It's Arabideae time in Texas!
Species of the Tribe Arabideae are among the first flowers to bloom (January--March or early April). Being small and inconspicuous, they are often overlooked. Observations of Texas Arabideae are here. These species have been lumped and split, taxonomically; formerly, all were in the genus Draba.
Because of its diminutive size, Tomostima reptans is the most challenging (and most exciting) to find. It does not appear to require a certain soil type as they have been found in very sandy soils and almost solid limestone rock (e.g. Lovers Leap near Junction, TX)--though sandy does seem to be where it's most common. It's general distribution is estimated by this BONAP map, but this is incomplete.
The following characteristics vary, so documenting multiple characteristics will confirm the ID. Features to capture include:
- side view of mature fruits (pods)
- side view of flowering stem (pedicel) from top to bottom (with hairs in focus)
- view of leaves
Also, young plants may be challenging or impossible to identify.
👉 Key and illustrated identification guide*
*There is also a yellow-flowered species in Jeff Davis county (Trans-Pecos) which isn't in the guide: Draba standleyi
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Yep, have seen some blooming and fruiting already in parts of Williamson and Burnet county over the past week. I would love to see T. reptans, but it is apparently quite rare down here, so I think one would have to be very lucky to find one.
This info would have been helpful to me this morning, but it was actually too drippy and soggy to do any "belly botany" at the time. Necessitates a a return trip next week. Thanks bunches for the information. BTW, the anemones are also showing up. Think of you every time I see one...
I posted several of these from my outing last weekend. They were the first I had seen this year.
Doing some sleuthing using SEINET search portal, the herbarium records of T. reptans from Travis county appear to be misidentified. Their stems appear to have hairs.
https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/list.php
There's a record from Williamson county that is identified correctly:
CR 442 0.8 km N of Highway 112, NE of Shiloh
https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/individual/index.php?occid=27419424&clid=0
[Note added later....this is wrong, see comments below-->}HOWEVER, the county is wrong! There is no Shiloh or Hwy 112 in Williamson county. This location is in Limestone Co.
There is a Shiloh Community in Williamson County close to the Milam County border. There is a FM 112 also in Williamson County. Goes from Lexington in Lee Co. to Taylor Area. https://www.mapquest.com/directions/to/us/texas/shiloh-tx-282920316
Well, let's rethink this then. There is indeed a CR 442 N of Hwy 112 NE of Shiloh in Williamson County. So yall need to go there!
https://www.google.com/maps/place/30%C2%B030'06.8%22N+97%C2%B010'47.0%22W/@30.501888,-97.1823089,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!1m8!3m7!1s0x8644dfd3c13dc8b1:0x887fa1d5790cf27a!2sThorndale,+TX+76577!3b1!8m2!3d30.6138101!4d-97.2055482!16zL20vMDEzbjJ3!3m3!8m2!3d30.501888!4d-97.179734?entry=ttu
And there are some cemeteries nearby, in addition to the Shiloh church grounds:
cemetery 1
cemetery 2
They may be in your yard, @connlindajo and they're so inconspicuous you never see them :) The ones I've seen were tiny whisps about an inch tall.
Yep, I've done that sleuthing as well. I know they are down there in the very southeast part of Wilco (post oak savannah) as I had seen Art had collected some (he has found a lot of stuff in the county), but in the past I have not found many good places to do roadside botany in that part of the county so I stopped going since it's a bit of a drive. I have been to both of those cemeteries, and they are both pretty well maintained (Lawrence Chapel has donkeys in a gated area I think), but maybe some Drabas might make it through.
The places I've found them were relatively sandy (gophers and/or moles present) with exposed soil (somewhat sparse vegetation). They're so small that I'm sure they get outcompeted by denser or taller vegetation. Mowing shouldn't affect them, but KR bluestem or other non-natives I'm sure crowd them out.
I saw something similar yesterday in Travis county, but I may need to return to get better photos
I'd really like to see T. reptans, so let's get out there.
I have seen some in previous years but have not yet seen them this year, but will scout around today.
Thank you so much for creating this helpful resource!!!!!
@currenfrasch Just to clarify, in Travis county you're mostly likely to see Tomostima cuneifolia or T. platycarpa. T. reptans, if it occurs, is probably found in the sandy areas to the east or west of the Austin area.
Looks great! Evidently, I've seen all five species. I guess I never uploaded my T. platycarpa observations, though.
Found some Tomostima growing in rocky area, but really young. Left it at genus level.
@lanechaffin
@plateauville has been documenting alot of them.
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