Delta Journal
by Bob Thomas

Sea oats (Uniola paniculata) is a beautiful grass species with tall, golden seed heads that are characteristic of sand dunes along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts. They are among our most important coastal plants in that they grow along sandy beaches where they stop blowing sand grains, thus contributing to the building of sand dunes.

In The Wild
by Bob Thomas

Published in In The Wild, Louisiana Levant Magazine, April 1, 2005.

Delta Journal
by Bob Thomas

You know that a plant must have some interesting qualities if it only grows in disturbed areas. Such is the case with ragweed, a plant that connotes a drippy nose and runny eyes for many.

A wry sense of humor led to ragweed being given the generic name Ambrosia, meaning “food of the gods.” Its rough surfaced leaves are regularly eaten only by insects, though horses and cows will consume them if other food is scarce.

Delta Journal
by Bob Thomas

Among the harshest habitats for plants is the edge of the sea. The concentration of salts in seawater is so much higher than in plant tissue fluids that life-giving water is literally drained from the plant (via osmosis), leaving it to shrivel and die. Because of this difficult environment, few plant species have adapted to living in sea water. One of the best success stories is that of Oyster grass (Spartina alterniflora), also called smooth cordgrass.

Delta Journal
by Bob Thomas

The leafless winter season typically elevates one’s awareness of mistletoe. Our local species is Phoradendron tomentosum.

Mistletoe and Christmas have a long tradition that extends back to ancient civilization in Europe, with the Druids having many customs associated with their mistletoe species. Our mistletoe tradition is that one gets a kiss if one stands under the plant. It is common for people around the world to hang it in their homes, especially during the Christmas season.

Delta Journal
by Bob Thomas

Spring is the season in south Louisiana to see irises of a variety of colors. Irises are aquatic plants that enjoy lots of sun and wet feet for much of the year. Irises seem to easily hybridize, and some that are now recognized as species are of hybrid origin (e.g., the Abbeville Red Iris, Iris nelsonii, resulting from hybridization of Iris giganticaerulea and I. fulva).

Delta Journal
by Bob Thomas

One of the world’s wonders is the annual phenology of nature. This is a fancy word that refers to the study of recurring cycles in nature.

Though I always enjoy adventures to the Barataria Unit of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, I especially enjoy day trips in mid-October.

In The Wild
by Bob Thomas

One of the most interesting areas of ecology is the study of relationships between plants and insects.

Delta Journal
by Bob Thomas

One of the magical views in the southern United States is a forest festooned with Spanish moss. Many believe that this moss (actually a member of the pineapple, or bromeliad, family) is parasitic on the tree, but it is not. It simply uses the tree as a resting place, and is not connected to the tree’s circulatory system at all.

Delta Journal
by Bob Thomas

Most of us rarely consider that plants have to compete among themselves for space, sunshine, nutrients, and other vital resources. Some methods that may come to mind are different growth rates and variation in leaf arrangement, shape of crown, and overall height.