Photo of the day (and pictures of the bushland behind our house...kind of).

[moonvoice]

Nothing is in flower right now in the bushland directly behind us, except for the Spiked Scholtzia, and some subpar straggly Candle Banksias. But if anything, that just gives me a chance to focus on something I love even more; flower skeletons...



Calytrix skeletons; from Calytrix angulata. Calytrix skeletons last all year round, after the flower petals have fallen off. They then tend to drop off just before the new flowering season. Throughout the entire year, the memorial of just how many brilliant daffodil yellow flowers there were, remains in testimony. This one is still losing some of its petals.



The long 'spikes' radiating from the base of the petal support are called awns. They are found - to varying degrees in size and length - on all of the members of the Calytrix family.



Taken with the zoom lens, while waiting patiently for some ravens to come back (they never did, of course), I snapped these three flower skeletons alongside one another.



Not Calytrix skeletons, may be the floral supports for a Verticordia; but what is more likely, is that these may be open seedpods for the Verticordia.



This is the Spiked Scholtzia (Scholtzia involucrata), commonly found in kwongan. It's the only thing flowering (in proliferation I might add) healthily and happily, in late Summer. You can find a more compact, low spreading form at nurseries like Lullfitz; which is a great way to get late Summer flowering on the hottest days of the month, that can tolerate full sun.



Spiked Scholtzia again. The flowers are actually very small.



Brother raven.



Banksia leaves (Banksia menziesii); the little bulbs on the leaves are from one of the many specialised gall wasps that we have around here.

Comments

[firehauke.livejournal.com]

what do the wasps do to make the little bulb things?

very fascinating flora, I'd never get tired of looking at it, and will have to remind myself to not be driving if I ever make it out there.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

what do the wasps do to make the little bulb things?

Many plant species have a weird relationship with specific wasps, so in this case, the wasps will use an ovipositor (from memory) to lay their eggs in different sections of the leaves; which will then respond specifically by creating galls around the larva in order to provide a safe environment for it to grow.

Some parasitic wasps have adapted to parasitise the larva inside the gall.

But yeah, galls are common on oaks and a whole bunch of other trees. I thought the banksia ones were interesting.

[bunny-m.livejournal.com]

Some parasitic wasps have adapted to parasitise the larva inside the gall.

Which just goes to show, no matter how clever you think your plan to get a free ride off of someone else, there's always someone else willing to try for a free ride off of your free ride. ^_^

[kettunainen.livejournal.com]

*icon adoration*

[bunny-m.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

I got it originally to poke fun at a Maths PhD friend of mine, though she's never reacted that I can see. :(

Turns out, however, that it's both nifty and really good at reminding people* that there are all sorts of different ways of seeing the world. ^_^

(*)Most especially me. ;>.>

[firehauke.livejournal.com]

Nod, oak galls are common here too. I understand they are useful in scribal arts - can't remember for what specifically, unfortunately.

Galling, Isn't It

[perzephone.livejournal.com]

Oak galls have an extremely high tannic acid content. It's great for dying and ink making... and the process of curing shrunken heads.

[kettunainen.livejournal.com]

the background on the second photo looks almost like northern hemisphere winter with snow. given that it's late summer where you are, would that be ash from a bushfire?

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

No, that's how naturally white-grey our sand is in this region - it was under the sea less than five thousand years ago, so we essentially live on inland beach sand.

[kettunainen.livejournal.com]

craziness, in an awesome sort of way.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Yeah, we're really used to it, but every now and then I'll be walking through the bushland - a good 45 minute drive from the beach - and it will suddenly occur to me all over again that the sand is pretty and white and fine because it was basically coral reefs and shells and limestone once upon a time.

Trippy AND awesome, as you say! :D

[anrui-ichido.livejournal.com]

These are so lovely. You have such a talent for macro shots and composition. :)

And goodness, it does look like snow!

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Thank you, I want to actually get a nicer macro lens, I'd be lying if I didn't say I freaking loved macro photography. But alas, better macro lenses are eeeeeeeexpensive.

[anrui-ichido.livejournal.com]

Lenses in general are so expensive it makes my soul cry. :(

[thoraofthenord.livejournal.com]

Awesome. I love flower skeletons. =)

[silverjackal.livejournal.com]

All the photos are beautiful, but I think I like the one of the raven best. :)

I think I've seen a variety of Calytrix here as an ornamental -- the awns are very distinctive. The Scholtzia is aslo fascinating in its' intricacy.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

I will try and get back into Koondoola over the next few months, it's been a while and honestly, it's not in a very safe neighbourhood (one of the highest crime rates in our region); it's been kind of a deterrent, but I really do miss it. The most dangerous things I've seen in the bushland have been snakes.

[himmapaan.livejournal.com]

Oh, these are just beautiful. Flowers remain beautiful in different ways at all stages of their lives.

I love the Brother Raven photograph (no surprises there :D).

[sheistheweather]

The top photo looks rather like fairies or something of that sort...

Like this:

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Now that is awesome!!! :D

[sheistheweather]

Hee. Glad you like. :D

[earthguardian.livejournal.com]

A lot of those plants look like animals! :P

[sidheblessed.livejournal.com]

WA has the coolest flowers! Those Spiked Scholtzia are terribly funky.