Operation Wildflower Mobi
  • Home
  • Albums
  • Links
    • Botanical Gardens
    • OWF Sites
    • Public Parks, Gardens and Reserves
    • Reference Sites
    • Private Parks, Gardens and Reserves
  • Information
    • About Us
    • Articles
    • Contact Us
    • Disclaimer
    • Glossary
    • Plant Records
      • Aloes
      • Bulbs
      • Climbers
      • Cycads
      • Euphorbias
      • Ferns
      • Grasses
      • Herbs
      • Orchids
      • Parasites
      • Shrubs
      • Succulents
      • Trees
    • Sources of Information
    • Subject Index
Home Home » TYPES » Parasites » Tapinanthus oleifolius flowers and hungry ant
Back to Category Overview
Total images in all categories: 12,061
Total number of hits on all images: 7,359,884

Tapinanthus oleifolius flowers and hungry ant

Tapinanthus oleifolius flowers and hungry ant
Start View full size
[Please activate JavaScript in order to see the slideshow]
Previous Previous
Image 45 of 57  
Next Next
Image 47 of 57  
  • Orobanche ramosa flower
  • Orobanche ramosa stem base
  • Orobanche ramosa stem tip
  • Orobanche ramosa, tallest stem dead
  • Sopubia cana var. cana
  • Striga elegans
  • Striga elegans flower
  • Tapinanthus oleifolius
  • Tapinanthus oleifolius flowers and hungry ant
  • Thesium
  • Thesium euphorbioides
  • Thesium euphorbioides conducting fynbos music
  • Thesium euphorbioides floral bracts
  • Thesium euphorbioides flowers
  • Thesium euphorbioides leaves and floral bracts
  • Thesium strictum
  • Thesium strictum flower and buds

Image information

Description

The flowers of Tapinanthus oleifolius grow on petioles that are nearly absent on some plants, more than 1 cm long on others. An inflorescence may comprise one or several umbels. The perianth tube of the individual flower is long, narrow and erect. This tube may be longer than 4 cm, red with some whitish spots. The unopened buds are cream or pale green in colour, shaped in the image of a safety match. The ovary at the base is bulbous. Once open, the protruding anthers on red filaments are conspicuous on the flower, as is the stigma.

Flowers attract pollinators effectively in winter grey when many tall trees have dropped their leaves, but some grow patches of these eye-catching parasite flowers high up among bare branches. The popular red berry likewise is welcome food in the season of scarcity. This sticky fruit, craved by birds, facilitates the free rides that constitute a good example of efficient seed dispersal.

This plant was seen flowering in December near Olifantshoek in the Northern Cape (www.plantzafrica.com).

Hits
957
Photographer
Judd Kirkel
Author
Ivan Latti
 
Back to Category Overview
Powered by JoomGallery