Check Out My Dewy Spadix

In Photos on 1 July 2011 tagged Anthurium, Bloom

Remember the cool Anthurium crystallinum (or perhaps magnificum, I’m still not sure) in the Anthurium with Accordions timelapse video? He’s been working on an inflorescence for a few weeks, but just this week I noticed the little dew drops on the spadix. After a little research, I learned that the liquid is called, and try not to giggle here, stigmatic fluid. At the base of each of those tiny dew drops is an even tinier flower. The fluid is the signal that those flowers are ready for pollination. Sadly for this guy, I don’t happen to have any Anthurium pollen sitting around, so all that effort is just for show. Still, it’s a helluva show.

See Also

• Explosion in a Perfume Factory
  Dude smells like an explosion in a perfume factory, especially at night.
• First Bloom: Cirrhopetalum pulchellum
  The whole spread is about an inch across.
• Jewel Alocasia Bloom
  My Alocasia melo bloomed today. I just love his adorable little polka-dotted winkie.