Native Plants
Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia
Bill (W.D.) (1913-1996) and Dolphia Bransford (1915-2015) moved from San Angelo to Kingsland, Texas in 1950. There they established the first fish camp in the area. A carpenter, Bill built small cabins and a larger building which served as a general store.Bill was interested in photography so he and Dolphia would set out in their camper taking pictures of wildflowers and scenery along the way. After plants were photographed, Dolphia researched them and recorded their botanical name, family and common name on each slide. The Bransfords would travel for two or three months at a time and eventually visited nearly every corner of the United States and Canada. They spent 40 years pursuing their favorite pastime and stopped only when Bill’s vision diminished.
At the beginning, Bill photographed plants mostly from a distance, often too far to see enough detail necessary to identify his subjects. Dolphia encouraged him to get close-ups of the plants so that they could be identified and so that their full beauty could be appreciated. Many times he would lie flat on the ground to get the perfect shot. His extra effort shows in the quality of his photographs.
Bill enjoyed presenting prints of his photographs in collections, displaying images of entire genera or families in a single frame. In one case, it took six years of effort to get the photograph of a single species necessary to complete one of these framed collections.
Wishing to find a suitable, permanent home for their work, Mr. and Mrs. Bransford began donating their slide collection to the National Wildflower Research Center in 1987 and were privileged to enjoy Mrs. Johnson’s company on several occasions. Over the years, countless thousands of visitors to this website have enjoyed the work and study of this devoted couple.
Today, the nearly 4500 native plant slides contributed to the Wildflower Center by Bill and Dolphia Bransford remain one of the largest image collections in the NPIN Image Gallery.
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is committed to developing the premier resource for native plant images in North America through continued growth of the Plant Image Gallery. You can help us achieve our mission ...to increase the sustainable use and conservation of native wildflowers, plants, and landscapes... by becoming a contributor.
scientific name | common name(s) | image gallery |
Cypripedium reginae | Showy Lady's Slipper | |
Cynoglossum virginianum | Wild Comfrey | |
Darlingtonia californica | California Pitcherplant Cobra Plant California Pitcher Plant | |
Darlingtonia californica | California Pitcherplant Cobra Plant California Pitcher Plant | |
Darlingtonia californica | California Pitcherplant Cobra Plant California Pitcher Plant | |
Darlingtonia californica | California Pitcherplant Cobra Plant California Pitcher Plant | |
Dalea frutescens | Black Dalea Black Prairie Clover | |
Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda | Shrubby Cinquefoil Golden Hardhack Potentilla | |
Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda | Shrubby Cinquefoil Golden Hardhack Potentilla | |
Dalea purpurea | Purple Prairie Clover | |
Dalea purpurea var. purpurea | Purple Prairie Clover Violet Prairie Clover | |
Dalea purpurea var. purpurea | Purple Prairie Clover Violet Prairie Clover | |
Dalea purpurea var. purpurea | Purple Prairie Clover Violet Prairie Clover | |
Dalibarda repens | Robin Runaway False Violet | |
Dalibarda repens | Robin Runaway False Violet | |
Delphinium alpestre | Colorado Larkspur | |
Delphinium barbeyi | Subalpine Larkspur | |
Delphinium bicolor | Little Larkspur Flat-head Larkspur | |
Delphinium cardinale | Scarlet Larkspur | |
Delphinium cardinale | Scarlet Larkspur | |
Delphinium cardinale | Scarlet Larkspur | |
Delphinium carolinianum | Prairie Larkspur Carolina Larkspur Blue Larkspur | |
Delphinium carolinianum | Prairie Larkspur Carolina Larkspur Blue Larkspur | |
Delphinium carolinianum | Prairie Larkspur Carolina Larkspur Blue Larkspur | |
Delphinium carolinianum | Prairie Larkspur Carolina Larkspur Blue Larkspur | |
Delphinium carolinianum | Prairie Larkspur Carolina Larkspur Blue Larkspur | |
Delphinium carolinianum | Prairie Larkspur Carolina Larkspur Blue Larkspur | |
Delphinium carolinianum | Prairie Larkspur Carolina Larkspur Blue Larkspur | |
Desmodium canadense | Showy Tick Trefoil | |
Desmodium canadense | Showy Tick Trefoil | |
Delphinium carolinianum ssp. virescens | Carolina Larkspur Prairie Larkspur Plains Larkspur | |
Delphinium carolinianum ssp. virescens | Carolina Larkspur Prairie Larkspur Plains Larkspur | |
Delphinium carolinianum ssp. virescens | Carolina Larkspur Prairie Larkspur Plains Larkspur | |
Delphinium carolinianum ssp. virescens | Carolina Larkspur Prairie Larkspur Plains Larkspur | |
Delphinium carolinianum ssp. virescens | Carolina Larkspur Prairie Larkspur Plains Larkspur | |
Delphinium carolinianum ssp. virescens | Carolina Larkspur Prairie Larkspur Plains Larkspur | |
Delphinium carolinianum ssp. virescens | Carolina Larkspur Prairie Larkspur Plains Larkspur | |
Delphinium carolinianum ssp. virescens | Carolina Larkspur Prairie Larkspur Plains Larkspur | |
Deinandra corymbosa ssp. corymbosa | Coastal Tarweed | |
Delphinium decorum | Coastal Larkspur | |
Delphinium glareosum | Olympic Larkspur Delphinium | |
Delphinium glareosum | Olympic Larkspur Delphinium | |
Delphinium gypsophilum | Pinoche Creek Larkspur Alkali Larkspur | |
Delphinium gypsophilum | Pinoche Creek Larkspur Alkali Larkspur | |
Delphinium gypsophilum | Pinoche Creek Larkspur Alkali Larkspur | |
Delphinium hansenii | Eldorado Larkspur | |
Delphinium hansenii | Eldorado Larkspur | |
Delphinium hansenii | Eldorado Larkspur | |
Delphinium hesperium | Foothill Larkspur | |
Desmanthus illinoensis | Illinois Bundleflower Bundleflower Prairie Bundle Flower Prickleweed Illinois Desmanthus Prairie Mimosa | |
Delphinium nudicaule | Red Larkspur Orange Larkspur Christmas Horns | |
Delphinium nudicaule | Red Larkspur Orange Larkspur Christmas Horns | |
Delphinium nuttallianum | Twolobe Larkspur Two-lobe Larkspur Delphinium | |
Delphinium nuttallianum | Twolobe Larkspur Two-lobe Larkspur Delphinium | |
Delphinium nuttallianum | Twolobe Larkspur Two-lobe Larkspur Delphinium | |
Delphinium nuttallianum | Twolobe Larkspur Two-lobe Larkspur Delphinium | |
Delphinium nuttallianum | Twolobe Larkspur Two-lobe Larkspur Delphinium | |
Delphinium nuttallianum | Twolobe Larkspur Two-lobe Larkspur Delphinium | |
Desmodium nudiflorum | Nakedflower Ticktrefoil | |
Delphinium nuttallii ssp. ochroleucum | Upland Larkspur Pale Larkspur | |
Delphinium ×occidentale | Duncecap Larkspur | |
Delphinium patens | Zigzag Larkspur | |
Desmodium psilophyllum | Simpleleaf Ticktrefoil Wright's Tickclover Beggar's Ticks Sticktights | |
Delphinium ramosum | Mountain Larkspur | |
Delphinium ramosum | Mountain Larkspur | |
Delphinium recurvatum | Byron Larkspur | |
Delphinium recurvatum | Byron Larkspur | |
Dendromecon rigida | Tree Poppy Bush Poppy | |
Dendromecon rigida | Tree Poppy Bush Poppy | |
Dendromecon rigida | Tree Poppy Bush Poppy | |
Delphinium scaposum | Tall Mountain Larkspur Bare-stem Larkspur | |
Delphinium scaposum | Tall Mountain Larkspur Bare-stem Larkspur | |
Delphinium scaposum | Tall Mountain Larkspur Bare-stem Larkspur | |
Delphinium tricorne | Dwarf Larkspur Spring Larkspur | |
Delphinium tricorne | Dwarf Larkspur Spring Larkspur | |
Delphinium tricorne | Dwarf Larkspur Spring Larkspur | |
Delphinium trolliifolium | Columbian Larkspur Cow Poison | |
Delphinium trolliifolium | Columbian Larkspur Cow Poison | |
Delphinium trolliifolium | Columbian Larkspur Cow Poison | |
Delphinium umbraculorum | Umbrella Larkspur | |
Delphinium variegatum | Royal Larkspur | |
Decodon verticillatus | Swamp Loosestrife Swamp-loosestrife Water Willow | |
Desmanthus velutinus | Velvet Bundleflower | |
Diplacus aurantiacus ssp. aurantiacus | Orange Bush Monkeyflower | |
Diplacus aurantiacus ssp. aurantiacus | Orange Bush Monkeyflower | |
Diplacus aurantiacus ssp. aurantiacus | Orange Bush Monkeyflower | |
Diplacus aurantiacus ssp. aurantiacus | Orange Bush Monkeyflower | |
Dicliptera brachiata | Branched Foldwing Branched Dicliptera | |
Dicliptera brachiata | Branched Foldwing Branched Dicliptera | |
Dicliptera brachiata | Branched Foldwing Branched Dicliptera | |
Dicliptera brachiata | Branched Foldwing Branched Dicliptera | |
Dicentra canadensis | Squirrel Corn | |
Dicentra canadensis | Squirrel Corn | |
Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum | Bluedicks Wild Hyacinth | |
Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum | Bluedicks Wild Hyacinth | |
Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum | Bluedicks Wild Hyacinth | |
Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum | Bluedicks Wild Hyacinth | |
Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum | Bluedicks Wild Hyacinth | |
Diplacus clevelandii | Cleveland's Bush Monkeyflower | |
Diplacus clevelandii | Cleveland's Bush Monkeyflower | |
scientific name | common name(s) | image gallery |