Dallas Chapter

August 2020 Meeting – “Just Enough Latin to Go Plant Shopping” with Carol Clark

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We hope you’ll join us for our August meeting on Monday, the 17th @ 7PM, when the wonderful Carol Clark will be presenting one of her many topics. You can join us early at 6:30 for social time and troubleshooting connection.

Registration is required. https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYkdeirqjMuHdbSMiRSxWm9Rgpd4i3ab_LY

The scientific names of plants might seem like a giant pain to learn, but they carry more useful information than you might think. Learning just a few common roots for form, size, color, origins, shape and habitat can help you decipher those names and choose the right plant for the right place, save you time and money, and lead to a whole new avenue of enjoyment in your gardening life. We’ll keep it fun and simple, so don’t let your fear of Latin keep you away. Reference handouts included and can be found here in pdf & Word formats: https://www.npsot.org/wp/dallas/resources-and-links/meeting-minutes-handouts/

“Carol Clark is an amateur botany enthusiast, a Monarch Watch Conservation Specialist, a Texas Master Naturalist, and longtime member of the Native Plant Society of Texas. She and her husband own and operate Clark Haven, a wildlife preserve and custom wildflower seed business in Cooke County. Carol grew up with a nature photographer father and wildlife artist brother, and has spent much of her life looking around in the great outdoors. Her favorite things to do are leading discovery walks in local natural areas, and finding and photographing interesting plants.”

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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