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ckneuppe

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Απρίλιος 29, 2019 11:57 ΠΜ CDT

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Striped Rosemallow observed in the Guadalupe Delta WMA near the Buffalo Lake access road from Hwy-35. I've observed a large population at this location for many years, but could not ID it until recently. Based on the information in the USDA PLANTS and Texas NPIN databases, this seems to be the subspecies lambertianus. Many samples from this area have also been reported at the Plant Resources Center (UT Austin herbarium) as H. striatus lambertianus. Hibiscus cubensis is considered a synonym of H. striatus, although it is not used in iNat.

Note: the scientific name means “striated” not “striped” - that is, furrowed, grooved or fluted; apparently referring to the radial ridges on the flower petals. Other distinguishing characteristics are the prickles on the stems and the truncate leaf bases. Many of the leaves have a shape resembling a “Clovis” projectile point, although some have side lobes in the fashion of Halberd-Leaved Hibiscus or Drummond Red Maple.

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ckneuppe

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Ιούλιος 27, 2016 04:05 ΜΜ CDT

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Swamp Rose Mallow (aka Crimson-Eyed Rose Mallow) observed beside drainage ditch crossing under FM-111, in the Post Oak Savannah vegetative zone of Texas. The unusual hibiscus in this area is notable for tall mostly-unbranched reddish stems and slender lanceolate/arrowhead leaves that are glabrous (not hairy) on the top side. These are distinctively different than the green stems and heart-shaped hairy leaves of Hibiscus lasiocarpos, which is commonly found in swampy areas in counties further to the east. Also see: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/29537606

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ckneuppe

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Φεβρουάριος 6, 2019 01:34 ΜΜ CST

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Live Oak observed along south side of North Road, between Lake Jackson and Brazoria TX. This tree was measured in 1999-2000 and was declared the largest Live Oak in Brazoria County in a project at that time by the county chapter of Texas Master Gardeners. At that time, the dimensions were 318" trunk circumference, 80' height and 94.3' crown spread (Tree Index of 422). The county title passed to the San Bernard Oak in 2003, which also was recognized as the Texas state champ in 2003-2016. The tree pictured above was re-measured on 12-Feb-2019 by a team from the Cradle Of Texas chapter of Texas Master Naturalists, with new dimensions of 349" trunk circumference (at 4.5' above ground surface), 77' height and 76' crown spread (Tree Index of 445). Given that the current Texas state champ has a Tree Index of 427, it is likely that this tree can become a new state champ. This tree is not currently found in the Texas Big Tree Registry, so it is assumed that it has never been previously nominated at the state level, so it was nominated on 4-Apr-2022.
San Bernard Oak: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/19949500
Current state champ: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/19138203

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ckneuppe

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Σεπτέμβριος 22, 2005 01:47 ΜΜ CDT

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This massive tree has been known as the "San Bernard Oak", since it is located on land acquired for the San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge in about 2002. It is located near the southern margin of a coastal forested area known locally as the Columbia Bottomlands, on a slight ridge along the north side of Little Slough. It can be reached at the end of a 1.25-mile (round trip) hiking trail called the San Bernard Oak Trail. The tree's base is very large, and has created a mound around the tree which sits above the surrounding land. It was certified as the Texas state champion Live Oak by the Texas Forest Service in 2003, with a trunk circumference of 386", height of 67' and a crown spread of 100' (Tree Index of 478), replacing the beloved "Big Tree" at Goose Island State Park as state champ. Unfortunately, in years past, two of the San Bernard Oak's largest branches had broken and fallen to the ground (in most photos, on the right side), or it might have measured as even bigger, and which gives it a disfigured appearance. It was disqualified as champ in 2016 by the Texas Forest Service since they concluded that the separate branches had pith (center of tree rings) which extended below ground level, allowing only one branch to be measured based on newly-issued rules. The new measurements (for the largest branch) were circumference of 240", height of 67' and crown spread of 90' (Tree Index of 328). Photos courtesy of Dave Brandes, circa 2005.
Previous state champion: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/1111171
Subsequent state champion: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/19138203
Trail info: https://www.visitbrazosport.com/attractions/san-bernard-oak-trail-at-the-san-bernard-national-wildlife-refuge/

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ckneuppe

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Ιούλιος 29, 2019 03:29 ΜΜ CDT

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Woolly Rose Mallow observed at fence line on north side of FM-1301 next to a swamp.

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ckneuppe

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Ιούλιος 25, 2019 04:15 ΜΜ CDT

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Swamp Rose Mallow (aka Crimson-Eyed Rose Mallow) observed on the edges of a wetland, in the Post Oak Savannah vegetative zone of Texas, on both sides of Hwy-111 near its crossing with the Lavaca River. A large population exists here, especially along the fence lines paralleling both sides of the highway which crosses through the wetland. The unusual hibiscus in this area is notable for tall mostly-unbranched reddish stems and slender lanceolate/arrowhead leaves that are glabrous (not hairy) on the top side (and with reddish petioles). These are distinctively different than the green stems and heart-shaped hairy/velvety leaves of Hibiscus lasiocarpos (which is commonly found in counties further to the east). Flowering of this specimen seems to begin a little later than this other type, and continues into the summer. Seeds at this location were collected, and resemble the smooth non-hairy seeds of H. lasiocarpos and moscheutos. The seed pods and secondary bracts are minutely hairy, but not velvety like those of H. lasiocarpos, matching more closely the key for H. moscheutos.

Dr. Orland Blanchard (now at University of Florida Herbarium) has reviewed a 2019 sample of the seeds, seed capsules and leaves, believing this to be part of a highly-variable H. moscheutos lasiocarpos group, in agreement with the current ID of a specimen from this same area at the Plant Resource Center (UT Herbarium):
https://prc-symbiota.tacc.utexas.edu/collections/individual/index.php?occid=1806902&clid=0
It was reported in 1949 to be 18 miles SE of Yoakum along Hwy-111 - while this iNat observation was measured at 18.7 miles from Yoakum.
Similar-appearing specimens in the area:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/5737788
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/18435875
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/26135318
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28573650
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/43936845
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/53204486
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/55041648
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/93611832
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/135252753
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/165315268
..... and some others in Seabourne Park at Richmond TX, like the first, fifth, sixth and ninth ones above.

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tylercannon

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Μάιος 19, 2019 09:32 ΠΜ UTC

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ckneuppe

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Νοέμβριος 16, 2018 12:21 ΜΜ CST

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Durand White Oak found NE of FM-1459 near Danciger TX, along a treeline. It is located on private land, but can be observed to some degree from the nearby public road. Magnificent specimen; height estimated at 65'. Trunk Circumference (breast height) was measured as 117”. Three smaller specimens of this species were located within several hundred yards, on the same side of FM-1459, and many large specimens are found nearby. This species is rather uncommon and poorly known in Brazoria County, so is reported here. County champ?

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ckneuppe

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Νοέμβριος 27, 2018 02:41 ΜΜ CST

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Overcup Oak found along Chocolate Bayou south of Manvel TX. This specimen is extremely large, and ID was confirmed by finding the species' unusual acorn on the ground underneath the tree. Several other smaller specimens are found in the nearby woods. Please note adult standing at base of tree in the two left-most photos, to gain appreciation of its size.

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ckneuppe

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Μάρτιος 2015

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Texas, US (Google, OSM)

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Flowering Dogwood observed growing at Boy Scout Camp Karankawa near the San Bernard River. A grove of 15 small trees were found in 2014-2015, growing on the sloping ground around the head of a drainage known in camp as Wild Peach Gulch, although some were suffering stress from drought in the years just prior to that. By Dec-2018, many of them had died, and sustained flooding of the area during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Sep-2017 is suspected as the main cause. To our knowledge, this species has never been observed in a native state anywhere else in Brazoria County TX. Samples (winter buds) of 9 of these trees were collected in Jan-2015 for DNA testing, and were submitted to Prof. Robert N. Trigiano of the University Of Tennessee (Knoxville TN), although we never heard back about any results. Soil samples from beneath each of the 9 trees were collected, sent and analyzed at the Texas A&M Soil, Water & Forage Test Laboratory (data is available).

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ckneuppe

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Δεκέμβριος 21, 2018 11:20 ΠΜ CST

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Durand White Oak observed in residential yard on east side of Mackhank Rd., in an area near the San Bernard bottoms just inside Fort Bend County TX. Another large specimen of the species is found in the same yard.

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ckneuppe

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Δεκέμβριος 21, 2018 01:08 ΜΜ CST

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Columbus, TX, USA (Google, OSM)

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Live Oak in Columbus TX, known as the Columbus Oak or Grandma’s Oak. This magnificent old giant was declared Texas state champion Live Oak in Aug-2016, with statistics of 338" trunk circumference, 61' height and 114' crown spread (Tree Index of 427). The tree that it replaced as champion was the San Bernard Oak (Texas champion from 2003-2016) which has a 386" circumference, 67' height and 100' crown spread (Tree Index of 478), which was disqualified in 2016 due to a rule change by the Texas Forest Service.
More info: http://texasforestservice.tamu.edu/websites/FamousTreesOfTexas/TreeLayout.aspx?pageid=26882
Previous state champion: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/19949500

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ckneuppe

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Δεκέμβριος 22, 2018 01:54 ΜΜ CST

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Durand White Oak on east edge of Waller Creek in downtown Austin TX, just south of 3rd St. It is in a small city park called Sir Swante Palm Neighborhood Park. The tree had a silver metal disk nailed to the trunk, embossed with the number "809". The UT Herbarium (now called the Billie L. Turner Plant Resources Center) has multiple specimens of this species reported from along Waller Creek in 1901, 1933 and 1945, thus is considered "wild". This tree was named the Texas State Co-Champion of the species Quercus sinuata var. sinuata by the Texas Forest Service in Jan-2014, joining with another tree in Liberty Co. that had been certified earlier. Statistics are 165" trunk circumference, 44' height and 56' crown spread, for an index of 223. Thousands of acorns littered the ground beneath the tree, many viable but some with weevil holes, crushed or dried out, and a few still on the tree (unusual, since this species seems especially early and stingy with acorns). At least 4 other old large Durand Oaks are found on the south side of same small park, and the right-most photos show some of these other trees, but they had few if any acorns in Fall 2018.