Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Saturday - April 29, 2006
From: Keller, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Difference between vetch and woolly loco
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
What is the difference between vetch and woolly loco?ANSWER:
Both the vetches (Vicia spp.) and the plant known as woolly loco (Astragalus mollisimus) are members of the Family Fabaceae (Legume, or Bean, Family) and both are also members of the Subfamily Papilianoideae. They are member of different tribes, however—Viceae and Galegeae, respectively. The major difference between the tribes is that Tribe Viceae has tendrils instead of terminal leaflets (i.e., they are vine-like) and Tribe Galegeae are erect, non-twining plants. You can read the key for Subfamily Papilianoideae in Shinners and Mahler's Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas. The entire book is also available in several downloadable PDF files on the internet.
More Plant Identification Questions
Vine with wine-colored flowers in Washington County, TX
April 04, 2014 - I'm trying to identify a deep purple wine colored flowering vine in Washington County, Texas. It looks very similar to Texas wisteria, but it is something else. I've seen them growing in vineyards...
view the full question and answer
Help with plant ID
September 01, 2004 - I found this plant alongside the road in a field in North Dallas. The dirt was fairly dry, and image is attached.
view the full question and answer
Searching for a dye made from a French weed
June 09, 2009 - Dear Mr smarty plants, I watched a gardening show on cable and they talked about a place in France where they use a weed called Wod to make dye and dye fabric and several other items to sell. It was ...
view the full question and answer
Identification of a cucumber-like vine with fruit
November 16, 2011 - We found tiny, grape-size white melon-like fruit on a vine, with tomato-like/cucumber-like seeds. The leaves on the vine were similar to grape or cucumber leaves, but not spiny. They were behind our...
view the full question and answer
ID for Dill-like weed
February 12, 2009 - I live in Richmond,VA.and have a man made dam for a pond fed by several springs. There's a scruffy weed that looks like dill weed when it emerges in the spring but is so tough that I can't pull it u...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |