Pictured here is an example of Lygodesmia texana, the Skeleton Plant.
This is a strange looking plant because of the green flower stems which lack any leaves.

This member of the Asteraceae family blooms from April till August in Texas and can be seen in New Mexico and Oklahoma, too. Notice the branching pattern of the stems and the single flower bud or bloom at the end of each branch. These plants can be 10 to 15 inches tall which makes them taller than most of the grassland vegetation nearby.

Here is a bloom just opening. Skeleton plants generally have only one bloom open at a time for just a single morning. Another interesting characteristic of this species.

In this image, notice the five teeth at the end of the “flower petals” or ligules as they are properly called. Each ligule is connected to a single floret which combine to make the compound flower that you see.

Skeleton plants that I have seen are usually this beautiful lavender color. They can also produce a pale bluish flower and I have seen them in white only once. Their complex flowers produce nectar that feeds many kinds of butterflies and other insects. I find their leafless stems and bold flowers a beautiful example of the wide variety found in the the Daisy family.

You can learn more about this wildflower at the Lady Bird Johnson Wild Flower Center website.

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