No identified species.
Leaves of Common Greenbrier (Smilax rotundifolia) mottled "leopard print" look on black background. The red spots often form around areas of minor stress. Smilax leaves notoriously host various benign fungal endophytes or leaf spots (like Cercospora or Puccinia). In autumn, the tissues surrounding these tiny infection points often turn bright red (producing anthocyanin as a defense mechanism) long before the rest of the yellowing leaf dies, creating this vivid speckled contrast. Richards Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, November 15, 2025Mushroom Observer and Facebook for learning names of local mushrooms.
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