Field Guide to Sheffield, Texas’s Flora · Fauna · Funga A NOTE FOR EXPLORERS This guide is meant to inspire exploration and learning. Always verify species identification using multiple sources, especially for edible or medicinal plants and mushrooms. Stay safe: Never consume wild species without expert confirmation. Observe wildlife from a respectful distance and follow local regulations. Species data and images sourced from iNaturalist.org. Consider contributing your own observations and/or supporting their work. Sheffield, Texas Field Guide 1 FLORA Creosote Bush Larrea tridentata An evergreen shrub found in North America’s deserts, known for its distinctive odor and clonal growth, forming ancient colonies over millennia. Strawberry Cactus Echinocereus enneacanthus This species features low cushions of cylindrical shoots, magenta flowers, and grows in limestone soil across Texas, New Mexico, and northeast Mexico. Honey Mesquite Neltuma glandulosa A thorny shrub or tree native to the Southwestern US and Northern Mexico, known for its feathery foliage and seed pods. Supports wildlife. Torrey’S Yucca Yucca torreyi A multitrunked evergreen shrub, this species features long bladed leaves and bell-shaped ivory flowers, thriving in the Chihuahuan Desert. Christmas Cholla Cylindropuntia leptocaulis A shrubby cactus reaching 0.5-1.8 m tall, with narrow branches and pale yellow to greenish flowers, found in desert and grassland habitats. Scarlet Hedgehog Cactus Echinocereus coccineus This species is a branched cactus with egg-shaped to cylindrical bodies, vibrant flowers, and thrives in sandy, well-drained soils. Sheffield, Texas Field Guide 2 FAUNA Jalisco Petrophila Petrophila jaliscalis A moth species from the Crambidae family, found in Mexico and parts of the U.S. Adults are active year-round; larvae are aquatic. Acopa Carina Acopa carina A moth in the Noctuidae family, found in North America, identifiable by its MONA number 9825. New Mexico Carpet Moth Archirhoe neomexicana A geometrid moth species found in Central and North America, known for its distinctive appearance and habitat preferences. Gulf Fritillary Dione vanillae A vibrant orange butterfly found mainly in the southern U.S., it thrives in sunny habitats and has unique mating and defense behaviors. Sleepy Orange Eurema nicippe A bright orange butterfly with black-bordered wings, it inhabits low-elevation areas and prefers disturbed sites. Chihuahuan Agapema Agapema dyari (no description available) Sheffield, Texas Field Guide 3 FUNGA Brick Scale Psora crenata (no description available) Golden-Eye Lichen Teloschistes chrysophthalmus A fruticose lichen with bright orange apothecia, commonly found on twigs in dry, sunlit areas. It has a cosmopolitan distribution. Termite Inkcaps Podaxis This genus features stalked puffball-like fungi, commonly found in sandy soils of arid regions, often associated with termite mounds. Cobblestone Lichen Family Acarosporaceae A diverse family of fungi, primarily lichenized, found in arid environments. They thrive on rocks and soil, forming unique thallus types. Bare-Bottom Sunburst Lichen Xanthomendoza weberi A small foliose lichen with a smooth yellow to orange upper surface and white lower surface, found on bark, rock, and concrete. Bermuda Grass Smut Ustilago cynodontis (no description available) Sheffield, Texas Field Guide 4 PHOTO ATTRIBUTIONS • Acarosporaceae - (c) BJ Stacey, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by BJ Stacey • Acopa carina - (c) Chuck Sexton, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Chuck Sexton • Agapema dyari - (c) Paule Hjertaas, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) • Archirhoe neomexicana - (c) Chuck Sexton, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Chuck Sexton • Cylindropuntia leptocaulis - (c) bzumwalde, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) • Dione vanillae - (c) Sharleen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) • Echinocereus coccineus - no rights reserved, uploaded by Craig Martin • Echinocereus enneacanthus - (c) Juan Diego Carrillo Contreras, some rights re- served (CC BY-NC) • Eurema nicippe - (c) Craig M Lipski, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) • Larrea tridentata - (c) Zachary Nielsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) • Neltuma glandulosa - (c) alisonbabb, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) • Petrophila jaliscalis - (c) Greg Lasley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Greg Lasley • Podaxis - (c) Damon Tighe, some rights re- served (CC BY-NC) • Psora crenata - (c) Gigi Laidler, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) • Teloschistes chrysophthalmus - (c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY) • Ustilago cynodontis - (c) Adam Dibley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) • Xanthomendoza weberi - (c) lilacgossamer, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) • Yucca torreyi - (c) Chuck Sexton, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Chuck Sexton