Crameria, Trailing Krameria, Trailing Ratany, Prairie Sandbur, Three Fans

May 11, 2010 - I found this tiny gem growing just along the edge of the curb in an undeveloped field that is being developed into an apar...Read Moretment complex just off exit 9 on the 820 NW Loop, about 2000ft north of Lake Worth (across the lake from Fort Worth NAS).

Crameria, Trailing Krameria, Trailing Ratany, Prairie Sandbur, Three Fans Krameria lanceolata is a lovely little flower native to Texas a...Read Morend other States.

This ground-hugging, trailing wildflower is uncommon (Lone Star Field Guide - Wildflowers, Trees and Shrubs of Texas; Tull and Miller; Ta...Read Moreylor Trade Publishing: Revised 1999, p. 139) and ranges from Kansas to Arizona, Texas and Mexico. In Texas, it is not found in the far north eastern nor the far central eastern portion of the state. It can be found from just north of Beaumont along the coastal region to Brownsville as well as all other areas. (Wildflowers of Texas, Ajilvsgi; Shearer Publishing: Revised 2002, p. 323)

The blooms usually go unnoticed because they are usually 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch across and tend to be low amongst its foliage and/or because the plant is sort of intertwined among other plants. The unique blooms resemble miniature orchids and are a lovely magenta tending more toward maroon color. The 4-5 sepals are also maroon colored and resemble petals. The 1 inch, very narrow, silky haired leaves have minute blunt spines. The slender stems can branch out to 5 feet or more if given the right growing conditions. The round hairy fruit capsules (pods) have barbless spines and contain one seed.

I had never seen this plant until today when I was what I call "grazing" for tiny plants with tiny blooms that I so enjoy observing and recording. These plants usually go unnoticed and unappreciated, but I have found that most of the time they have truly amazing blooms.

I was sort of lying on the ground (with ants crawling on me) beside a country road to take the photos of the blooms. A gentleman stopped his truck and asked me if I was okay. I told him I was fine and that I was just photograhing a small plant. I showed him the blooms of at least 10 small plants in a very small area. He was really quite dumbfounded at their beauty and said he usually never really looks down and just tramples over them when going through the "weeds". To my delight, he said he was going to walk a little slower, step more carefully, look down more and enjoy the beauty of the "little ones." I hope he truly starts "grazing" too.