To-date I have located roughly 30 separate Escobaria missouriensis specimens, in Mackenzie Park and 1.5 to 3 miles south along Yellowhouse Canyon near Dunbar Historical Lake. Some of the logged observations include 4-8 individuals.
Here's what I wrote in a comment to one observation:
Cannot overrule the possibility that these originate from one or more planted specimens. There are two clusters of tiny ones on a high point of a Mackenzie Park side canyon [with one larger cactus on high ground] , and two found 1.5 to 2 miles farther down Yellowhouse Canyon, on opposite sides of a lake.
The largest by far is down-canyon. I've tried to report on iNaturalist nearly every specimen I've observed [though one or two observations have several nearby specimens lumped together.
Note that I have observed these ONLY on unplowed, unbroken-by-plow parklands still more or less in native condition. [No longer true; several lie on once graded broken ground near the mountain bike trailheads to the west trails at Dunbar Lake. These are below a large cactus on unplowed ground, and one can imagine seeds washed downhill from that cactus germinating.] MOST of the Lubbock parkland that make up the Canyon Lakes greenbelt has been leveled and planted with non-native grass.
I am wondering how these cactus seeds could be spread; the clusters in Mackenzie Park could have come from seeds spread by gravity from one ancestor, and in fact there is one larger cactus there on the highest ground, but the two downstream, one on a very high butte and higher than the largest of all across the canyon, no. Birds?
I was cagey about location of these cactus, fearing cactus theft, and even located some observations a hundred yards from where they were. No more; unlikely that any local plant thieves would be checking in here. If anybody wants to be guided to these plants or others, contact me. I live only a mile or so away from the canyon and would usually be glad of the company.
Small, low, thus far overlooked by cactus thieves.
Near ridge, unimproved prairie area, Mackenzie Park South. Second of these I've seen, the other being on a high point south of Dunbar Lake 2-3 miles down Yellowhouse Canyon; see https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/10560958 Very likely a number that once grew in the canyon were stolen.
3rd I've seen near the canyon lakes.
Several specimens of Escobaria located in a small area. Possible the smaller ones are descended from the larger one shown sheltered by a yucca.
Had this not been in bloom I might have stepped on it.
This was on the side of a steep knoll on the north side of the lake. I did not go higher to see if a parent cactus was present =higher up. See https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/thebark/15763-missouri-foxtail-cactus-escobaria-missouriensis-observations-in-yellowhouse-canyon-lubbock-texas
On caliche-gravel height overlooking the lake. For more on my Escobaria observations, see https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/thebark/15763-missouri-foxtail-cactus-escobaria-missouriensis-observations-in-yellowhouse-canyon-lubbock-texas
On a caliche-gravel knoll overlooking the lake, above a smaller specimen observed on the side of the same knoll last week. For more on my Escobaria observations, see https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/thebark/15763-missouri-foxtail-cactus-escobaria-missouriensis-observations-in-yellowhouse-canyon-lubbock-texas
13 photos of some 9 cacti in one area that I think are not among those reported in previous observations, though I would not swear to it.
Two individuals.
Non-blooming and difficult to see.
Non-blooming and difficult to see.
For more on Escobaria observations in Lubbock, see https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/thebark/15763-missouri-foxtail-cactus-escobaria-missouriensis-observations-in-yellowhouse-canyon-lubbock-texas
Escobaria missouriensis, but this is in a different more grassy location from the Escobaria missouriensis in the area. Somehow it looks more tender and blanched than those.
You have to click on the photo to enlarge it to see the characteristic nipple pattern of the surface.
Farther west than other observations in the area. For a collection of my observations of this species, see https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/thebark/15763-missouri-foxtail-cactus-escobaria-missouriensis-observations-in-yellowhouse-canyon-lubbock-texas
Near the horse statues, an unusual cluster of Escobaria that was run over by a vehicle.
Comments
The cactus I photographed at Tahoka Lake Pasture does look different. It is in the second photo and has been identified as Viviparous Foxtail Cactus. One obvious difference between species is that with the Viviparous Foxtail Cactus the spines do not lie flat like the arms of a starfish but some point outward.
Note that some of the observations linked to above include multiple, 5 to 9 nearby specimens, as one observation. I have so far found upwards of 30 individuals in about eight separate areas of Yellowhouse Canyon.
Have photographed this species in bloom from April 16 to May 8. I have not gone back to specimens to see how long the flower is open.
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