Native Plants

Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Enter a Plant Name:
Or you can choose a plant family:

Carlton, M. W.

Erodium texanum

Erodium texanum A. Gray

Texas Stork's Bill, Stork's Bill, Pine Needle, Fillaree

Geraniaceae (Geranium Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: ERTE13

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Texas Storks-bill or Fillaree is a low-growing plant. Its long-stalked, oval leaves, with three rounded lobes, form an initial rosette close to the ground. From this rosette, horizontal stems extend to 20 in. The purple, five-petaled flowers bloom in clusters of two to three, opening late in the day and closing in the morning, except on cloudy days. Prominent yellow anthers contribute to the showy character.

The blossoms are sensitive to light, opening late in the day and closing in the morning, except when it is cloudy. Beaks on the seed pods resemble storks' bills; thus the common name. During low humidity the tip coils, but straightens again when the humidity is high. In this way the seeds are dispersed.

From the Image Gallery

36 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual , Biennial
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Schizocarp
Size Notes: Stems prostrate to ascending, up to about 20 inches long, often much shorter.
Fruit: Shaped like an upraised stork's bill.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Red , Pink , Purple
Bloom Time: Feb , Mar , Apr , May , Jun

Distribution

USA: AZ , CA , MO , NM , NV , OK , SC , TX , UT
Native Distribution: C., s. & w. TX to extreme s.w. UT & s.e. CA
Native Habitat: Prairies; open, limey areas

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil Description: Rocky or sandy soils on limestone.

Benefit

Conspicuous Flowers: yes

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Sibley Nature Center - Midland, TX
Brackenridge Field Laboratory - Austin, TX
Jacob's Well Natural Area - Wimberley, TX

Herbarium Specimen(s)

NPSOT 0315 Collected Mar 31, 1993 in Comal County by Mary Beth White
NPSOT 0567 Collected Mar 10, 1990 in Bexar County by Harry Cliffe
NPSOT 0702 Collected Mar 30, 1994 in Bexar County by Mike Fox
NPSOT 0573 Collected Mar 20, 1990 in Bexar County by Harry Cliffe

4 specimen(s) available in the Digital Herbarium

Wildflower Center Seed Bank

LBJWC-7 Collected 2006-04-21 in Travis County by Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

1 collection(s) available in the Wildflower Center Seed Bank

Bibliography

Bibref 248 - Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (1984) Loughmiller, C. & L. Loughmiller
Bibref 328 - Wildflowers of Texas (2003) Ajilvsgi, Geyata.
Bibref 286 - Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country (1989) Enquist, M.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 30 - Calflora (2018) Calflora
Webref 36 - Jepson eFlora (2019) The Jepson Herbarium, University of California, Berkeley
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Erodium texanum in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Erodium texanum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Erodium texanum

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-02-09
Research By: NPC

Go back