Texas Almanac, 1943-1944 Page: 113
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TEXAS WILD FLOWERS.
-Courtesy George S. Buchanan, Marlin, Texas.
The bluebonnet grows in great profusion in North Central, Central and Southwest Texas.
There are two widely distributed, similar varieties, Lupinus texensis and Lupinus subcarnosus,
either of which is accepted as the state flower, though the former is the more widely distrib-
uted and more definitely specified by statute.des, Lupinus subcarnosus, grows on the
sandy areas of Central Texas. It is also con-
sidered as the state flower since the distine-
tion between the two was not considered at
time of the adoption of the resolution by the
Legislature.
Roadside Beauty.
Among the flowers that are likely to attract
the attention of the highway traveler is the
Texas mountain laurel, also known as mescal
bean, and frijolito (Sophora secundiflora), a
shrub with a blue flower of the autumn sea-
son which is found on the limestone hills of
Central and Southwest Texas. The wild ver-
bena (Verbena bipinnatifida) is found from
spring until fall over large areas, also the
pink evening primrose or buttercup (Hart-
mannia tetraptera) in the prairie regions, the
Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) and the
Indian paint brush (Castilleja indivisa). One
of the most famous of Texas wild flowers is
the Drummond's phlox (Phlox drummondii),
a showy brilliant red annual of South Central
and Southeast Texas. This flower was first
discovered in Texas by the Scot botanist,
Thomas Drummond, who visited the state in
1833-34, collected the seeds and propagated
and distributed this variety of phlox. It is
now a familiar garden flower in many parts
of the world. Another Texas wild flower
discovered and classified by Drummond is the
coreopsis, or golden wave (Coreopsis drum-
mondii) of South Texas. a yellow and brown
flower having kinflowers of several species in
Central and West Texas.
Flowering Shrubs.
There apre many beautiful flowering shrubs
of which the redbud (Cercis reniformis),growing on the hills of Central and West
Texas is the best known. Its brilliant pink
and red flowers appear early in spring in
amazing profusion. The mimosa (Mimosa
borealis) and several members of the acacia
family, the huisache (Acacia farnesiana) the
catclaw (Acacia greggii) and others are
found principally in West and Southwest
Texas. Many of these flowers, notably the
catclaw and the huajillo of Southwest Texas
furnish honey for the bee industry of the
state.
Among the most beautiful flowers of the
state are the flowering shrubs and trees of
the East Texas Forest Belt, notably the dog-
wood (Cornus florida) with its great white
clusters, and the magnolia (Magnolia grandi-
flora) of the East Texas bottomlands with
its big, heavily scented white blossoms.
Desert Flowers.
The arid regions of the extreme western
part of the state contribute some of the
state's most beautiful flowers. The maguey
or century plant (Agave havardiana) is noted
for its flowers, occurring at intervals of a
number of years, consisting of candelabrum-
like clusters of yellow blossoms. The similar
lechuguilla (Agave lecheguilla) produces a
beautiful blossom. The yucca (Yucca radi-
osa), also known as bear grass, palmillo and
soapweed, grows over a wide area of subhu-
mid, semiarid and arid Texas, bearing beau-
tiful white blossoms in white clusters on a
tall stalk. The kindred Spanish dagger or
bayonet (Yucca treculeana) also gr.,ws over a
wide range. Still another flowering plant of
the western regions is the sotol (Dasylirion
texanum).
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Texas Almanac, 1943-1944, book, 1943; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117165/m1/115/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.