365Caws is now in its 14th year of publication, and was originally intended to end after 365 days. It has sometimes been difficult for me to find new material, particularly during the winter months, but now as I enter my own twilight years, I cannot guarantee that I will be able to provide daily posts. It is my hope that along the way I may have inspired someone to a greater curiosity about the natural world. If so, I can rest, content in the knowledge that my work here has been done.
Friday, July 24, 2015
Penny Perspectives - Foamflower
Day 284: One of my colleagues recently tossed me an interesting question: What is the tiniest wildflower in Mount Rainier National Park? Well, I had to admit that I didn't know, and subsequent research in field guides hasn't provided me with the answer, but I do have a list of candidates. One of them is Foamflower (Tiarella trifoliata). An individual blossom from this species wouldn't quite cover the date/mint beneath President Lincoln's chin, as demonstrated in this Penny Perspective. When found growing in masses in moist areas of the lower forest, the derivation of the common name becomes clear; when viewed in close-up, the flowers are among the most delicate, long stamens projecting well beyong the petals. Tiniest? Perhaps not, but Foamflower's "faerie skirts" are certainly comely figures, dancing on the slightest breeze.
Labels:
Foamflower,
Longmire,
MORA,
Penny Perspectives,
Tiarella trifoliata
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