Vancouveria Hexandra, Inside-Out Flower

Day 249: When fully open, the tiny blooms of Vancouveria hexandra are reflexed, i.e., they sweep backwards to expose the stamens. Six petals form the blossoms' distinctive "inside-out" form and give rise to a most logical common name of "Inside-out Flower." Although the shape is reminiscent of Shooting-star and Cyclamen, Vancouveria is unrelated to either, and in fact is a member of the diverse Barberry family. It is endemic to the low and middle elevations of the Pacific Northwest to northern California, and often forms a dense groundcover when conditions are ideal. Its foliage is attractive, each compound leaf consisting of up to 15 three-lobed leaflets which in shape resemble a duck's webbed foot or a stylized drawing of a tulip.