BETTY BROWN UNIT OF SBNWR
2013 SPECIES SURVEY

INDEX TO THIS PAGE
 • About the survey
 • A Sampling of Species
    – Butterflies
    – Understory Trees
    – Woodland Wildflowers
 • Species List

During the Spring of 2013, a team of four Master Naturalist interns — Roger Allen, Randy Holcomb, Chris Kneupper, and Dick Schaffhausen — conducted a species survey at the Betty Brown Unit.   This project was part of their initial training as Master Naturalists.   Marty Cornell and Kirby Rapstein serves as advisers to the team.   Dave Brandes served as Field Projects Coordinator.

The team stated its objectives as follows:

To begin a flora and fauna list for the Betty Brown Unit.   After four group visits and many individual visits, the current inventory lists ten trees, 16 understory plants, 16 vines, 42 non-woody plants, ten grass species, and three miscellaneous plants.   Animal species included two mammals, 28 birds, one reptile, one crustacean, one mollusk and 15 butterfly species.

Secondary objectives include identification of unique features which would help draw visitors to the unit, and to update of the existing Betty Brown page on the Friends of Brazoria Wildlife Refuges website.

As part of their study of the Betty Brown unit, the team contacted the previous owner of the property, Bob Muhm.   Muhm provided much valuable information about the history of the property including a plat map of the property.


Randy Holcomb, Kirby Rapstein, Dick Schaffhausen, Bob Muhm, Chris Kneupper, Roger Allen

Bob Muhm shows off his map of the property.

The Betty Brown Unit is located on County Road 819B (Up River Road) and fronts on the San Bernard River.   A slough runs through the unit, and empties into a pond at the eastern end of the property.   A drainage ditch connects the slough to the river.   A hiking trail connects the riverfront with a parking lot on county Road 819B.

The following map, created by team member Roger Allen, shows these features:

Map:Roger Allen Annotated.jpg

A more detailed description of the Betty Brown Unit may be found on the Betty Brown page of the Friends of Brazoria Wildlife Refuges website.

A SAMPLING OF SPECIES



Photo: Chris Kneupper images/BF1-LittleWoodSatyr.jpg
Little Wood Satyr   Megisto cymela
     

Photo: Chris Kneupper images/BF1-PearlCrescent.jpg
Pearl Crescent   Phyciodes tharos
     

Photo: Chris Kneupper images/BF1-PhaonCrescent.jpg
Phaon Crescent   Phyciodes phaon
     

Photo: Christiane Kneupper images/BF1-TigerSwallowtail(male).jpg
Tiger Swallowtail   Papilio glaucus
     

Photo: Chris Kneupper images/BF1-TropicalCheckeredSkipper.jpg
Tropical Checkered Skipper   Pyrgus oileus
     
Photo: Chris Kneupper images/BF1-DuskyBlueHairstreak+friend.jpg
Dusky Blue Hairstreak   Calycopis isobeon
     




Photo: Richard Schaffhausen images/UT-03 22 13_0778 _DownyHaw.JPG
Downy Hawthorn   Crataegus mollis
     

Photo: Chris Kneupper images/UT-Amorph-6845.jpg
Indigo Bush   Amorpha fruticosa
     

Photo: Chris Kneupper images/UT-GrnHaw3.JPG
Green Hawthorn   Crataegus viridis
     

Photo: Christiane Kneupper images/UT-hop4.JPG
Common Hop-tree   Ptelea trifoliata
     

Photo: Christiane Kneupper images/UT-IMG_6007-RBV.JPG
Rusty Blackhaw Viburnum   Viburnum rufidulum
     

Photo: Christiane Kneupper images/UT-Mx_Plum.JPG
Mexican Plum   Prunus mexicana
     




Photo: Chris Kneupper images/WF-IMG_6233-Meadow-rue.JPG
Purple Meadow-rue   Thalictrum dasycarpum
     

Photo: Chris Kneupper images/WF-Penstemon_tenuis_1.jpg
Gulf Coast Penstemon   Penstemon tenuis
     

Photo: Richard Schaffhausen images/WF-RedSage.JPG
Tropical Sage   Salvia coccinea
     

Photo: Chris Kneupper images/WF-Skullcap_1.jpg
Heartleaf skullcap   Scutellaria ovata ssp. bracteata
     

Photo: Chris Kneupper images/WF-TxUmbWort1.JPG
Texas Umbrellawort    Tauschia texana
     

SPECIES LIST

The following list was compiled by Chris Kneupper based on the collective research of all team
members.   Please send additions or corrections to Chris at kneupper@brazoriainet.com.
[NN] = Non-native

COMMON NAME BINOMIAL NAME FURTHER
INFORMATION
Trees
Live Oak Quercus virginiana UT-Austin
Water Oak Quercus nigra UT-Austin
Shumard Red Oak Quercus shumardii UT-Austin
Cedar Elm Ulmus crassifolia UT-Austin
Bois d' Arc Maclura pomifera UT-Austin
Hackberry Celtis laevigata UT-Austin
Green Ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica UT-Austin
Texas Honeylocust Gleditsia texana TAMU
Black Willow Salix nigra UT-Austin
Pecan Carya illinoensis UT-Austin
Understory
Yaupon Holly Ilex vomitoria UT-Austin
Possum-haw Holly Ilex decidua UT-Austin
Mexican Plum Prunus mexicana UT-Austin
Cherry Laurel Prunus caroliniana UT-Austin
Palmetto Sabal minor UT-Austin
Chinese Privet    [NN] Ligustrum sinese Wikipedia
Waxleaf Ligustrum    [NN] Ligustrum lucidum Wikipedia
Gum Bumelia Sideroxylon lanuginosa UT-Austin
Chinese Tallow-tree    [NN] Sapium sebiferum Wikipedia
Rusty Blackhaw Viburnum Viburnum rufidulum UT-Austin
Green Hawthorn Crataegus viridis UT-Austin
Downy Hawthorn Crataegus mollis UT-Austin
Common Hop-tree Ptelea trifoliata UT-Austin
Indigo Bush Amorpha fruticosa UT-Austin
Rough-leaf Dogwood Cornus drummondii UT-Austin
Eastern Baccharis Baccharis halimifolia UT-Austin
Western Soapberry Sapindus saponaria UT-Austin
Vines
Common Greenbrier Smilax rotundifolia UT-Austin
Saw Greenbrier Smilax bona-nox UT-Austin
Bristly Greenbrier Smilax tamnoides UT-Austin
Southern Dewberry Rubus trivialis UT-Austin
Poison Ivy Toxicodendron radicans UT-Austin
Trumpet Creeper Campsis radicans UT-Austin
Grape Vine Vitis spp.  
Coral Honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens UT-Austin
Japanese Honeysuckle    [NN] Lonicera japonica Wikipedia
Carolina Snailseed-vine Cocculus carolinus UT-Austin
Rattan-vine Berchemia scandens UT-Austin
Virginia Creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia UT-Austin
Yellow Passionflower Passiflora lutea UT-Austin
Swamp Leatherflower Clematis crispa UT-Austin
Purple Leather-flower Clematis pitcheri UT-Austin
Hairypod Cowpea Vigna luteola UT-Austin
Non-woody Perennials/Annuals
Turk's Cap Malvaviscus drummondii UT-Austin
Coralberry Symphoricarpos orbiculatus UT-Austin
Frostweed Verbesina virginica UT-Austin
Crow Poison Nothoscordum bivalve UT-Austin
Wolfweed Leucosyris spinosa UT-Austin
Curly Dock    [NN] Rumex crispus Wikipedia
Tickseed    [NN] Torilis arvensis Williamson
Rough-seed Buttercup    [NN] Ranunculus muricatus USDA
Carolina Buttercup Ranunculus carolinianus UT-Austin
Purple Meadow-rue Thalictrum dasycarpum UT-Austin
Carolina Ponysfoot Dichondra carolinensis UT-Austin
Yellow Wood-sorrel Oxalis dillenii UT-Austin
Violet Wood-sorrel Oxalis violacea UT-Austin
Giant Ragweed Ambrosia trifida UT-Austin
Carolina Geranium Geranium carolinianum UT-Austin
Catchweed Bedstraw Galium aparine UT-Austin
Tall Goldenrod Solidago canadensis UT-Austin
Yellow Thistle Cirsium horridulum UT-Austin
Texas Umbrellawort Tauschia texana UT-Austin
Yellow Sweet Clover    [NN] Melilotus officinalis Wikipedia
Bur Clover    [NN] Medicago polymorpha Wikipedia
White Dutch Clover    [NN] Trifolium repens Wikipedia
Pink Evening Primrose Oenothera speciosa UT-Austin
Swamp Milkweed Asclepias perrennis UT-Austin
Deer Pea Vetch Vicia ludoviciana UT-Austin
Gulf Coast Penstemon Penstemon tenuis UT-Austin
Browne's Savory Clinopodium brownei UT-Austin
Wild Onion Allium canadense UT-Austin
Alligator Weed    [NN] Alternanthera philoxeroides Wikipedia
Texas Vervain Verbena halei UT-Austin
Black Snakeroot Sanicula canadensis UT-Austin
Scarlet Pimpernel    [NN] Anagallis arvensis Wikipedia
Poorman's Weatherglass    [NN] Anagallis foemina Wikipedia
Tropical Sage Salvia coccinea UT-Austin
Woodland Lettuce Lactuca floridana UT-Austin
Common Sow Thistle    [NN] Sonchus oleraceus Wikipedia
Water Hyssop Bacopa monnieri UT-Austin
Spring Forget-me-not Myosotis macrosperma UT-Austin
Heartleaf skullcap Scutellaria ovata ssp. bracteata UT-Austin
Sensitive Briar Mimosa roemeriana UT-Austin
Redseed Plantain Plantago rhodosperma UT-Austin
Peppergrass Lepidium virginicum UT-Austin
Blue-eyed Grass Sisyrinchium sagittiferum UT-Austin
Wild Chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri UT-Austin
American Wild Carrot Daucus pusillus UT-Austin
Grasses
Inland Sea Oats Chasmanthium latifolium UT-Austin
Common Reed Phragmites australis UT-Austin
Perennial Wild Rye    [NN] Lolium perrenne Wikipedia
Johnsongrass    [NN] Sorghum halepense Wikipedia
St. Augustinegrass Stenotaphrum secundatum Wikipedia
Carpetgrass Axonopus affinis USDA
Broadleaf Signalgrass Brachiaria platyphylla USDA
Basketgrass Oplismenus hirtellus USDA
Oniongrass Melica bulbosa USDA
Cherokee sedge Carex cherokeensis UT-Austin
Rescuegrass    [NN] Bromus uniloides USDA
Tall fescue    [NN] Festuca arundinacea USDA
Miscellaneous
Spanish Moss Tillandsia usneoides UT-Austin
Mistletoe Phoradendron tomentosum UT-Austin
Resurrection Fern Pleopeltis polypodioides UT-Austin
Animals
Nine-banded Armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus
White-tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus
Green Anole Anolis carolinensis
Freshwater Mussel Rangia cuneata
Crawfish unknown species
Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
Carolina Chickadee Parus carolinensis
Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
Black Vulture Coragyps atratus
Red Shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus
Osprey Pandion haliaetus
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis
Laughing Gull Larus atricilla
Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri
Great Egret Casmerodius albus
Snowy Egret Egretta thula
Eurasion Collared Dove    [NN] Streptopelia decaocto
Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus
Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus
White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus
Northern Parula Parula americana
American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor
Tufted Titmouse Parus bicolor
Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus
Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula
Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus
European Starling    [NN] Sturnus vulgaris
Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum
Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora ruficapilla
Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata
Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
Red Imported Fire Ant    [NN] Solenopsis invicta
Little Sulphur Eurema lisa
Orange Sulfur Colias eurytheme
Cloudless Sulphur Phoebis sennae
Red-banded Hairstreak Calycopis cecrops
Dusky-Blue Hairstreak Calycopis isobeon
Black Swallowtail Papilio polyxenes
Tiger Swallowtail Papilio glaucus
White-striped Longtail Chioides catillus
Falcate Orangetip Paramidea midea
Pearl Crescent Phyciodes tharos
Phaon Crescent Phyciodes phaon
Common Checkered Skipper Pyrgus communis
Tropical Checkered Skipper Pyrgus oileus
Clouded Skipper Lerema accius
Little Wood Satyr Megisto cymela
Last update 09 June 2013 0631 CST

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