to about 3in. Hairs on the back of the leaf; feels soft, fuzzy and padded.
- Flowers: Yes; White. Bloom in mid-summer. Grow in clusters.
- Fruit: Blue to black berries. But not available till the fall.
- USDA Native Status: Native to the continental United States (L48[N])
- Other regions of Distribution: AR, AL, GA, AZ, FL, IL, KY, KS, MO, MS, SC, OK, NM, LA and Northeastern Mexico.
- Preferred Habitat: Grow by ponds and creeks. Prefer soil that is usually saturated for an extended time after it rains or soil that is located by a constant standing source of water. Able to grow in clay type soil as well.
- Type of Plant: Medium height tree. Can grow between 2.5m - 6m tall.
- Harmful Effect: None
- Health or Medicinal Benefit: None
- Conservation Status: N/A. Most likely low and minimal concern.
- Other Interesting Facts:
- The fruits serve as food for wildlife such as deers and birds.
- Honey bees use the flowers as a source of nourishment.
- The Kiowa Indians, of Texas and Oklahoma, used the sap in the outer bark as a chewing gum as did the children of early pioneers.
- It is in the same family as the sapodilla tree which is the source of the chicle used in chewing gum today.
- Not usually used as a decorative or landscape plant. Mostly found in the wild and in native plant gardens.
- Very minimal information available on databases about gum elastic.
Gum Elastic Tree
Ashe Juniper:
●
Other common
names: Ashe’s juniper, Blueberry juniper, Mountain cedar.
●
Scientific Name:
Juniperus ashei
●
Family: Cupressaceae
●
Leaf Description:
Evergreen. Not like typical leaves; bunch of tiny leaves form clusters that
form a single lean and long leaf. Opposite and whorled branching.
●
Flowers:
None
●
Fruit: No.
Actually have seed cones that look like berries that contain 1-2 seed.
●
USDA Native
Status: Native to the continental United States (L48[N])
●
Other regions of
Distribution: AR, MO, OK, and Northeastern Mexico.
●
Preferred
Habitat: Limestone glades and buff, Canyons, Arroyos,
●
Type of Plant:
Medium height tree. Can grow between 4m - 9m tall.
●
Harmful Effect:
Pollen is a cause of allergies that can lead to cedar fever.
●
Health or
Medicinal Benefit: None.
●
Conservation
Status: Very low risk and minimal concern.
●
Other
Interesting Facts
○
It is named in honor of William Willard Ashe, a pioneer
U.S. forester who collected a specimen in Arkansas.
○
Provides erosion control in habitat.
○
Provides shade for wildlife and livestock.
○
The Golden-cheeked warbler uses only ashe juniper bark
to build its nest.
○
The seed cones serve as a food source for many
different birds and small mammals. The birds in turn spread the seeds by
passing it out in their waste.
○
It serves as a larval host and nectar source for the
Juniper Hairstreak and Olive butterfly.
○
The wood is naturally rot resistant. This makes allows
it to be an effective material for making fence posts .
○
It used to be used not only for fence posts but also
for telegraph poles and railroad ties.
○
It is able to survive in an area that has been affected
by fire.
○
It has been known to be uprooted and removed by people
because it causes allergies. Also by ranchers because their livestock engage in
selective grazing by not grazing on the ashe junipers and eliminating its
competition. .
○
It can be considered a bit of a keystone species.
Juniper leaves, when they fall and decompose, affect the soil by making it rich
and well-draining which encourages the growth of specific types of native
plants.
○
It is commonly as an ornamental because it is aromatic
and attractive.
 |
| Ashe Juniper |
Japanese Ligustrum
●
Other common
names: Japanese privet, Wax-leaf privet.
●
Scientific Name:
Ligustrum japonicum.
●
Family: Oleaceae
●
Leaf Description:
Evergreen. Large pear shaped leaves; about 8in long. Opposite branching.
●
Flowers:
Yes, white and grow in clusters.
●
Fruit:
Purple-Black berries.
●
USDA Native
Status: Invasive to the United States.
●
Other regions of
Distribution: Native of Japan and Eastern Asia. In the U.S.: AL, FL, GA,
LA, MD, MS, NC, SC, TN, and VA..
●
Preferred
Habitat: Thin woods, along streams, ravines, thickets, and hills.
●
Type of Plant:
Medium height tree. Can grow between 2m - 6m.
●
Harmful Effect:
Very invasive. Believed to contain traces of toxins.
●
Health or
Medicinal Benefit: The fruit is used as a cardiotonic, diuretic, laxative,
and tonic.
●
Conservation
Status: Very low risk and minimal concern.
●
Other
Interesting Facts
○
Commonly used by landscapers because of its beauty,
rapid growth rate and affordability.
○
The scent produced by the flower is not very pleasant.
 |
| Japanese Ligustrum |
Cedar Elm:
- Other Common Names: None.
- Scientific Name: Ulmus crassifolia.
- Family: Ulmaceae.
- Leaf Description: Deciduous, Alternate branching, serrated edges. Can be between 2 - 5cm long.
- Flowers: White and purplish flowers.
- Fruit: Green Samara.
- USDA Native Status: Native to the United States.
- Other Regions of Distribution: AR, FL, MS, MO, OK, TN, TX.
- Preferred Habitat: Woodlands, ravines, and open slopes.
- Type of Plant: Tall growing tree. Can grow to be 9m - 18m.
- Harmful Effect: It can cause and complicate summer hay fever.
- Health or Medicinal Benefit: None
- Conservation Status: Minimal concern except in Tennessee where it is listed to be of special concern.
- Other Interesting Facts:
- It is known to grow amongst J. ashei.
- It is very susceptible to the dutch elm disease which is a fungi that kills the tree.
- Many bird species use the seeds as a food source.
- Wild turkeys and squirrels also make use of the seeds and buds as a food source.
- It is used as an ornamental shade in Texas.
- The wood is very strong and has really good shock resistance.
- The wood is used to make furniture, fence posts, boxes, crates, and barrels.
- The leaves are used as indicators of air pollution severity.
 |
| Cedar Elm |
Sprawling Horseweed:
- Other Common Names: Straggler daisy, creeping cinderella, creeping cinderella weed, and prostrate lawn-flower.
- Scientific Name: Calyptocarpus vialis.
- Family: Asteraceae.
- Leaf Description: Semi-evergreen, opposite branching.
- Flowers: Bright yellow flower.
- Fruit: None.
- USDA Native Status: Introduced and invasive to the United States.
- Other Regions of Distribution: AR, AL, FL, AZ, NM, HI, LA, GA..
- Preferred Habitat: Woodlands, fields, and meadows.
- Type of Plant: Can grow only grow to be about 1ft.
- Harmful Effect: None.
- Health or Medicinal Benefit: None.
- Conservation Status: None.
- Other Interesting Facts:
- It can serve as a good shade groundcover.
- It serves as a nectar source for butterflies.
 |
| Sprawling Horseweed |
Carolina Geranium:
- Other Common Names: Carolina Cranesbill.
- Scientific Name: Geranium carolinianum var. carolinum and Geranium carolinianum L.
- Family: Geraniaceae.
- Leaf Description: Opposite and whorled branching. 2in - 3in long.
- Flowers: Geranium carolinianum var. carolinum has white and deep purplish pink and Geranium carolinianum L. has white and light purplish pink flowers.
- Fruit: None.
- USDA Native Status: Native to the United States.
- Other Regions of Distribution: All states except Colorado and Hawaii.
- Preferred Habitat: Dry, hard fields and rocky woods.
- Type of Plant: Can grow to be 1 - 2ft.
- Harmful Effect: None.
- Health or Medicinal Benefit: None
- Conservation Status: Geranium carolinianum L. is classified as threatened and endangered.
- Other Interesting Facts:
- Long-tongued bees, short-tongued bees, and flower flies us it as a source of nectar.
 |
| Geranium carolinianum var. carolinum |
 |
| Geranium carolinianum L |
Quack Grass:
- Other Common Names: Medusa's head.
- Scientific Name: Elymus Ripens.
- Family: Poaceae
- Leaf Description: Flat, hairy leaves. Alternate branching. Can grow 6in -15in long.
- Flowers: None.
- Fruit: None.
- USDA Native Status: Introduced and Invasive to the United States.
- Other Regions of Distribution: All states except LA, AL, FL, GA, SC, HI.
- Preferred Habitat: Fine textured and moderately moist soil.
- Type of Plant: Can grow to be 2in - 12in tall.
- Harmful Effect: It has the ability to reduce crop yields of corn and wheat significantly. It acts as a host for pests that are harmful to other plants.
- Health or Medicinal Benefit: None
- Conservation Status: Normal.
- Other Interesting Facts:
- It can be used as pasture or hay.
- It can reduce soil erosion.
- Its rhizomes can be dried and ground and used for tea or flour
- It naturally contains chemicals that can be used in as insecticides.
 |
| Quackgrass |
Sow Thistle:
- Other Common Names: Smooth sow thistle, annual sow thistle, hare's sow thistle hare's thistle, milky tassel, and swinies.
- Scientific Name: Sonchus oleraceus.
- Family: Asteraceae.
- Leaf Description: Opposite and whorled branching. 2in - 3in long.
- Flowers: Yellow.
- Fruit: None.
- USDA Native Status: Introduced and Invasive to the United States.
- Other Regions of Distribution: All states.
- Preferred Habitat: almost any habitat.
- Type of Plant: Can grow to be 1in - 6in tall.
- Harmful Effect: None.
- Health or Medicinal Benefit: None
- Conservation Status: Normal.
- Other Interesting Facts:
- It is edible and known to be a good source of vitamin A and calcium.
- It is often mistaken for dandelion.
 |
| Sow Thistle |
Wild Carrot:
- Other Common Names: Bird's nest, Bishop's lace, and Queen Anne's lace.
- Scientific Name: Daucus carota.
- Family: Apiaceae.
- Leaf Description: Opposite and whorled branching. 2in - 3in long.
- Flowers: Small white flowers.
- Fruit: None.
- USDA Native Status: Introduced invasive to the United States.
- Other Regions of Distribution: All states except Hawaii.
- Preferred Habitat: Woodlands, ravines, and open slopes.
- Type of Plant: Can grow to be 1m.
- Harmful Effect: Leaves can be toxic and it can cause skin irritation. It can also cause phytophotodermatitis.
- Health or Medicinal Benefit: None
- Conservation Status: No concern.
- Other Interesting Facts:
- The leaves serve as food for caterpillars of the swallowtail butterfly.
- The root, in early bloom, is edible.
- It produces nectar that also serves as food for bees, wasps, and other insects.
- It is used by landscapers to attract insect predators.
- It is the wild form of the edible domesticated carrot.
 |
| Wild Carrots |
Reference Links
Gum Elastic:
Ashe juniper
Cedar elm
D. carota
Horseweed
Carolina Geranium
Quackgrass
No comments:
Post a Comment