Nature Trail Stop 5: Savanna Sanctuary
The last stop of our tour brings us to another example of the savanna vegetation. Here we find a field of grasses, wildflowers, and herbs just on the other side of the Juniper Thicket.
The path through this clearing and the Juniper Thicket seems to be well liked by the white-tail deer here at the ranch. When walking on the trail, you will frequently see deer tracks in this area, like the ones we see pictured below.
Texas Wintergrass
At this site, we can see the Texas wintergrass growing in over the grasses from last fall. In the tour you can see large patches of this grass just before the trail enters into the live oak cluster further down the path. The Texas wintergrass (scientific name: Stipa leucotricha) will soon bloom into a pinwheel-shaped seed head. It usually flowers between March and June.
The presence of this species indicates that this area of the ranch has experienced intense grazing. Historically, the grasses of the Edward’s Plateau and Freeman Ranch are thought to have been mainly tallgrasses. However, because of the grazing livestock brought by European settlers, the types of grasses that dominate the landscape are presently short- to midgrasses. Texas wintergrass, a mid-sized grass, is tolerant to grazing and grows well in a variety of soils, including the clayey soils of this region. Because it is grazing-tolerant, areas of extensive grazing often contain Texas wintergrass.
King Ranch Bluestem
By looking at the hotspot links, you will see that some of the Texas wintergrass is growing in with the remnants of other grasses. One of the main grasses that bloomed last fall and that left many dead stems is the King Ranch bluestem (scientific name: Bothriochloa ischaemum). This grass, also a mid-sized grass, originated from Europe and Asia. It began growing in Texas after seeds spread from an experimental seeding at the King Ranch in Kingsville, Texas.
King Ranch (KR) bluestem can withstand drought, shallow soils, and cold temperatures. However, it requires at least 20 inches of precipitation a year and cannot grow in deep coarse sand. Ranchers can easily use King Ranch grass for grazing and hay, and for protecting the soil and native grasses. The presence of this species is, thus, further evidence that extensive grazing has occurred in this area of the Freeman Ranch.
Crow-Poison
Also at this site, we see another distinct type of vegetation that is characteristic of savanna, herbs and wildflowers. Look closely at one of the flowers at this site using the hotspot link in the tour above. The flower we see here is called crow-poison, or false garlic (scientific name: Nothoscordum bivalve). Crow-poison is tolerant to a variety of soils.
We are now at the end of the tour and will begin heading back to the entrance of the trail. Make sure you have completed the Savanna Sanctuary section of your notes before heading back. Also, record and classify the three new species from this stop on the trail.
There is just one more webpage left for this tour and then we will be heading back home.