Saluting every life with a flower each day! Flowers are soul of the planet, blooming to play music with silent notes. Smile at them as they are sweet hearted!! Only the photographs taken by me are uplinked. I lean heavily to http://www.flowersofindia for flower identification and descriptions. Looking forward to valuable comments and suggestions.
Lobster claw, Hanging heliconia is one of the most grown species native to the north western region of South America. It has a beautiful pendent inflorescence with downward-facing flowers, and provides a source of nectar to birds.. The bracts are red with greenish yellow edges. Each bract resembles a lobster's claw, hence the common name. The inflorescence it produces is one of the most colorful one will ever encounter. The mature plant normally starts to flower in the summer. The flowers last a long time and make an excellent cut flower. During 1988 while i was pursuing my computer studies, from my Aunt’s home, we had this plant. This photograph was taken on 29th August 2011 from a house opposite to the institute where i work at present.
Obscure Morning Glory is a small flower of about 1” dia. The beautiful pale yellow flowers with deep purple throats adorn this vigorous vine with small, heart shaped leaves. It is native to Tropical East Africa, Mascarene Islands and tropical Asia. This vine usually climbs on other bushes or anything around it. Flowers continuously and every day it welcomes you with newer ones to cheer you up on your morning stroll. This photograph i took near my lab in the morning of 29th September, 2011.
Moses in the Cradle, Oysterplant, Boatlily, Moses-in-a-boat is a succulent herb occurs naturally in the West Indies, Mexico, and Central America. It has a dense cluster of sturdy 6-12” long sword-shaped leaves arising from a trunk like stem. The leaves are beautiful with a dark teal-tinged forest green on top and vivid violet underneath. This garden plant is raised for its beautiful foliage and can be grown for bedding, rock gardens and even in containers. The small white three-petaled flowers are hidden in boat-shaped purple bracts nestled in the leaf axils. This flower was shot on 31st August 2011 just from a potted plant kept in front of the lab where i work.
Waterleaf, Surinam purslane, Philippine spinach, Ceylon spinach, Florida spinach, potherb fameflower, Lagos bologi or sweetheart is an herbaceous perennial plant native to Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. As a leaf vegetable, it is rich in vitamin A and C, and minerals iron and calcium. High in oxalic acid content hence consumption should be limited by those suffering from kidney disorders, gout, and rheumatoid arthritis. It is one of the most import leaf vegetables of Nigeria. In India and other south East Asian countries this is being consumed as a leafy vegetable. Ceylon Spinach is an erect, stout, fleshy herb, 0.5-1 m tall. Leaves are elliptic to obovate, 5-15 cm long, 1.5-5 cm wide, tip pointed to tapering. Flowers are borne in 2-5-branched, raceme-like clusters 3-20 cm long. Flower stalk is about 8-11 mm long, bracts narrow, 4-6 mm long. Sepals are about. 4-5 mm long. Petals are pink, obovate, up to 1 cm long. This photograph was taken on 31st August 2011, on the way, near my lab, waving its head all the while.
Many believe that the China rose comes from India. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is the national flower of Malaysia widely grown as an ornamental plant throughout the tropics and subtropics. Numerous varieties, cultivars, and hybrids are available, with flower colors ranging from white through yellow and orange to scarlet and shades of pink, with both single and double sets of petals. This large shrub or small tree grows to 15 feet high. The toothed leaves are arranged alternately and vary a lot, but tend to be large, dark green, and shiny. This plant has a coarse texture and may be upright or broad and spreading. Flowers are glorious and available in numerous shades and varying shapes. They have a long central tube with stamens and pistils at the tip. Because of polyploidy characteristic, H. rosa-sinensis has become popular with hobbyists who cross and recross varieties, creating strikingly unique flowers. This flower i shot at Coonoor on 3rd December 2010 while on a Seminar programme.
Garden Nasturtium, Indian Cress or Monks Cress are bright and happy flowers. From the naturally occurring Nasturtium many cultivars and types have been evolved including climbing types, dwarfs, bushy ones, etc. The leaves are large and circular with several veins radiating to the rounded margin. Flowers are 2.5 to 6 cm in diameter with five petals, eight stamens and 2.5-3 cm long nectar spur at the rear. They come in a kaleidoscope of colors including russet, pink, yellow, orange, scarlet and crimson, frilled and darker at the base of the petals. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant and as a medicinal plant. As their leaves and flowers are edible; they can be used in salads, imparting a delicately peppery taste. My friend who hails from Madurai (Tamil Nadu) introduced this plant to me when i was working in Silkworm Seed Technology Laboratory, Bangalore, as he was maintaining the same in a beautiful inbuilt wall container. Quite often it was bearing many flowers. I wish to dedicate this to him. This photograph was taken on 3rd October 2011 from the Dussehra flower show at Mysore.
Purple Moonflower, Lilacbell, Lavender Moonvine is a climber, 3-5 m long, with slender twinning stems, which are purplish and covered with rough projections. Leaves are are heart-shaped, with a heart-shaped base and pointed or shortly tapering tip. Flowers are borne in groups of one to few, purple or pale purple, and open at night. The sight of purple moonflower on your walking ways during early in the morning is a heart filling experience. The graceful look and ever soothing smile goes to your heart. Just to see them i quite often choose the route for my morning walk where they are abundant! These photographs were taken on 3rd and 8th of September 2011 while on my morning walk.
