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 |
Calochortus splendens | Splendid Mariposa Lily | |
Calochortus splendens | Splendid Mariposa Lily | |
Calystegia spithamaea ssp. spithamaea | Low False Bindweed | |
Calochortus striatus | Alkali Mariposa Lily | |
Calochortus striatus | Alkali Mariposa Lily | |
Castilleja sulphurea | Sulphur Indian Paintbrush Sulphur Paintbrush | |
Camissonia subacaulis | Diffuseflower Evening-primrose | |
Camissonia subacaulis | Diffuseflower Evening-primrose | |
Camissonia subacaulis | Diffuseflower Evening-primrose | |
Calochortus subalpinus | Subalpine Mariposa Lily | |
Calochortus superbus | Yellow Mariposa | |
Camissonia tanacetifolia ssp. tanacetifolia | Tansyleaf Evening-primrose | |
Camissonia tanacetifolia ssp. tanacetifolia | Tansyleaf Evening-primrose | |
Calochortus tolmiei | Tolmie Star-tulip | |
Calopogon tuberosus | Tuberous Grasspink Grass Pink | |
Calopogon tuberosus | Tuberous Grasspink Grass Pink | |
Calopogon tuberosus | Tuberous Grasspink Grass Pink | |
Calopogon tuberosus var. tuberosus | Tuberous Grasspink Grass Pink Swamp Pink | |
Calochortus uniflorus | Monterey Mariposa Lily Monterey Mariposa-lily Meadow Star Tulip | |
Campanula uniflora | Arctic Bellflower | |
Campanula uniflora | Arctic Bellflower | |
Calochortus venustus | Butterfly Mariposa Lily Square Mariposa Lily White Mariposa Lily | |
Calochortus venustus | Butterfly Mariposa Lily Square Mariposa Lily White Mariposa Lily | |
Calochortus venustus | Butterfly Mariposa Lily Square Mariposa Lily White Mariposa Lily | |
Calochortus venustus | Butterfly Mariposa Lily Square Mariposa Lily White Mariposa Lily | |
Calochortus vestae | Coast Range Mariposa Lily | |
Campanula wilkinsiana | Wilkins Bellflower | |
Calycoseris wrightii | White Tackstem | |
Calycoseris wrightii | White Tackstem | |
Calycoseris wrightii | White Tackstem | |
Centaurea americana | American Basket-flower American Star-thistle Basket-flower Star Thistle Shaving Brush Basket Flower | |
Cerastium arvense | Field Chickweed | |
Cerastium arvense | Field Chickweed | |
Cerastium arvense | Field Chickweed | |
Cerastium arvense ssp. strictum | Field Chickweed | |
Cephalanthera austiniae | Phantom Orchid Snow Orchid | |
Cephalanthera austiniae | Phantom Orchid Snow Orchid | |
Cephalanthera austiniae | Phantom Orchid Snow Orchid | |
Cephalanthera austiniae | Phantom Orchid Snow Orchid | |
Centaurium beyrichii | Mountain Pink Meadow Pink Catchfly Quinineweed | |
Centaurium beyrichii | Mountain Pink Meadow Pink Catchfly Quinineweed | |
Centaurium beyrichii | Mountain Pink Meadow Pink Catchfly Quinineweed | |
Centaurium calycosum | Arizona Centaury Shortflower Centaury Rosita Buckley Centaury | |
Cercis canadensis | Eastern Redbud Redbud | |
Cercis canadensis | Eastern Redbud Redbud | |
Cephalanthus occidentalis | Common Buttonbush Buttonbush Button Willow Honey Bells Honeybells Honey Balls Honeyballs Button-bush | |
Cephalanthus occidentalis | Common Buttonbush Buttonbush Button Willow Honey Bells Honeybells Honey Balls Honeyballs Button-bush | |
Cevallia sinuata | Stinging Serpent Stinging Cevallia | |
Cevallia sinuata | Stinging Serpent Stinging Cevallia | |
Cevallia sinuata | Stinging Serpent Stinging Cevallia | |
scientific name | common name(s) | image gallery |