Recognizing Deb Manley and Cathy Hoyt on their discovery of a new plant species at Big Bend National Park.

89(R) SR 402 - Enrolled version - Bill Text

SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 402

WHEREAS, Two staff members at Big Bend National Park, Deb

Manley and Cathy Hoyt, have captivated the botanical world with

their discovery of a new plant species, the "wooly devil"; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Manley, a volunteer in the park's botany

program, and Ms. Hoyt, a supervisory interpretive park ranger,

first encountered the plant while on a hike in the park's

backcountry in March 2024; nestled among the desert rocks, the

plant featured fuzzy foliage and narrow, maroon-colored petals

that were unlike any species they had seen before; the discovery

elicited tremendous interest among botanists, and park staff

were eventually joined by representatives from California

Academy of Sciences, Sul Ross State University, and Centro

Interdisciplinario de Investigación para el Desarrollo Integral

Regional in studying and classifying the species; and

WHEREAS, Researchers dubbed the plant the "wooly devil" in

reference to its hairy leaves and hornlike florets, and it was

designated with the official name
Ovicula biradiata
in a new

genus within the daisy family; diminutive in size, the wooly

devil ranges from half an inch to three inches across, and it has

been identified in just three small sections in Big Bend's

portion of the Chihuahuan Desert; as an annual plant that blooms

after desert rains, it has likely struggled to survive in the

midst of prolonged droughts in its habitat, making its discovery

all the more remarkable to the scientific community; and

WHEREAS, Uncovering not only a new species but an entirely

new plant genus is a rare and exciting scientific breakthrough,

and Deb Manley and Cathy Hoyt may indeed take pride in the role

they played in bringing this tiny marvel to light and furthering

the study of the fascinating biodiversity found within Big Bend

National Park; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 89th

Legislature, hereby commemorate the discovery of a new plant

species at Big Bend National Park and commend Deb Manley and

Cathy Hoyt for their vital contribution to this undertaking.

Gutierrez

Blanco

Flores

Kolkhorst

Cook

Hinojosa of Hidalgo

Menéndez

Eckhardt

Johnson

Zaffirini

Patrick, President of the Senate

________________________________

President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the

above Resolution was adopted by

the Senate on April 15, 2025.

________________________________

Secretary of the Senate

________________________________

Member, Texas Senate