Big Bend Chapter

Program: Quer-chaos! Demystifying the Confusing Oaks of the Trans-Pecos

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[from Michael Eason]

Program: Quer-chaos! Demystifying the Confusing Oaks of the Trans-Pecos
Presenter: Adam Black
Date/Time: Saturday, March 12; 10am to noon
Physical Location: Alpine Public library (in-person meeting now open to both members and non-members)
RSVP to big-bend-chapter@npsot.org
Virtual Location: Zoom (See registration info below)

Program Description: Quer-chaos! Demystifying the Confusing Oaks of the Trans-Pecos

With their variability and propensity to hybridize, oaks (Quercus spp.) are often a challenge to identify anywhere, though in the Trans-Pecos they are exceptionally complicated! There are 22 species described from the region, some found nowhere else, and some named species may not even be scientifically valid! Other new cryptic species may lurk in distant canyons or in plain sight. Join Adam in learning about the common and rare species, rampant hybrid complexes, and other mysteries slowly being solved by ongoing research in west Texas that will aid conservation efforts.

Adam Black is a lifelong plant enthusiast with a passion for the rare, unusual and esoteric. As a self-employed botanical consultant based in Navasota, Texas, he combines his life experience in the fields of botany and horticulture by promoting diverse landscapes while also collaborating with various gardens and universities collecting imperiled plant species for the purposes of research and conservation.

Zoom only registration:
This will be a hybrid meeting. For those of you who cannot make the in-person meeting, or just wish to attend the meeting in the comfort of your own home, please register in advance via the zoom link below. The Zoom portion is open to members and non-members.

https://npsot-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwrc-isqzwvG9f7AGMZKP18bZlq4XLRnL7p

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

We will send a reminder out prior to the meeting, with a link.

NOTE: Please keep your microphones off (this eliminates feedback) and video off (too distracting).

 

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**ARCHIVED POST AUTHOR: billarmstrong

About the Region

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This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason