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Scientific Name | Physaria argyraea ssp. argyraea (Lesquerella argyraea) | USDA PLANTS Symbol | LEAR3 |
Common Name | Silver Bladderpod | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 823388 |
Family | Brassicaceae (Mustard) | SEINet Reference |
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Description | Habitat: Sandy granitic or calcareous soils in central and south Texas. Plant: Small herbaceous perennial or biennial with upright or reclining stems, usually less than 12 inches tall; stems and leaves with many small hairs giving a silvery appearance. Leaves: Basal leaves dropping early, oblanceolate 2 to 3-1/2 inches long on long petioles; stem leaves elliptic to obovate 1/4 to 1-3/4 inches long, lower ones short petiolate, upper sessile; margins entire, sinuate or dentate. Inflorescence: Yellow flowers 1/4 to 3/4-inch across with 4 spatulate or obovate petals and 4 oblong to elliptic sepals; flowers on recurved or S-shaped pedicels 5/8 to 1-3/16 inches long. Bloom Period: February to May. References: Floral of North America, "Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country" by Marshall Enquist and "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston. |
BONAP Distribution Map![]() |
Texas Status: Native |
Scientific Name | Physaria densiflora (Lesquerella densiflora) | USDA PLANTS Symbol | LEDE2 |
Common Name | Dense-flower Bladderpod, Low Bladderpod | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 823076 |
Family | Brassicaceae (Mustard) | SEINet Reference |
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Description |
Habitat: Sandy, calcareous or granitic soils; sandy ledges, limestone outcrops, rocky prairies in Central Texas. Plant: Annual or biennial with one to several erect, decumbent or sometimes prostrate stems up to 16 inches long, creating a low carpet of golden-yellow flowers along roadsides; stems and leaves with dense covering of fine stellate (star-shaped) hairs. Leaves: Basal leaves oblanceolate to obovate, deeply lobed and 3/8 to 2-3/4 inches long, on long petioles; stem leaves up to 2-3/8 inches long, narrowly obovate to elliptic on short petioles or sessile, margins are wavy (repand) to having a couple shallow teeth on each side. Inflorescence: Dense terminal racemes of numerous yellow to orange flowers each 1/4 to 1/2-inch across; 4 obovate to obdeltate petals and 4 elliptic sepals. Bloom Period: March to May. Fruit: Round to obovoid capsules up to 1/4-inch across on straight, spreading to nearly horizontal pedicels 3/8 to 5/8-inch long. References: Flora of North America, "Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country" by Marshall Enquist and "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston. |
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Texas Status: Native Endemic |
Scientific Name | Physaria fendleri (Lesquerella fendleri) | USDA PLANTS Symbol | LEFE |
Common Name | Fendler's Bladderpod | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 823239 |
Family | Brassicaceae (Mustard) | SEINet Reference |
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Description | Habitat: Dry sandy, rocky, calcareous soils; prairies, slopes and mesas. Plant: Short sprawling perennial with several stems up to 16 inches long, sometimes branched; stems and leaves with many small hairs giving a silvery appearance. Leaves: Basal leaves (if present) up to 3 inches long and 1/2-inch wide, linear to elliptic, petiolate, margins entire or coarsely dentate; stem leaves alternate, up to 1 inch long, short-petiolate, linear to narrowly oblanceolate, margins entire or coarsely dentate. Inflorescence: Terminal raceme with bright yellow flowers up to 1 inch across with 4 spreading petals and 4 oblong to elliptic sepals. Bloom Period: February to August. Fruit: Smooth round capsules about 0.2 to 0.3 inches long with a slightly pointed tip; often becoming reddish with age. References: "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston, "Wildflowers of Texas" by Geyata Ajilvsgi and SEINet. |
BONAP Distribution Map![]() |
Texas Status: Native |
Scientific Name | Physaria gordonii (Lesquerella gordonii) | USDA PLANTS Symbol | LEGO |
Common Name | Gordon's Bladderpod | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 823240 |
Family | Brassicaceae (Mustard) | SEINet Reference |
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Description |
Habitat: Sandy or light soils in rocky plains, caprock ledges, gravelly brushland, sandy desert washes, stream bottoms, pastures, roadsides. Plant: Upright annual with several erect to decumbent, branched or unbranched stems; 18 inches tall; dense, short hairs covering stems and leaves. Leaves: Basal leaves elliptic to obovate 3/4 to 2 inches long, petiolate and margins lyrate-pinnatifid, or entire or dentate; stem leaves linear to oblanceolate 3/8 to 2-3/4 inches long, lower ones sometimes short-petiolate, upper sessile, margins of lower leaves repand or shallowly dentate, upper leaves entire. Inflorescence: Dense terminal racemes of numerous yellow to orange flowers each about 1/2-inch across; 4 cuneate to obovate petals and 4 elliptic or oblong sepals. Bloom Period: March to June. Fruit: Globular to ellipsoid capsules up to 1/3-inch across on straight, S-shaped or recurved pedicels 3/8 to 1-3/16 inches long. References: SEINet, "Wildflowers of Texas" by Michael Eason and "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston. |
BONAP Distribution Map![]() |
Texas Status: Native |
Scientific Name | Physaria gracilis (Lesquerella gracilis) | USDA PLANTS Symbol | LEGR2 |
Common Name | Cloth-of-gold, Spreading Bladderpod | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 823260 |
Family | Brassicaceae (Mustard) | Flora of North America Ref. | Click Here |
Description |
Habitat: Sandy or calcareous clay soils in pastures, prairies, roadsides and disturbed areas. Plant: Upright to sprawling, delicate to wirey, annual to 20 inches tall with several pubescent stems, usually branched. Leaves: Basal leaves narrowly oblanceolate to obovate to about 3 inches long, petiolate and margins entire to lyrate; stem leaves linear to oblanceolate 3/8 to 2 inches long, sessile, and margins entire to dentate. Inflorescence: Dense terminal racemes of numerous yellow to orange flowers each about 1/2-inch across; 4 cuneate to obovate petals and 4 elliptic or oblong sepals. Bloom Period: March to June. Fruit: Round to ellipsoid capsules up to 1/3-inch across on straight or slightly curved pedicels 3/8 to 3/4-inch long. References: Flora of North America, "Wildflowers of Texas" by Geyata Ajilvsgi and "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston. |
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Texas Status: Native |
Scientific Name | Physaria recurvata (Lesquerella recurvata) | USDA PLANTS Symbol | LERE4 |
Common Name | Gaslight Bladderpod | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 823233 |
Family | Brassicaceae (Mustard) | SEINet Reference |
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Description |
Habitat: Limestone outcrops and gravelly calcareous prairies in Central Texas. Plant: Weak, sprawling annual with multiple stems 8 to 20 inches long. Leaves: Basal leaves 1 to 2 inches long, elliptic to rhombic, may be dentate or pinnatifid; stem leaves 3/4 to 1-3/4-inches long, obovate to elliptic, margins smooth or slightly dentate. Inflorescence: Small bright yellow star-shaped flowers along and at end of stems, 1/8 to 1/4-inch across; 4 petals and sepals, 6 stamens; wide open in full sun and closing at night. Fruit: Round seed pods about 1/8-inch in diameter on recurved (bent) pedicels. Bloom Period: March-May. References: "500 Wild Flowers of San Antonio and Vicinity" by Ellen Schulz Quillin and "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston. |
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Texas Status: Native |
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