Large-Flowered Blue-Eyed Mary, Collinsia Grandiflora

Day 189: "Giant" Blue-Eyed Mary (aka Large-Flowered Blue-Eyed Mary, or Collinsia grandiflora) bears a larger blossom than many of its cousins, although these specimens stood barely four inches tall where they were growing in a burned-over and reseeded area of Charles L. Pack Experimental Forest. Although when you look at her face, Blue-Eyed Mary would give you the impression that she has only four petals, there is in fact another folded petal between the lower two. The stamens are concealed within its enclosure. From top to bottom, this tiny flower measures only about half an inch, but the vibrant blue stands out dramatically against the green of grass.