Operation Wildflower
  • Home
  • Albums
  • Links
    • Botanical Gardens
    • OWF Sites
    • Public Parks, Gardens and Reserves
    • Reference Sites
    • Private Parks, Gardens and Reserves
  • Information
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Articles
    • Plant Records
      • Aloes
      • Bulbs
      • Climbers
      • Cycads
      • Euphorbias
      • Ferns
      • Grasses
      • Herbs
      • Orchids
      • Parasites
      • Shrubs
      • Succulents
      • Trees
    • Sources of Information
    • Disclaimer
    • Subject Index
Home Home » TYPES » Herbs » Pycnostachys urticifolia flower spike
Back to Category Overview
Total images in all categories: 11,506
Total number of hits on all images: 6,494,295

Pycnostachys urticifolia flower spike

Pycnostachys urticifolia flower spike
Start View full size
[Please activate JavaScript in order to see the slideshow]
Previous Previous
Image 312 of 409  
Next Next
Image 314 of 409  
  • Pseudoselago spuria flower
  • Pseudoselago spuria hosting the beetles
  • Pseudoselago spuria leaves
  • Pseudoselago spuria narrow green leaves
  • Pseudoselago subglabra
  • Pseudoselago subglabra flowering at Kleinmond
  • Pseudoselago subglabra starting to flower
  • Pycnostachys urticifolia
  • Pycnostachys urticifolia flower spike
  • Pycnostachys urticifolia leaves
  • Pycnostachys urticifolia, the blue boys
  • Pygmaeothamnus chamaedendrum
  • Radyera urens
  • Radyera urens branch
  • Radyera urens flower
  • Radyera urens leaves
  • Radyera urens, a very hairy plant

Image information

Description

The inflorescences of Pycnostachys urticifolia, the hedgehog sage or ystervarksalie (porcupine sage) in Afrikaans, grow in densely flowered conical spikes at stem tips. The generic name, Pycnostachys, is derived from the Greek word pyknos meaning dense and stachys meaning spike or ear of corn (wheat), descriptive of the inflorescence.

The unopened buds above the open flowers in the spike often have a pinkish colour, the one in picture showing this only at its tip. Below the open flowers on the spike where only calyces around the developing ovaries remain, the explanation of the origin of the common names of hedgehog sage and ystervarksalie stares one in the face:

The hairy calyx has five spiny points or teeth that become up to 1 cm long. When only this bristly calyx remains, the withered corolla having dropped off, the animal likenesses of these common names are warranted. Teeth serve as such an important detractor to enemies in the animal world; here the spines amount to the same, warning leaf browsers against eating the stem tips.

The spiny calyx teeth start off green, but may turn red gradually, remaining on the plant for many months, protecting the plant's important product, its seed (Onderstall, 1984; Manning, 2009; www.plantzafrica.com; www.zimbabweflora.co.zw).

Hits
578
Photographer
Thabo Maphisa
Author
Ivan Latti
 
Back to Category Overview
Powered by JoomGallery