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Native Plant Society of Texas

Ricky Linex

Ricky Linex retired in 2021 as a wildlife biologist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service and now works as a range and wildlife consultant.

With NRCS, Linex worked 52 counties in north central Texas covering the Rolling Plains, Cross Timbers, Blackland Prairie, and Post Oak Savannah vegetational regions. He worked 38.5 years with NRCS in Goldthwaite, Snyder, Abilene, and Weatherford.

He is the author of Range Plants of North Central Texas, A Land Users Guide to Their Identification, Value and Management, a plant identification book for Texas. Range Plants was recognized in 2015 as an outstanding publication by the Texas Chapter – The Wildlife Society, the Native Plant Society of Texas, and the Texas Section – Society for Range Management.

Contact Ricky Linex

Weatherford, TX, USA

Native Plant Society of Texas - Cross Timbers Chapter; Society for Range Management - Certified Professional in Range Management; Texas Chapter, The Wildlife Society - Certified Wildlife Biologist; Presenter at Texas MN, MG, NPSOT Native Prairies Association chapters across North, West and Central Texas

  • Consideration: Honorarium
  • Driving Distance: 200 miles
  • Online Presentation: Yes
  • Online Platforms: Zoom, Webex
  • Recording Allowed: Discuss with Speaker
  • Uploading Allowed: Discuss with Speaker

Presentations Offered:

Creek Walk Across Texas

In this 30 minute presentation, riparian vegetation is highlighted across several major creeks and vegetational regions of Texas. The good, bad, and ugly will be shown as we take a […]

Edible Plants of North Texas

Participants will learn about 42 common edible plants that can be found in north Texas pastures and rangelands, as well as across much of the rest of the state. Using […]

Fifty Shades of Green: 50 Neat Natives for Your Landscape

Presentation will feature 50 species of native plants that are beautiful, and sometimes unusual, that can be used in your native landscaping. Some of these can be purchased, but many […]

Important Food Plants for Deer, Quail, and Turkeys

Discusses identification and value of 50 forb and woody species for the three categories of wildlife. Clear photos will enable identification and show details needed to know these plants. Many […]

In Search of a Perfect Red

The story of how the insect cochineal and prickly pear cactus forged a dyeing industry that lasted for centuries. Presentation looks back through American and foreign history as nations sought […]

Medicinal Applications of Native Plants by Native Americans

Presentation showcases 45 native Texas forbs, shrubs and trees that were used medicinally by many tribes across Texas and the southern US. The treatment method and the illness or disease […]

Native and Introduced Plants – the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Discussion and photos of desirable native plants along with introduced and invasive grasses and forbs. Builds awareness of invasive and noxious invaders showing up in Texas. The importance of establishing […]

Native and Introduced Plants of the Rolling Plains of Texas

Showcases 43 native and introduced plants of the Rolling Plains. Some will be well known and common, while a few will be less known but found within this area. Distribution […]

Native Grassland Restoration – How Plants Grow and How to Improve Them

Presentation discusses how our native grasslands declined and factors affecting the success of grass re-establishment. Using Web Soil Survey, we’ll see what plants were native on the speaker’s land, what […]

Native Plants for Building Pollinator Habitat

This 1.5 hour presentation shows 55 native plants beneficial for pollinator habitat across the northern half of Texas. Many of the species shown in the Fifty Shades of Green presentation […]

Plant Identification by Family Association and Use of Written and Online Botanical Keys

In this 2 hour presentation, participants will gain an understanding of how Texas Plants have been collected and identified through the past 200 years. Plants will first be identified by […]

Pollinators and Native Plants – Who Are the Real Managers of Wildlife Habitats?

Landowners and land managers often believe that by reducing stocking rates of livestock, or controlling numbers of deer on their property, they’re managing the habitat. Participants will learn of the […]

Using Reading the Land to Understand Land Stewardship

Presentation introduces how to first “read the land” to understand what has happened in the past, what is happening now and what may be in the future meshing with an […]

About the Region

New Braunfels, the location of our Fall 2024 Symposium, straddles both the Edwards Plateau Ecoregion and the Blackland Prairie ecoregion. Interstate 35 divides the city of New Braunfels; its path through the city closely parallels the boundary of these two ecoregions, with the Edwards Plateau on the west side and the Blackland Prairies region to the east. The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our four host chapters (New Braunfels, Lindheimer, Guadalupe, and the Hill Country chapters) are located in one or both of the ecoregions above. However, the eastern portion of Guadalupe County also falls within the Post Oak Savanna ecoregion. Annual rainfall averages 35 to 45 inches, with higher averages to the east. A wide variety of hardwood trees are found, including several species of oaks, elms, and in the Bastrop area, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). Grasses and forbs dominate in the open savannas, with most common grass being little bluestem. Ranching, agriculture, and fire suppression have allowed woody species to encroach on the once-open savannas.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason