Mid-October hike, 2022, Government Canyon – Native Plants & Dinosaur Tracks

A hike in Government Canyon State Natural Area, Bexar County, Texas. Don’t expect bright flowers and lush foliage in this video, as the footage was taken during extreme drought. Still, I thought it would be interesting to show how the native plants adapt to these conditions. In many cases, in response to drought they simply drop their foliage. A couple of species also still show damage from the unusual cold of Feb. 2021. Most of the trees you will see are Ashe Juniper.
Plant names are listed below, in order of appearance.

Hog Plum or Snakewood, Colubrina texensis
Texas Mountain Laurel, Dermatophyllum secundiflorum
Live Oak, Quercus fusiformis
Brasil or Bluewood, Condalia hookeri
Evergreen Sumac, Rhus virens
Black Persimmon, Diospyros texana
Mesquite, Prosopis glandulosa
Huisache, Vachellia farnesiana
Cedar Elm, Ulmus crassifolia
Spanish Oak, Quercus buckleyi
Chinaberry, Melia azedarach
Little Walnut or Nogalito, Juglans microcarpa
Silktassel, Garrya ovata ssp. lindheimeri
Agarita, Mahonia trifoliolata
Spanish Moss, Tillandsia usneoides
Escarpment Black Cherry, Prunus serotina var. exima
Buckley Yucca, Yucca constricta
Possum-haw, Ilex decidua
Mexican Buckeye, Ungnadia speciosa
Oreja de Ratón (Mouse Ear) or Bernardia, Bernardia myricifolia
Greenbriar, Smilax bona-nox
Net-leaf Forestiera, Forestiera reticulata
Elbow Bush, Forestiera pubescens
Redbud, Cercis canadensis var. texensis
Pink Mimosa, Mimosa borealis
Chittamwood or Gum Bumelia, Sideroxylon lanuginosum
Scaly-bark Oak, Quercus sinuata var. breviloba
Sugarberry or Sugar Hackberry, Celtis laevigata
Poison Ivy, Toxicodendron radicans
Mountain Grape, Vitis monticola
Wooly Ironweed, Veronia lindheimeri
Carolina Snailseed, Cocculus carolinus
White Mistflower, Ageratina havanensis
Ball Moss, Tillandsia recurvata
Ashe Juniper, Juniperus ashei
Bee-brush or White-brush, Aloysia gratissima
Roemer Acacia, Senegalia roemeriana
Silverleaf Nightshade, Solanum elaeagnifolium

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