Silver-leaf Nightshade

Description:

There are several species of horse nettle, all of which have star-shaped blossoms with prominent petals, flat or turned backward, and yellow stamens. Almost all of them are prickly. Flowers of the various species are blue, purple, yellow, or white. White horse nettle gets its name from its covering of silvery hairs, among which are the nettle-like prickles. It grows 1–3 feet tall. The leaves are 2–4 inches long, with wavy edges. Flowers are violet-purple or white, about 3/4 inch across, with 5 petal-like lobes that are joined at the base, forming a triangular shape at the tip of each lobe. All of them have the prominent, bright yellow stamens that distinguish all the horse nettles. The yellow fruits resemble small tomatoes and remain on the plant for months. They are said to be poisonous.

Habitat:

The Miller Springs Nature Center is located at the northeast end of Miller Springs Park. It is the principal trailhead for hikers, and includes a large parking lot, picnic tables, a covered pavilion, and handicap-accessible trails. The Center is a 260-acre scenic natural area located between the Leon River and 40 foot high bluffs, immediately east of the Lake Belton Dam. Miller Springs Park is a 360-acre park located below Belton Lake, on the Leon River, in Bell County, Texas. It contains diverse riparian terrain, including limestone bluffs, estuarial wetlands, mountain cedar hilltops, and riverside cottonwood stands. Numerous trails traverse prairie-like open spaces and forests of native cedar elm, live oak, and red oaks. Recent floods have created a new canyon that reveals numerous layers of sedimentary rock and fossils. Area wildlife includes white-tail deer, red foxes, coyotes, black squirrels, armadillos, and about 200 species of birds in the course of the year.