9a) A few feet to the left of the redbud is an agarito (Berberis trifoliolata), a small shrub with spinetipped holly-like leaves. Agarito is one of the earliest spring bloomers in the Hill Country; look for its yellow waxy flowers in late February. Texans have made jams and jellies from the red berries of agarito since the days of the early settlers. Agarito jams and jellies may be available at some of the shops in Wimberley.

10) After the trail ascends a few steps along the fenceline, it follows level terrain on a "bench" of hard limestone. Water percolating downward from hilltops nearby cannot penetrate this hard layer and instead seeps out onto the surface. During late winter and early spring this area is fairly wet and muddy, but during most of the year it is dry as a bone. Its seasonal wetness allows moisture-loving grass-like plants such as splitsedge (Eleocharis acutisquamata) and smalltooth sedge (Carex microdonta) to flourish. Although neither species is particularly exciting to wildflower lovers, this "sedge meadow" is another important part of the Mountain View ecosystem.

11) Sumacs are integral components of juniperoak woodlands of the Hill Country. Three sumac shrubs can be seen around the juniper on the left side of the trail. (A fourth sumac, a small tree, will be seen later.) First encountered is evergreen sumac (Rhus virens); its leaves are made up of five or seven dark green leaflets.

12) Directly under the junoper, out of harm's way, is a second sumac, poison ivy (Rhus toxicodendron). Note its three rather large leaflets. Poison ivy is the only poisonous sumac in the Hill Country. Some forms, like this one, are shrub-like; others are climbing vines.

13) On the far side of the juniper is fragrant (or skunkbush) sumac (Rhus trilobata); its leaves are composed of three leaflets that are much smaller than those of poison ivy. Fragrantsumac takes its common name from the peculiar odor of the flowers.