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Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Less Is More(Dorstenia)



A catch phase from a recent visit to the doctor.

Most flowers are meant to be large and /or colourful - but not this one. A very simplistic and primitive looking, not to mention dull, "flower" of Dorstenia species (maybe turneraefolia or elata), is in fact a receptacle that bears lots of flowers, and eventually fruits. The closeup shows the long "tails" of the stigma coming out from the embedded bulbous ovaries. Surrounding these are tiny brown bobs which are the anthers from male. As the flowers are already tightly packed, the fruits would be even more so as they develop and expand, eventually building sufficient pressure to catapult out the seeds.

This design is highly efficient - this plant replicates quickly in the garden.

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