My Inability To Resist Mini Flowers

Hi there, glad you've stopped by.

As my Title indicates, this Post is about Mini Flowers.

Those tiny apparitions emerging amid grass and even amid mulchy bits under the shelter of a tree's canopy or just happen amid scrubby areas.

Spring into Summer they usually happen.

Tiny, exquisite and colourful they are... and me, with only my phone to be my camera , struggles with determination to record the fact they exist.

         I began recording those tiny Flower marvels when I first had a VGA camera phone I called Blacky.  Tried again when I had my 5megapixel camera phone Viewty.  Then mid 2010 arrived, and my now 8megapixel phone Vivaz came into my life and I set it to work to try to do better at recording those tiny Flower wonders I need to lay on the grass to attempt photographing.

Of course with more pixels the results did improve, but also of course, until I achieve owning an DSLR, I'll never do them justice. As a DSLR is very much still in a distant future I'm yet to come in contact with, I decided to show you what I have achieved in recording the wondrous beauty of Tiny Flowers, that have a diameter of about 10mm/0.39inches.  I adore them.  I truly do hope you will let your imagination assist you in seeing the details I am unable to clearly show you.

         I have many, so when I collected the ones for this Posting I decided to let them appear in accordance to the dates and times they happened, so to begin with, it's 18 Aug 2010 and 10am....

         I'm fully hopeless at giving up trying every angle possible to photograph that miraculous wonder. Vivaz did a reasonable job, so unfortunately that little wonder will appear quite a few more times. I'm awed by the real details of it.  I've nicknamed it Brightly Orange.

         Next is also on 18 Aug 2010 but 2.29pm, I must have been on my way to try again and became sidetracked when I saw this one standing erect from the grass, and silly me forgot to include its environs when I saw it standing proudly above the grass.  Usually happens in singles.  Plus you have to be looking down, otherwise you would either walk on it or pass it by and miss seeing this very beautiful mini flower...

         I remember now the experience because I've recalled seeing the following beauty in some light shade. Again forgot to show its habitat amid the grass. Appears on the top of stalks sitting above the grass in little groups scattered about....

         Wondrously beautiful! So tiny, so many details, though my photos only hint at such things.

         Grass is not just grass when allowed to be a tad longish by simply mowing with the higher setting.  So much beauty emerges to greet the Sun.  Each tiny blossom opening more strongly as the Sun travels across the Sky.  All three happened during the last month of Winter where I am, and hardly visible when just glancing across the lawn...  The variety, beauty and details I experience as purely wondrous.

         I have quite a lot more to see...

Some I have even been able to find out about, so do continue, and if feeling brave, whatever my photos lack, the slide-show way may still be worth experiencing.....

         I went out again the next day... 19 August 2010... I know it was because of obsession with my beloved Brightly Orange Flower with its exquisite centre of white from which stretch purple stamens with yellow tips... I remember looking to see if any more blossoms were awake, due to only having begun emerging.... but instead I discovered a dewy, what I call, Wish Fluffy, looking very artistic just after 7am....

         The morning Sun was shining directly on it.... actually looked beautiful in reality...

         Not having given up on my effort with my cute Brightly Orange Flower that spreads out across the grass like a cluster ground-type cover on sort of fleshy leaf stems.... 11.10am on 21 August 2010 I tried again...

         By 15 September 2010, with Spring for me well into happening, my wondrous Brightly Orange Flower was doing really well... it's 10.49am... I found mid-morning was the best time for my attempts with this wonder I have still not discovered the name of, or if is an Aussie....

         Vivaz did well with recording the hairy fibres of a grass stem in that photo, and not too badly either with my little wonder's Leaves.

         I love the next photo.....

         And you can see a little, the centre and along the stamens are hairy fibres.

         On that same day and during the same time frame, noticed also the grass was beginning to allow Clover to come through...

Now Clover Flowers I did find out about. Infact I found sufficient information to probably do a Post simply on Clover.  Had no idea of the variety range, or how important Clover is.  Will do my best to summarise what I discovered.... but first my photo attempts....

         Introducing White Clover... Trifolium repens... and quite a Story it has to tell too....

         Firstly, each of White Clover's slender white bits making up it's head is an individual flower. The White Clover, Trifolium repens, is a common denizen of weedy lawns... hooray for weedy lawns, types me.... I wouldn't be doing this Post if it wasn't for the wonderful Weedy Lawn I abide with.

         Moving on... regardless of having white flowers, one feature giving White Clover a unique quality is that its stem creeps along the ground, issuing roots from its stem as it goes along.  Hence the visual beauty of lush green Clover patches happening across weedy lawns, covered in beautiful white flowers.  A haven for Bees, Butterflies and me and my Crew.

         Most other Clovers are upright or leaning, with about 300 species happening about our Planet Earth.  Clovers being members of the genus Trifolium are in the Bean Family, the Fabaceae, therefore, being leguminous, Clovers in general are nutritious.

         The highest diversity of Clover happens in the Temperate Northern Hemisphere, with many Species also occurring in South America and Africa, including the high altitudes of Mountains in the Tropics.

         Clovers are small herbaceous plants covering the range of being annuals, biennials, or short-lived perennials. Several species are also extensively cultivated as fodder plants.

         The most popular fodder cultivated Clover in Australia is that Common Denizen, the White Clover - Trifolium repens.

         Red Clover - Trifolium pratense, is also widely cultivated in Australia, and though included when I read about the fodder aspect, I've chosen to indicate it as sort of separate after I discovered has strong medicinal qualities of both a positive and negative nature.

         Clover, sown alone or with Ryegrass, has for a long time formed a staple crop to improve soil for several reasons:  it grows freely, shooting up again after repeated mowings;  it produces an abundant crop;  it is palatable to and nutritious for livestock;  it grows in a great range of soils and climates;  and it is appropriate for either pasturage or green composting.

         The White and Red Clover grown throughout Australia represents a significant Nectar Resource for Beekeepers, and the needed pollination in terms of seed set of the Clover.  Though pasture seed production occurs in all of Australia's States and Territories, the majority of production is of temperate pasture seed, which takes place in Australia's Southern States, in particular in South Australia.

         Clovers are most efficiently pollinated by the large hairy Bumblebee, which have declined as a result of agricultural intensification. Thankfully Honeybees can also pollinate Clover, and Beekeepers are often in heavy demand by Farmers with Clover Pastures.

         Farmers reap the benefits of increased reseeding that occurs with increased Bee activity, which ensures future Clover yields remain abundant. Beekeepers benefit from the Clover Bloom, as Clover is one of the main nectar sources for Honeybees.  And I of course benefit because I purchase local Clover Honey, including the Red Clover Honey when available, and now I have a whole new perspective about such Honey.

         Will be quite different each time I now buy local Clover Honey, whether from the Red or White Clovers.  I'll know I'll be supporting the Beekeeper and his Bees as well as the Farmer and his Land for Herds, Crops or both.

         I feel quite appreciative of this information I have learnt from. Wonderful stuff.  Blogging is definitely inspirational and educational.

         Returning to photos, I'll introduce you to another little marvel that I have a hopeless time photographing due to its tininess, but insist on trying anyway.

         I had been seeking out this little wonder to try to have a better keepsake of with Vivaz and on 29 September 2010 at 8.31am was rewarded....

         Of course, everything but the Flower I nicknamed White Skirt is reasonably clear, but the photo does indicate just how tiny White Skirt is.

         White Skirt likes to grow amid Leaf Mulch, reasonably shaded with intermittent sojourns with Sun's Light.  I very much love this tiny wonder.  And by pure accident, while seeking something else, discovered White Skirt's name.  White Root - Pratia purpurascens!

         On 30 September 2010 at 8.30am, on my way out to do something else, I spotted the next Flowers emerging from the grass around my Potted Plants....

         As magnificent in its shade of blue as is my striking little Brightly Orange's rich orange, though this one is a tad bigger than the 10mm/0.39inches of the other.

         Doesn't have a particularly endearing name... Scurvy Weed -  Commelina cyanea, but does have a practical reason for being recognised by the name Scurvy Weed.... seems early European Settlers in Australia used it to avoid or alleviate scurvy.

         The genus Commelina has about 230 species, with about 7 appearing in Australia, of which my two are one of.

         Scurvy Weeds flourish in warm and or wet weather, then diminish during cooler and dry conditions.  They love flowering during Summer and early Autumn... though mine occurred during the first month of Spring.... but it was a hot Spring in 2010, the heat being the forerunner for the excessive rains bringing so much flooding by the time Summer arrived.

         Scurvy Weed is a fragile trailing perennial herb, generally prostrate, though the Flowers do sit up brightly and noticeably amid the green of the grass.

         Another of the beautiful Brightly Orange one.... rather timely with having just mentioned them.... though it will be 16 October 2010 and mid morning when happened....

         Finally having registered to remember to do the surroundings the tiny Flowers are amid, the photo shows how intermingled with the grass Brightly Orange is as it spreads.

         Brightly Orange likes being exposed to Sunlight, and I've seen it start to emerge where the grass is thinnest under the wire fencing.

         And one last close-up attempt....

         During that day, and before I'd done the ones of Brightly Orange, I'd also spent some time with the one I'd nicknamed White Skirt... White Root - Pratia purpurascens....

         That last one at least shows the petals better.

White Root - Pratia purpurascens, is of the Lobeliaceae Family and originally described by the Botanist Robert Brown as Lobelia purpurascens, which remains White Root's synonym.

         Before I mention a little more about White Root, I'll include a little reference to the Scottish Botanist Robert Brown.....

Robert Brown was born on 21.12.1773 in Scotland and died 10.06.1858 in London. He arrived in Australia by invitation in December 1801 and left Australia in May 1805.

         During his time in Australia Robert Brown did intensive Botanic research, collecting about 3500 species.  Though much of his work is lost, he did publish numerous species descriptions, and is the author of nearly 1200 species just in Western Australia alone.

         For a more detailed reading about Robert Brown the Botanist, who is an integral part of Australia's History and Flora and an interesting personage of his time....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Brown_(botanist).

So my little wondrous White Root I call White Skirt is now even more special for me.  Next time I see one I'm going to attempt to give it a hug filled with thanks for coming into my life.

         White Root likes damp places in sheltered forests during Summer and Autumn.  Oh well 2010 was a hot Spring as I mentioned. This beautiful small herbaceous scrambling herb calls Eastern Australia Home.

         One last photo of White Root... but this one is one I sourced... my elation when I came across it at the time was immense for many reasons...

         And even that proper photo doesn't show the things I've seen but have not the camera to record with... oh well... beautiful little wonder it always is anyway.  In the photo the little top purple knob seen in my own photos is not yet matured into being.

         Now I've moved forward into 2011 and it's 6 February and after 6pm. End of Summer, the Sun is giving it's last intense Light, and another wonder is being lit up, and I just had to try....

         I don't know the name, I nicknamed it Pink Speckles. It is larger than my Brightly Orange, but still quite small. I also think it possibly was planted.

         Even so, Pink Speckles does wondrous things when the Sun's Light is just right.  Like that centre pink cap amid the yellow pollen laden tips. I've seen that pink capped stamen unfurl straight out to reach the Sun's Light.  Astonishing.

         Quite amazing looking at the date those photos were taken... 6.02.2011, remembering by then Australia was pulling through from intense floods, bush fires and cyclones.  Christchurch New Zealand would be experiencing a horrendous earthquake towards the end of that month.

         So many upheavals coloured 2011. It was a difficult year for most.

         And with the next photo being 23 March 2011 at 9.23am, the world was still coming to terms with the enormous consequences of Japan's Earthquake and Tsunami....

         It is moments like this reminding me Life will continue to flourish if catastrophe is not directly affecting it.  Not always easy to see and feel happening when one is personally coping after experiencing tragedy.

          I have yet to achieve a reasonably decent photo of those Flowers.  They grow in clusters, and hang like bells.  I usually find them occurring near Trees.  They are truly intriguing, and are more purple than blue. The hue more like the Blossoms just visible in behind the Leaf gathering in the foreground.

         The next photo happened 22 July 2011, during the coldest Winter I have experienced since living in Queensland since the 1970's, but on that day at 2.30pm the Sun was shining brightly....

         yay, all the photos are up..... has been arduously slow uploading during preparation.  I actually left once, signed out, shut my computer, re-booted and returned.  Heaps better.  I really am glad I persevered though, I really like the feel of this Posting.  I think the Blossoms are happy being here which is nice.

         Well enough celebrating.... I know that particular plant is a Weed, don't know its name, and I like it very much.  I find it very pretty, though when it reaches what it is doing in the photo, I have to remove it when near the House because those seed heads are truly fine, and there is a crumbling effect, almost like a powder as they float about. Concerns me they could be inadvertently breathed in without much difficulty.

         Well I've reached the end. I'll just include the references which gave me the information I benefited so much from....

 For Clover's Story...

1. Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clover

2. Australian Government
Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation
RIRDS - New ideas for Rural Australia

http://www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/established-rural-industries/pollination/clover.cfm

and...

if you would be interested in reading about Red Clover's Medicinal Overview...

UNIVERSITY of MARYLAND MEDICAL CENTER
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/red-clover-000270.htm

For White Root...

both sites give what I have typed here. Very little other information, but appreciated anyway.

1. Friends of Lane Cove National Park Inc

http://www.friendsoflanecovenationalpark.org.au/Flowering/Flowers/Pratia_purpurascens.htm

2. Site of Capricornica Publications Natural History Books

http://www.capricornica.com/plants/pra_purp.htm

3. The Sourced photo is self-explanatory.

In general....

Introductory image is from

http://www.animated-gifs.eu

Remaining photos my own, achieved with my 8megapixel Sony Ericsson phone Vivaz, and edited as needed with Windows Photo Edit.

Thanks for being here.

Hope you enjoyed your time.