|
County: Hays Acreage: 50 Year Acquired: 2007
Purola* is typical of the eastern hill country in N. Hays County. In 1976 it was
overgrazed ranchland when Sirpa and Bob Harms began to study the plants and bird
life already present and to restore it as native habitat. It consists of a
mainly grassland valley with an allweather Deadman's Creek and numerous springs
in the center and oak-juniper slopes on two sides, plus an ephemeral creek and
valley entering from the west.
Among its unique plant species are four
species/varieties of orchid; a form of shaggy
dwarf morningglory that lacks the pubescence from which its common name is
derived; the largest known population of Texas barberry bushes, endemic to the eastern Edwards Plateau;
and cedars that are monoecious - with both male and female flowers
on the same branch. Texas madrones, originally absent, were introduced from seeds
collected locally, and have grown large and have been reproducing themselves for
several decades - some 300 young plants are continually being joined by new
volunteers. Baldcypress trees were introduced as seedlings or saplings and
are now producing recruitment along the creek. A rare palm, known as the Brazoria
palmetto, was obtained as a small sapling in the late 1970s from a U. of
Texas rare native plant project and has now grown a short trunk, and numerous
small offspring are appearing in moist areas. Native
grasses have returned to dominate all but the bottomland, and even there
they are gradually replacing the exotic grasses. Bird
observations have been recorded once or twice weekly since 1976 (including
the immediately adjacent areas).
*A Finnish name for a 'place with a
stream,' now known to Google by virtue of our many web pages devoted to its
natural features.
|
|
|
|
|
|
