Learn to identify wildflowers in Texas with this handy field guide, organized by color. With this famous field guide by professional nature photographers Nora and Rick Bowers and by award-winning author and naturalist Stan Tekiela, you can make wildflower identification simple, informative, and productive. There’s no need to look through dozens of photos of wildflowers that don’t grow in Texas. Learn about 200 of the most common and important species found in the state. They’re organized by color and then by size for ease of use. Fact-filled information contains the particulars that you want to know, while full-page photographs provide the visual detail needed for accurate identification. Book Features 200 species: Only Texas wildflowers! - Simple color guide: See a purple flower? Go to the purple section - Fact-filled information and stunning professional photographs - Icons that make visual identification quick and easy - Nature Notes, including naturalist tidbits and facts This field guide includes beautiful photography, relevant information, and expert naturalist insights. Grab Wildflowers of Texas Field Guide for your next outing―to help you positively identify the wildflowers that you see. Nora Bowers is a writer and photographer. A member of the North American Nature Photography Association, Nora’s credits include Birder’s World Magazine, as well as many books and calendars. She is coauthor of field guides for several states. Rick Bowers is a photographer, naturalist, and writer. He has been photographing nature for more than 35 years. Rick’s photo credits span the gamut, from National Geographic to local publications. He is coauthor of field guides for several states. Stan Tekiela is a naturalist, wildlife photographer, and writer and is the originator of the popular state-specific field guide series. Stan has authored more than 190 educational books, including field guides, quick guides, nature books, children’s books, playing cards and more, presenting many species of animals and plants. With a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural History from the University of Minnesota and as an active professional naturalist for more than 30 years, Stan studies and photographs wildlife throughout the United States and Canada. He has received various national and regional awards for his books and photographs. Also a well-known columnist and radio personality, his syndicated column appears in more than 25 newspapers, and his wildlife programs are broadcast on a number of Midwest radio stations. Stan can be followed on Facebook and Twitter. Alfalfa Medicago sativa Family: Pea or Bean (Fabaceae) Height: 12-36" (30-91 cm) Flower: tight spike clusters, 1-2" (2.5-5 cm) long, of deep purple-to-dark blue flowers (can range to light blue); each flower, 1⁄4-1⁄3" (.6-.8 cm) long,with 1 large upper petal and 3 smaller lower petals Leaf: 3-parted and clover-like, 1-2" (2.5-5 cm) long, with sharp-toothed margins near tips Fruit: downy green seedpods twist into coils and become nearly black with age Bloom: spring, summer, fall Cycle/Origin: perennial, non-native Habitat: agricultural areas, abandoned fields, along roads Range: throughout Notes: This deep-rooted plant is usually found in irrigated fields or along roads where it has escaped cultivation. Often planted by farmers in Texas as a food crop for livestock and to improve soil fertility. Alfalfa hay is a favorite of horses and is often fed to them–sometimes to their detriment, as it contains a high percentage of protein that can lead to laminitis (a disease affecting hooves). Prime host plant for Orange Sulphur butterfly caterpillars. Countless adult Orange Sulphurs hovering above a field of blooming alfalfa look like a swarm of dancing orange flowers. Cluster type: Spike - Flower type: Irregular - Leaf type: Compound - Leaf attachment: Alternate - Fruit: Pod Used Book in Good Condition