Last night, we had intense rainfall as that storm system flowed across Pure Florida. Looks like a couple inches of rainfall, so the nervous pondlings may get a slight reprieve from dessication.
Today is absolutely fabulous with 60 F temps, a brisk wind, and sparkling blue skies. I'm outta here as soon as I finish this post!
Fall is our best wildflower season. Everything is rushing to bloom and reproduce while there's still time. Sometimes, this results in very spectacular flashy scenery, but sometimes the beauty is more subtle.
I wandered around the backside of my place a few days ago and found some very tiny flowers that fall in the subtle category ... because of their size ... not their effort.
?
This post will demonstrate that I don't know the names for all of the many wildflowers that bloom on my own piece of Pure Florida. It will also demonstrate that I invest only a minimal amount of time seeking the answer to those identity questions. The answer will come in good time.
Could this be an aster? In a quick looksee through "Florida Wildflowers and Roadside Plants" by Bell and Taylor, that seemed a possibility.
Not sure who it is, but it's definitely minutely bold and beautiful.
Sophie?
This one I know and it's a favorite. SophieMae has a much more spectacular photo of Blue Curls that travels with her comments. Tiny and easily missed, blue curl blossoms are just amazing. They are so tiny, it makes me wonder who visits here to do the pollinating? It would have to be a tiny insect just to make a landing without crushing the blossom ... I think.
This is another one I don't know for sure, but a type of Hyssop in the field guide was similar. I didn't photograph the foliage ...duh ... that would have helped.
not
a
flower
The photo above is not a flower, but seeds of a tall bunch grass that are ready to drift off and get things started all over again.
My fingers are in all of these shots just for a size reference. I wanted you to get a sense of the smallness of these blossoms.
You could identify me if you had access to the FBI fingerprint files.
I'm in the database.
17 comments:
Those tiny flowers are just beautiful. I've never seen anything like that little curling blue one. What a great color too!
Somewhere at my dad's house there is a Steve Martin comedy album (LP record) by that name. Yes, I guess I'm a member of the "roundtrip" club.
Thanks for the flower pics, Minnesota is now lacking in wildflower color until April. I love tiny flowers.
Robin,
Isn't it great, you have to get on your knees to appreciate blue curls. Easy to miss it as you walk by.
roger,
yes, steve martin's first comedy album. i am a long time fan of his wackiness. yes, a scar from a new set of steak knives years ago. i was so used to our old dull ones, i got careless. that is the same finger tip i would cut off a few years later, but that scar is on the other side.
Deb,
You're right and you're welcome for the color. Loved your housebuilding photos.
I didn't have to Google. 8-}
Really nice shot of the Blue Curl! They're tougher than they look. I just glanced out my window here and caught a fairly hefty bee hanging, briefly, on one. Then a skipper (have fun IDing those) took a turn.
Do we want to know why you're in the biometric identification database? I'm pretty sure actually, that I'm in there, as well.
BTW, feel free to send those guineas up here. We could use some tick-eaters back by the creek.
Well, I hope this goes through. So far, blogger won't let me post today. >8\
Well, I recognized the blue curls. Aren't they nice? And by the way, super photos, FC.
My immediate thought on the 7-petaled yellow flower is that it's a buttercup of some kind (Ranunculaceae), but I'm going to have to check with the expert.
I wouldn't be surprised if the grass was a bluestem - Andropogon spp - which is to say I'm not sure which species.
All very nice!
NOW I can comment. Blogger was acting up yesterday- I couldn't put a WOW! here for love nor money- and I was completely bowled over by your Guinea Hens. How cool are they? And Miss Fluffyfoot! Some gams. Here we continue with our urban sparrows but I've finally attracted a small group of dedicated goldfinches to the thistle feed- so now the cats have color TV.
Today is a little quiet wow. Lovely small flowers- the blue curl is charming. The tiny yellow looks like an oxalis or woodsorrel flower- but you would know that if it was, right? So it must be something more exotic.
You have spurred me on to pay more attention to the tiny flora and fauna in my midst. I usually miss these things in my observations.
If you neighbors have extra guineas, they can always send them out my way - I could always use more of them.
Sophiemae,
Actually it's nice having them around and knowing they aren't really mine. The three seems to be reduced to two already.
Nothing evil, I'm in the database due to my previous LE work for Uncle.
Wayne,
The grass has a beautiful blue-green hue to it and stands about 4 feet tall when blooming. After a rain it fairly glows.
Vicki,
Sorry you couldn't comment. The blogger nerds have had a tough week. They have a very apologetic message on their own blogger blog.
I think your guess on the yellow makes a lot of sense. I'll check it out.
Hal,
I'm hoping they really do eat ticks. The little flock of 3 volunteers is down to 2, which is why my guinea is cage bound. They seem to be on the night menu.
Nicely trimmed fingernails, too, but I'd expect no less from FC. I hope to go to the woods tomorrow, and maybe I'll see what's still left blooming. According to the weather maps, Roundrock had two good days of rain this week, so maybe my little fishies will stave off dessication as well. Hope you have a chance to post pix of your puddle so we can see the difference.
I always notice the wee little flowers and try not to step on any. That blue curl is really very exotic looking.
For some reason I never think to take any pictures of the wee flowers although many are so beautiful...Perhaps it's because I'd have to lay on the ground to get a shot. I know very little flower names...shame on me.
Pablo,
The amazing thing about those fingernails is they are relatively clean :)
It looks like we may have gotten a good 4 inches of rain last night. It rained steady all night long and the bucket in the yard has about 5 inches in it. Have fun in your woods tomorrow.
Sandy,
I like knowing what I'm seeing but there's always something new, so I don't stress over it when I come up blank. An anonymous pretty flower is still pretty.
You got me laughing with the title...I definitely have enough roadtrips under my belt :)
Glad you got some rain at long last.
Hey, I have access to the database... ;)
Swampy,
Between NPS and teaching, I've been printed a bunch.
And why are you in the FBI fingerprint files...?
Mrs. S,
Only good reasons.
The blue curl is fabulously, enchantingly beautiful! Fenton Glass should make a replica of that and it would sell like wild-fire!
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