trucha Posted March 20, 2012 (edited) A nice clump that is growing under Leucophyllum frutescens in South Texas. Edited March 20, 2012 by trucha 12 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trucha Posted March 21, 2012 Sort of off topic since this isn't a cactus but I was also lucky enough to see this beautiful Western diamondback that is a resident of the study site. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Goldtop Posted March 21, 2012 (edited) Thats lophs crazy man and fuck if that isnt 10x zoom on that snake your one tough mother do you live in texas mate? Edited March 21, 2012 by Goldtop Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TommyChesnutt Posted March 21, 2012 my great uncle had a diamondback killing stick as a kid - everytime he killed one, he put a notch on it, got up to 56 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Seldom Posted March 21, 2012 NICe! i am fucking enamored of everything you do trucha Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Evil Genius Posted March 21, 2012 my great uncle had a diamondback killing stick as a kid - everytime he killed one, he put a notch on it, got up to 56 Most people here are concerned about the PRESERVATION of botanical and animal wildlife. Diamonbacks are on the red list and are already extinct in some of the few american states they originally occured in. I understand its no fun to be bitten by one but from what i know, they only attack when they have no other option or when somebody steps on them. Usually, their first instinct is escape. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TommyChesnutt Posted March 21, 2012 that's true mr kool keith. he's probably the reason they're on the redlist, then lol mind you this was back around WWII, and they were serious farming pests. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Evil Genius Posted March 21, 2012 Well yeah, grandfathers and WWII. Dont get me started about this... I like em but i also like the fact i dont have them in my front yard. So i definately see why people thought they´d do something good by killing them. But they are very pretty. I have an affection for deadly animals. Wouldnt need to be this deadly of course. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LokStok Posted March 21, 2012 yeah, it was only one generation ago that it was considered the 'responsible thing to do' to kill any snake that you happenned upon. I can remember my father almost rolling the ute trying to run over a snake that was crossing the road! You could substitute sharks, hawks, dingos, coyotes, eagles etc etc with the word snake in my first sentence. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stillman Posted March 21, 2012 my father still thinks it a good idea to cut any snake he sees in three with a spade. nice cacti by the way. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2Deep2Handle Posted March 21, 2012 (edited) your father is scared? EDIT: or has young children or dopey/small animals? Edited March 21, 2012 by 2Deep2Handle Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zelly Posted March 21, 2012 enough about snakes guys, this thread is about williamsii williamsii.... trucha, I'm curious, why there's no dried fruit on the plant....do you typically not see any on wild specimens? ps, you may want to strip out the exif data from your pics prior to posting as they may contain gps or other detrimental info Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trucha Posted March 22, 2012 Thanks on educating me on the exif info but nothing compromising is there. (Once I learned what this meant and took a look at the data) Its sort of nice to see how images were created and where they came from. GPS data might not be so nice. Dried pods would likely not persist past the first real rain but its more likely the fruit never lasted long enough to dry before some hungry creature or ants removed it. Some seeds can get caught in the fluff on older plants but the rain at this site in South Texas is commonly really heavy when it does happen. Flowering was really just getting going this year after rains following a long dry period so seed pods are also coming up here and there (not in this image though). Those few I saw were just emerging but there were certainly abundant seedlings under an inch in diameter. Its likely worth commenting that this sort of clump is not the result of regrowth after harvesting. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kadakuda Posted March 22, 2012 are you implying a sub-species system? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trucha Posted March 22, 2012 (edited) Echinata does merit recognition separately from williamsii. Something below a species seems right but the proper ranking remains to be determined. Molecular work is already completed (as was analytical work) but morphological study is ongoing. With luck and everyone finding adequate time this can get published this year. I would not normally have included the second williamsii in the name at all in this post if not also posting one of echinata. Goldtop -- I used to live in Texas but moved to California almost a decade ago. Kada- - this is a bit off topic but you might like hearing that a decent number of those apparently freeze dried echinatas from a couple of years ago are sending out new pups. Some did this last year but some are only showing new pups as of this year. I've only been home a couple of days but when I get a bit more caught up with life I will focus on putting some images online. Edited March 24, 2012 by trucha Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sola Posted April 1, 2012 Very interesting, I'd like to have several ex situ sites of preservation for these plants so it's good to see leaf matter, rocks, cover, soil etc. Your posts are always helpful and interesting. I'll be interested to read the published material when it's available too. Is it likely to be a journal article? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trucha Posted April 1, 2012 Publication will be in something that is peer reviewed or it won't be considered to be meaningful. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
woof woof woof Posted April 1, 2012 Leucophyllum frutescens love those bushes......... everytime it rains they wow!!!! So maybe LW could have some sort of life here in the wild. =) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trucha Posted April 2, 2012 It loves several Leucophyllum species so they would make good companions anywhere they would grow. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
