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Wednesday - June 27, 2007
From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Identifiation of Castela erecta ssp. texana as armagosa
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I am reading a document that includes the name Armagosa in a list of plants identified in a south Texas (Maverick Co.) vegetation analysis(shrub/sub-shrub layer). Unfortunately the list of species did not include the taxonomic identifier for this plant. There are lots of misspellings in the lists, so ...ever heard of something similar to this name?ANSWER:
According to A Field Guide to Common South Texas Shrubs (by Richard B. Taylor, Jimmy Rutledge, and Joe G. Herrera. 1997. University of Texas Press) Castela erecta ssp. texana (Texan goatbush) is armagosa. Other common names are bitterbush and allthorn goatbush. There are two subspecies C. erect ssp. texana in Texas and C. erect ssp. erecta in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The Texas A&M University at Uvalde database shows Castela texana as amargosa. ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information System) lists this name as a synonym for the accepted name of Castela erecta ssp. texana. You can find more information from the US Forest Service and Texas A&M Aggie Horticulture.
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