Dr. Callanan | Sage to Meadow

Tag Archives: Dr. Callanan

March 9, 2012 · 8:45 am

Flowers of Flying Hat (6-8): Sow thistle is not a weed.

Far field clouds, March 2012.

6. False Garlic, Crow Poison (Nothoscordum bivalve), March 2012.

This False Garlic flowers early and there are several colonies clustered together throughout the ranchito. This False Garlic is closed and due to the rains and cold yesterday and today, I do not have an open flower to illustrate — but, I shall. This is found in the lane to County Road 114, and other colonies are about the gate between the arena and the grove pasture.

7. Sow Thistle (Sonchus asper), March 2012.

Sow Thistle appears to be a weed, but it is not. Authorities claim the milk of this plant relieves eye ailments. I wonder if I could apply this to my left eye? I think not. I’ll rely upon Dr. Callanan, but then again…. This appeared one afternoon and then its flowers have closed. This Sow Thistle inhabits the disturbed soil underneath the live oak tree to the southeast of the house. I have read much about the categorization of ‘weed’ versus ‘plant.’ The term ‘weed’ seems culture-specific, a term of dislike, marginal. Goats, sheep and cattle eat this with relish. To them, it seems, this is a plant, not an obnoxious weed. One person’s plant is another person’s weed?

8. Unknown.

These little-bitty guys erupt on the top terrace and emerge as small, almost unnoticeable flowers. As of today, I have failed to find their name, and I also need a closeup to gain greater resolution of their attributes. Today it is raining and the blossoms are closed.

More Violet ruellia, violet wild petunia (Ruellia nudiflora).

This is a another photograph of violet wild petunia, previously identified. It has erupted in large numbers along Interstate 20 from Mingus to Abilene.