Sunday, March 6, 2011

crypantha crassipes

My friends Maria and Will came out today to check on my endangered plant - Terlingua Creek Cat's Eye.  We have all been worried that the record freeze and no rain since last October would adversely effect them.  All my plants show signs of frost damage.  While following the botanists around on their plant survey, I spotted the first two blooms coming off one of the biggest plants on my property.  Spotted several other bloom stalks starting on other plants so looks like the species will survive another year.  Check out Maria's article on page two for some background on the plant.  http://texas.sierraclub.org/bigbend/Issue134.pdf

Nice cool day so while not looking for flowers, I was chipping away at the boulder in my back yard.  Made excellent progress getting out the last of the big bits.  Now I just gotta figure out where to put all the debris so I don't have to move it more than once.  57,66,31,0,C 

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

paint fossils on the debris, I know someone who might come over afterwards and steal the debris.;)

tffnguy said...

Guess you could always rock the Field Lsb?

Unknown said...

Have you considered adopting a Cat's Eye and see how it responds?

Carolyn Ohl-Johnson said...

I'm so glad you're aware of the rare flower and taking measures to protect it. Do the cattle affect it negatively? Are the cattle in your area even there legally? Wouldn't the fragile habitat there be better off without them?

tffnguy said...

Carolyne, a man's got to decide on whether to have pets or plants. ;) I doubt that the cattle effect the plants since they are as the article says "poisonous" so it isn't likely they would eat them. They probably wouldn't trample them either so maybe some manure close by might even help the plants? As far as are they legally there? Down here its considered Free Range unless a person has their property fenced in to keep the cattle out. That could get real expensive and it could also keep other animals out that people don't want kept out.

rj said...

Different subject: Marfa on April 24th Railroad Revival includes Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros
Railroad Revival.

Really good band that is not the same old thing. Austin on April 26th.

Mike said...

Watch out once the Feds find those rare plants, bye bye field lab.

Allen Hare said...

Is all that rock chipping for the greenhouse water tank? It seems that was the last project you were working on.

Next time you need to chip that much rock, maybe you could pull a "Tom Sawyer", and get some of your many guests to have the "Complete Field Lab Experience" by pitching in with the hammer and pick axe. You would, of course, be standing by with the camera to record their "Experience", and provide them with an e-mailed copy of the pic to show off to all their friends!