Search This Blog

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

The Crucial Importance of Microclimate


This is round-leafed hepatica on Sunday morning, deep in the woods. Notice how the plant holds its single flat leaf overhead like an umbrella. I had originally misidentified this plant and was set straight by Gerry Sell. Previous post to this will not only be corrected but will contain more information on hepatica.

Contrast the shaded hepatica with bloodroot in a sunny roadside colony the very next day,


petals fully open but each plant with its single basal leaf tightly furled around the delicate, porous flower stalk. I'm guessing the plant does this in a hot, dry location to keep from losing precious moisture. Wonder what they look like today in the pouring rain.


5 comments:

  1. Also see http://www.all-creatures.org/pics/wfshl-bloodroot.html
    where you will find a different story from the one I made up:
    “The leaf of the bloodroot is wrapped around the flower bud as it emerges from the ground in early spring. The leaf doesn't fully expand until after the flower has bloomed.” See this site for more photographs of bloodroot, very different from mine.

    What do you think?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I never would have recognized that as the same flower. Very Pretty.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It is pretty, but I am learning that it is also quite dangerous. Do not try to self-medicate using this plant!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love the curves on that first photo! And the colors...all subtle and almost mysterious.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Glad you liked the curves, too, Dawn. I thought they looked very art deco.

    ReplyDelete