Clear Lake Chapter

Chapter Meeting: Climate Change and Southeast Texas’ Native Plant Communities

Monday, February 10 • 6:15 p.m.
Hybrid Meeting

6:15 Doors Open – UHCL Bayou Building, Garden Room
6:40 Zoom Opens
6:45 Business Meeting
6:55 Plant of the Month
7:00 Guest Speaker

Andrew Sipocz returns to provide an update to his 2018 talk, “Plant Communities and Climate Change.” Since then, new climate change research has been published. This time, Andy will focus on the anticipated effects on specific plants and potential changes to native plant communities.

About the Speaker

Andrew Sipocz earned a Bachelor of Science in forestry and wildlife management at Purdue University and a master’s studying wetland ecology from Texas A&M University. He has been with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department since 1990 where he now plans and implements landscape restoration and natural area management in southeast Texas state parks.

In-person – Parking Pass Required

Parking passes required. If you have a pass, don’t forget it – you will not get another one if you picked one up previously. If you need a pass, arrive early enough to pick one up in the meeting room and place it in your car. DO NOT park in faculty/staff parking (enforced 24/7).

Bayou Building, Garden Room
University of Houston-Clear Lake
2700 Bay Area Blvd.
Houston, TX 77058

Meetings are open to members and non-members. If you would like to become a member, you may join online. For more information about the Native Plant Society of Texas and the benefits of membership please visit: www.npsot.org.

Hosted by the Environmental Institute of Houston, University of Houston-Clear Lake.

About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

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