Texas
Wildbuds

Cevallia sinuata

(Stinging Serpent)

_DSC1056%20copy

Cevallia sinuata, Hot Springs-Rio Grande Village Trail, Big Bend NP 6028

_DSC1056%20copy

Cevallia sinuata, Hot Springs-Rio Grande Village Trail, Big Bend NP 6023

_DSC1056%20copy

Cevallia sinuata, East Contrabando Trail, Big Bend Ranch State Park 5936

_DSC1056%20copy

Cevallia sinuata, East Contrabando Trail, Big Bend Ranch State Park 5942

_DSC1056%20copy

Cevallia sinuata, Hot Springs-Rio Grande Village Trail, Big Bend NP 6014

_DSC1056%20copy

Cevallia sinuata, Hot Springs-Rio Grande Village Trail, Big Bend NP 6019

_DSC1056%20copy

Cevallia sinuata, East Contrabando Trail, Big Bend Ranch State Park 5938

_DSC1056%20copy

evallia sinuata, East Contrabando Trail, Big Bend Ranch State Park 3165

Scientific Name Cevallia sinuata USDA PLANTS Symbol CESI
Common Name Stinging Serpent, Stinging Cevallia ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. 19842
Family Loasaceae (Stickleaf) SEINet
Reference
Click Here
Description Habitat: Various soil types in open areas, washes and along roadsides; found in the Big Bend area, southeast along the Rio Grande and north sporadically as far as the Texas Panhandle.
Plant: Short, woody, branched perennial subshrub up to 2 feet tall, armed with long stinging hairs.
Leaves: Elliptic, 3/4 to 3 inches long; lower leaves short-petiolate, upper sessile; margins sinuate-toothed to pinnately lobed; surfaces covered with stinging hairs.
Inflorescence: On peduncles 1 to 4 inches long, very congested cymes resembling balls about 1-1/2 inch across with many very small yellow blossoms and buds; flowers with 5 slender, hairy yellow petals surrounded by similar-looking sepals, 5 stamens.
Blooming Period: April to October.
References: "Little Big Bend" by Roy Morey, "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston and SEINet.
Note: Thanks to Roy Morey for the plant identification.
BONAP Distribution Map


Map Color Key
Texas Status:
Native

Banner photo of Castilleja indivisa and Lupinus ssp. taken along FM 1323 north of Johnson City, Blanco County

© Tom Lebsack 2024