From Kengi:
The partridge peas are blooming! I’ve been doing some reading up on them and they are so interesting. The stems that lead from the stalk to the leaves (which I now know is called a petiole) have nectaries on them which attract the pollinators. I always see ants and little flies crawling on them, and now I know why. They also have strange little nubs on the petioles which, it turns out, are the anthers normally found on the end of a stamen on other plant’s flowers. The yellow anthers produce reproductive pollen and the red anthers produce food pollen.
And there is a Cardinal in the flower (last photo). Click for full size.
© Kengi. All rights reserved.
rq says
Love the ants. It’s like a major expedition for them, complete with thrilling heights and narrow, dangerous walkways!
Kengi says
In addition to the cardinal in one picture, another has a pirate!
Caine says
I can’t get over the Cardinal -- that’s perfect!