SafePlants

Texas Wrightwort (Carlowrightia texana)

Carlowrightia texana, commonly known as Texas Wrightwort, is a perennial subshrub belonging to the Acanthaceae (Acanthus) family.

Considerations for Pets

• Members of the genus Carlowrightia are generally small shrubs.

Considerations for Children

• Members of the genus Carlowrightia are generally small shrubs.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Carlowrightia texana Henrickson & Daniel
• Common Name: Texas Wrightwort
• Family: Acanthaceae (Acanthus Family)
• Genus: Carlowrightia A. Gray (wrightwort)
• Rank: Species
• Synonyms: Trans Pecos Wrightwort, Littleleaf Wrightwort

Distribution and Habitat

• Texas Wrightwort is found in North America.
• Specifically, it grows in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas within the United States.
• It thrives in sandy or gravelly soils, particularly in mesquite woodlands.
• In desert environments, it can be found on limestone flats and hills, or in calcareous alluvium.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

• Texas Wrightwort is an erect to spreading subshrub.
• It typically grows to be less than 20 cm (approximately 8 inches) tall, though some instances say it can reach 1.3m.
• It is a perennial plant.
• Blooms are white.
• It blooms from April to November.
• In the spring, the plant assumes a yellow coloring.
• The plant retains its leaves in the winter.

Ecological Role

• Eladas and Texan Crescents seem to favor this plant.

Classification

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Phylum: Magnoliophyta
• Class: Magnoliopsida
• Subclass: Asteridae
• Order: Scrophulariales

Further Information

• Discover Life has a page about the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Carlowrightia texana.
• The USF Herbarium is a resource for specimen information.
• Texas Agricultural Experiment Station provides general plant information.
• "Texas Native Plants Database", aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu