Sunday, August 19, 2012

Generation Gap or Plant Arrogance?

Maybe some of you will not agree with my title. I will just post my photos and let you decide for the title you want to use with them. For sometime I have long wanted to post these photos, but for some reason I don't know why they are always forgotten. My extra drive is already full of photos of the same shots with different settings, that also for some reason I cannot just delete. Maybe that is an indication of a hoarding tendency, or I might just be anticipating of some future need going to the cliche "you just don't know when it will come handy".

At least, even if they are still from last year's shots, i now have some use for them here!

Above are banana leaves showing what I call generation gap. But the one on top is actually a leaf from another plant trying to outdo the other leaves in this plant. So isn't that arrogance? You might say it just  exercises survival of the fittest theory, the need for sunlight lets them that. On the other hand, the old leaf below has the almost resigned contentment in it. Can you see the wisdom it exudes, through the golden light? It seems happy on its own, on its place in the sun!

Another drama of leaf life is being demonstrated here. The youngest of them is at the top getting maximum attention from the sun, with all the older ones letting it be. It even has the brightest and most attractive among the colors, which slightly fades as it ages and assumes the normal hue it is expected to be, green! It contrasts with the banana leaf, the drama here is somehow different, but the lowest and greenest leaves look so contented as well, don't you agree?

What drama do you see in here? Alone but not lonely! That single plant is in a sea of unknowns, alien in its environment, independent on its own, but do they have relationship with each other? 

These are two Turnera flowers of different species. T subulata seem to be damaged faster by rain than T ulmifolia. These flowers open only half a day and they started only this morning, so they are of the same age. Normally, they close after lunchtime. But at this condition, the first is already dead without the benefit of pollination, while T ulmifolia seems to be still capable of receiving some bees and butterflies. Nature is supposed to be fair, i wonder why T subulata is given that characteristics when the rains come! I have been looking for its other characteristics during the dry season, and I can't see obvious differences. 

16 comments:

  1. Great shots and I like your title.

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    1. haha, thanks Carver. The title is next to not being able to think of anything but that!

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  2. I wonder what the advantage of a flower being open for such a short time is?

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    1. Hi Gaia Gardener, thanks for being a visitor here more often. I think a flowers sole purpose is to attract pollinators, so when that is done, what else is in store but to close and safeguard the little plant it is nurturing in its ovary! It main objective: the perpetuation of the species. I don't think any flower knows that human beings love to see them open for a longer time! :-))

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  3. Love when plants try to outdo each other:) And good for you!!! Never get rid of your old pics. That's a rule. You never know. I have a secondary drive to save all the shots and then delete the rest on my computer when the memory fills up. Have a great week Andrea!

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    1. Hi Dear Kreesh, that name stuck on you :-) It is a long weekend here, but can't do gardening as it rains every day though not all day. But it's so damp and I am having the allergic asthma cough, so difficult. And yes, old pics consecutively tell a story!

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  4. Hi! Here from I'm a Mom...What's Your Excuse? Thanks for visiting my blog :) To answer your question, some of the photos I have on my house plant project were taken by me the others I found on different websites that are also listed.

    The Turnera flower you have here, reminds me of the Midnight flower I mention on my post. It blooms for only a few hours as well.

    Love your pictures!

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    1. yes they bloom for just a short time only, but the Midnight flower is more dramatic, exotically enchanting!

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  5. Interesting thoughts on these photos...I call some persistence with a bit of arrogance

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    1. Hi Donna, i love your response here, "some persistence has a bit of arrogance", really appreciate that! Thanks for the comment to my posts everytime.

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  6. Hi Aaron, good to have you back. You should have the more yellow Turnera, it is much prettier, as easy to grow as the lighter one, and greener leaves too, much preferred by butterflies.

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  7. I saw something similar when looking at trees today...One had sent a branch quite high above the tree and the leaves were a deep red! It was as if the tree was waving a gloved hand to the sky. gail

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    1. Yes Gail, we always see that habit around, survival of the fittest to the best!

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  8. The single plant among the others - I would call that photo 'Dare To Be Different'. :)

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    1. Yes, thank you very much, that would be a very apt title for that. Thanks also for dropping by.

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  9. A very enjoyable post with a great title.

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