Spider Lily

These are from last year at this time... and guess what. They are right on time. I took a few more pics of the same in the last days, and nice dress shoes are still stinking wet from wading into the bog to take them. I guess I should carry sneakers with me.
Spider Lily, or -- my name: "Gothic Bride"
Hymenocallis occidentalis or
Hymenocallis caroliniana
family: Liliaceae

All pics 5/12/2005 - in the empty field across from the Dave Ward Walmart in Conway, AR

Turns out there are several different flowers of quite different appearance (but belonging to the lily family) that claim the name "Spider lily" -- and this is one of them. Scientific name is either Hymenocallis occidentalis (see : http://www.briartech.com/summer/slily/slily.htm ) or Hymenocallis caroliniana (see: http://www.2bnthewild.com/plants/H22.htm ).

Concerning the name, the folks at 2-bn-the- wild write: Hymenocallis means "beautiful membrane" which refers to the the corona that connects the stalks of the stamens for a portion of their length. This is a large spectacular flower that is exciting to find unexpectedly.

I concur. First time I saw one I was so "startled" that I thought it must be fake. But it didn't feel like plastic... or even a regular flower. In keeping with its swampy nature, it felt kind of sticky and damp, like wilted cabbage.

This lily is built on a symmetry of six. Six Stamen, six petals, six corona sections.

More Passion

I don't usually run multiple entries of the same flower, but its hard to get too much passion, especially when they come with a big bumble bee. (all pics, July 18, 2009).

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It would appear, that the Passion flower is designed, just for such a host. Note how the overturned anther (Pollen bearing thing that looks like a clutch purse) rubs that back of the bee, swabbing him in pollen as he feeds at the nectar rich center.

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For more on the Passion flower see original Passion Flower entry just a couple blogs back.

Passion Flower (Maypop)

Passiflora incarnata

Note: I do not know if Passiflora incarnata applies to the white blooms, or only the purple version.

These pics are from previous years, but the Passions are in full blitz right now.

While some believe the fruit of the Passion flower stirs the passions of the standard kind, the Passion flower is not named for any aphrodisiac effects--Rather it gained its name when Spanish explorers came to the new world and were startled by the bloom, and saw in it symbols from the Passion of the Christ.

Symbols include: three prongs (Trinity), five wounds, crown of thorns, robe of purple, and forty lashes. While I do not know if God works to communicate on such a level, I am content with the idea the the one who made the world ---and the Passion flower, entered into the world robed in flesh.






For a picture of an unusual Yellow Passion flower, see Marvin's wonderful nature site:
http://elmostreport.blogspot.com/2008/07/yellow-passionflower-passiflora-lutea.html

Prickly Pair

Repost, from last year. Of all things, I haven't seen these things yet, but I figure they must be here, somewhere

All Pics May 26, 2008, justt North of Maumell, AR on Interstate 40


I must confess, I was suprised. This is Arkansas. We are hot, but not so dry. And while I have seen Prickle Pair in the woods attached to rocky outcrops, this big stand of blooin' cacti was right off of I-40, (near Little Rock) and that after weeks of solid rain -- mixed with the likes of dried Purple Vetch and Red Clover seed-heads.