SR402 - Recognizing Deb Manley and Cathy Hoyt on their discovery of a new plant species at Big Bend National Park.

          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