Here is the status of several Navasota Flora species as of the 5th of March, 1995.
The 'Mexican Plum' (Prunus mexicana - Rosaceae)) is one of the first entomophilous trees to bloom in the Navasota Valley Spring flora:
Tree in flower
It shows a classic flower of the Rosaceae with pentamerous perianth and numerous stamens:
P. mexicana - detail
This long-section of the flower shows perigyny typical of the subfamily Prunoideae:
flower sectioned
Another member of the Rose Family (Rosaceae), the local 'dewberry' (Rubus trivialis) is also just starting to flower. It shows the standard androperianth configuration of the family (pentamerous perianth with numerous stamens and basal adnation to form an hypanthium), but a gynoecium (apocarpy) typical of its subfamily (Rosoideae). This will become evident as Spring progresses and the aggregate of druplets ('dewberry') develop.
A 'dewberry' flower
Winter annuals, soon to be a conspicuous element of the Navasota Flora, are at an advanced stage of vegetative development this week:
Indian Paintbrush Castilleja indivisa
Lupinus subcarnosus
The most common of our local 'Bluets' species, - Hedyotis crassifolia , (Rubiaceae) - is starting to bloom:
A lonely Bluet
They show the sympetalous corolla and epigyny that is characteristic of this large family:
H. crassifolia
A relatively rare plant of Post Oak woodland openings and the only species of its genus in the Texas flora, Saxifraga texensis (Saxifragaceae) is just starting to bloom:
Plant (left) and inflorescence
Tree in flower
A 'dewberry' flower