Descriptive Flora 



95 



This is a moisture loving plant, and grows thickly around lakes 

 and "tanks" and drainage ditches. Occasionally found in "cut 

 over" open country where the majority of the mesquites have 

 been removed. An interesting account of the habits of this tree 

 may be found in Mackensen's Trees and Shrubs of San Antonio 

 and Vicinity. Quoting the Beeville Bee : 



"The Huisache is said to have first been brought into San 

 Patricio from Mexico by one of the Mexican commissioners sent 

 to represent the government of that colony. He planted them 

 on his premises and from these trees have sprung all the 

 huisaches now growing in southwest Texas". There seems to be 

 no evidence to prompt a botanist to support this view. This 

 shrub is much cultivated in France for making perfume. 



Acuan velutinum (Scheele) Kuntze. 

 (Desmanfhus velutinus Scheele.) 



A thornless somewhat shrubby plant 1 to 2' high with 

 feathery foliage, whitish flowers, and stems branching from the 

 same root. Leaves twice compound, each of the four to twelve 

 divisions bearing numerous minute leaflets. Flowers whitish, 

 globular balls near the ends of the branches. Pods smooth, 

 straight, narrow, one to two and one-half inches long, in radiat- 

 ing clusters of three to five. March to June. On dry rocky hill- 

 sides. 



Morongia roemeriana (Scheele) Heller. Sensitive Briar. 



' ' Ten vergiienza ' \ 



A pretty, little briar with small balls of fluffy, deep pink 

 to rose-colored, fragrant flowers. The long spreading branches 

 are armed with recurved prickles and creep on the ground and 

 over rocks and weeds. Leaves twice compound, each of the four 

 to eight divisions bearing numerous tiny, sensitive leaflets. Pods 

 somewhat flattened, four-sided, prickly, less than two inches 

 long. 



