94 



Descriptive Flora 



narrow, leaflets. Flowers solitary on short axillary pedicels y% 

 to 1" long, 1 to 4 in each of the upper leaf axils and similar to 

 the other mimosas. Stamens numerous, white, in bunches that 

 are gathered in rounded clusters the size of marbles. Pods flat, 

 one to two inches long, one-fourth to one-half inch broad. April 

 to July. Widespread, but not common. 



Acacia berlandieri Benth. Acacia "Huajillo" 



Similar to Acacia filicioides but plants are shrubby and 

 2 — 10' high, branches ashy due to numerous short, white hairs, 

 leaflets generally even more numerous and oblique, pods longer 

 (four to six inches) and wider (one-half to three-fourths inch). 

 In dry sandy soil south of San Antonio. March and April. 



Calliandra eriophylla Benth. Fairy Dusters. 



An odd little shrub about a foot tall with few light gray 

 spreading branches toward the ends of which are reddish or 

 purplish flowers that are mostly tufts of long stamens and look 

 like fuzzy pink balls. Leaves twice-pinnately compound with six 

 to twelve pairs of tiny leaflets on each of the two to eight 

 divisions. Some of these shrubs bloom when only a few inches 

 high. On limestone hills. Rare. 



Acacia farnesiana (L.) Willd. Huisache. Opopanax. 



{Vachellia farnesiana [L.] Wight & Arn.) ' 1 Huizache ' 



The Huisache is one of San Antonio's most characteristic 

 plants. This small tree or shrub usually has several stems 

 branching from the same root and numerous drooping branches 

 bearing a pair of straight thorns at each node. Leaves small, 

 feathery, 1 to 2" long, twice compound, each of the eight to six- 

 teen divisions having ten to twenty pairs of minute, sensitive 

 leaflets. Flowers very fragrant, yellow, fluffy balls, the size of 

 small marbles and consisting largely of many clusters of yellow 

 stamens. Pods cylindrical, one and one-half to three inches long. 



