Catsclaw Sensitive Brier

Cat's Claw Sensitive Brier

Mimosa nuttallii

Schrania nuttallii (alternate)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimosa_nuttallii

http://www.springerlink.com/content/rk34773gx1075u68/

I was not surprised in the least to see this as part of the Mimosa genus (the filamental stamen, and leaf shape are very similar to the bloom of the Mimosa tree. What is surprising is that this bloom (a true "ball" by contrast to the Mimosa "fan") grows on a ground hugging pricker vine, much different than the big Mimosa tree.

Most Surprising, this really is a sensitive brier. While moving a sample of the vine to white card-stock (3rd image) the fronds all closed up. I had to wait some ten minutes for some of the fronds to re-open.

More later.

Hard Ball: Eryngium yuccifolium

Eryngium yuccifolium

Compare and contrast to the simular shape but much softer expression of the the Button Ball bush.

This is one I missed posting from mid July, and will move back to the right chronological position in a day or two.

Button Ball

Info to be added.

Purple Headed Sneeze Weed (Clown Nose)

Helenium Flexuosum

aka: Funky Susan, Clown Nose,

http://www.missouriplants.com/Yellowalt/Helenium_flexuosum_page.html

Buttonball

Cephalanthus occidentalis

http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook/trees/ceoc2.html

http://www.missouriplants.com/Whiteopp/Cephalanthus_occidentalis_page.html

Images