Cosmos bipinnatus, commonly called the garden cosmos or Mexican aster, is a medium-sized flowering herbaceous plant in the daisy family Asteraceae, native to the Americas. The species and its varieties and cultivars are popular as ornamental plants in temperate climate gardens.

Description

In natural habitat

Cosmos bipinnatus is an annual that is often considered half-hardy, although plants may reappear via self-sowing for several years. The plant height varies from 2–6 ft to (rarely) 9 ft (0.61–1.83–2.74 m). The cultivated varieties appear in shades of pink and purple as well as white. The branched stem is usually densely to occasionally occupied by fine, split up, rough trichomes, some specimens are completely hairless. The petiole itself is inconspicuous, winged, 10 (rarely to 15) mm long, sometimes the leaves are almost sessile.

The partial leaves are linear-filiform to narrow linear with a width of 0.5 to 1 (rarely to 1.7) mm; the tips are pointed, hardened, but not particularly sharp. Its foliage is finely cut into threadlike segments. When flowering, the plant can become top heavy. This problem is alleviated when grown in groups, as the bipinnate leaves interlock, and the colony supports itself.

The achenes become blackish, are smooth or short-bristly. Their shape is spindle-like. They are rounded off into a short, 0.5 to 1.7 mm long, but distinctly pronounced rostrum. The inner achenes are up to 18 mm long, their yellowish beaks are 4 to 5 (rarely to 10) mm long. A pappus is missing or it consists only of two to three awn-like, 1-3 mm large bristles.

Flowers

The very conspicuous cup-shaped inflorescences have a diameter of usually 5–7 cm (2.0–2.8 in) and contain tongue and tubular flowers, which are surrounded by bracts. There are usually 8 outer bracts, and they are ovate to lanceolate-tail-shaped, 7-15 mm long, 3-5 mm wide. The inner bracts are ovate-lanceolate and 8-12 mm long. They are translucent with many black stripes and a clear edge up to 1 mm wide, sometimes with yellowish or pink pigments, the tip is ciliate. The sprout leaves have gold-yellow, thread-like tips and protrude between the tubular flowers. The broadened base of these spreader leaves is translucent, provided with a yellow line. During flowering, the plant can sag under its weight. This problem can be solved by grouping the feet together so that the leaves hang together.

The mostly eight ray florets are pink to violet or white colored, at the base may show noticeable stains caused by anthocyanin. The tongues are reversely ovate shaped, have a length of usually 20-35 mm and a width of usually 12-20 mm. The tips are almost dull and have three broad, wavy teeth. Below that, they are greatly rejuvenated. In the center of the flower baskets is a large number of tubular flowers (also called disc florets), whose overgrown petals are yellow, turn white in the lower part and reach a length of 5-6 mm. The anthers are brownish-black and about 3 mm long, at the tips are short-triangular, translucent attachments with a length of 0.5-0.8 mm. The branches of the stylus are short and rather dull, with a length of .5 mm.

Distribution

This plant is native to Mexico, Guatemala and Costa Rica. Since it is used as an ornamental plant in many countries and prone to sedimentation, it is an invasive plant in many areas of the world. It has naturalized in scattered locations across North America, South America, the West Indies, Italy, Australia, and Asia, where it is a garden escape (introduced species) and in some habitats becoming a weed.

Cultivars

Cultivars of Cosmos bipinnatus in cultivation today include:

Apollo Series

'Apollo Carmine' agm

'Apollo Pink' agm

'Apollo White' agm

'Daydream' features a pink inner ring on a white background

Double Click Series features semidouble to fully double flowers that resemble Japanese anemones (Anemone japonica)

'Double Click Cranberries'

'Double Click Rose Bonbon'

'Double Click Snow Puff'

'Double Click Vari Extra'

'Rubenza' agm

'Sensation', also known as 'Early Sensation', is a widely available mix of tall varieties

'Sensation Pinkie' agm

Sonata series

'Velouette'agm

'Versailles', developed for the cut flower trade, are shorter than the species, with heights remaining below three feet

'Versailles Dark Rose'

'Vesailles Tetra'

(those marked agm have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit).

Cultivation

Germination takes between 7 and 10 days at the optimal temperature of 75 °F (24 °C); flowering begins between 60 and 90 days after germination

It prefers a soil pH between 6.0 and 8.5, reflecting its native habitat in the alkaline regions of Central America

Flowering is best in full sun, although partial shade is tolerated

Excessive rain can cause cultivation problems, due to the delicate nature of the stems. Heavy rain can cause breakage. Cosmos bipinnatus can tolerate heat as long as adequate moisture is provided, however, it does not handle droughts, strong winds or cold temperatures well. Snails, slugs and aphids have a taste for Cosmos bipinnatus. Successfully cultivated plants can mature 2 to 4 feet (0.61 to 1.22 m) x 12 to 18 inches (300 to 460 mm).

They are not tolerant of frost, but can be grown outdoors in a temperate climate with a warm to hot summer and are therefore called half-hardy in British gardening literature.

Pollinators

The flowers of Cosmos bipinnatus attract birds and butterflies, including the monarch butterfly. It can be part of butterfly gardening and pollinator/honey-bee habitat gardens.

Best viewed @ large size

Saxifragaceae - China, Japan

Strawberry Begonia, Strawberry Geranium

Measured from the tip of petal at upper left to tip of petal at lower right, 15 mm

"Saxifraga stolonifera is a perennial flowering plant known by several common names, including Creeping Saxifrage, Strawberry Saxifrage, Creeping Rockfoil, the quite ambiguous "Aaron's beard", and Strawberry Begonia or Strawberry Geranium (it is neither a begonia nor a geranium). It is native to Asia but has been introduced to other continents, mainly for use as an ornamental. A popular garden flower, it has attractive white blossoms with distinctive pointed petals and bright yellow ovary. S. stolonifera also sees use as a houseplant. Its creeping green foliage makes a good groundcover. The plant spreads via threadlike stolon (runners), with plantlets taking root in the vicinity of the mother plant. It is hardy to USDA zone 5.

"The foliage is occasionally used fresh or cooked in Japanese cuisine. It was also used as an herbal remedy in Classical Japan." (Wikipedia)

Photographed in my garden in San Francisco, California

There was a very small freshwater creek entering the ocean at this point.

The entire course of the creek's journey over the rocks to the sea was carpeted in this interesting algae.

Photographed at Salt Point State Park, Sonoma County, California

Wikipedia says - It has solitary flowers with four or more very narrow greenish filiform (threadlike) petals and green petaloid sepals. The flower is borne above a single whorl of four or more stem leaves. It prefers calcareous soils and lives in damp and shady places especially old established woods and stream sides. It occurs locally in temperate and cool areas throughout Europe and Asia but is absent in the wild from the Americas, Africa and the southern hemisphere. In Britain it is more frequently found in the east of the country but it is uncommon throughout its range. Each plant only produces one, blueberry-like fruit, which is poisonous.

I'd only seen this once before so it was good to see a thriving colony in Balls wood , a Herts and Middx Wldlife Trust reserve.

I have walked by this beautiful tree many times....I only noticed after the Maryland Biodiversity info. I will have to look for the fruits this fall!

'This North American native is unrivaled in beauty for its pendulous and diaphanous clusters of fragrant white blossoms, which appear in May or June. The individual blossoms are made up of four petals that dangle from threadlike stems in great silken clusters. The leaves are late to emerge in the spring, and this species flowers before leafing out. Female specimens produce blue-black fruits in autumn."

I've photographed this scene many times, usually making that threadlike waterfall the centerpiece. An incoming tide, however, made a closer approach to the waterfall impossible, so I was forced to consider the sea cliffs more carefully. Here is one of the compositions I came up with, converted to Grayscale in Photoshop, several of the channels tweaked to render tones I found pleasing.

Don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without explicit permission.

© All rights reserved

Little by little," the acorn said,

As it slowly sank in its mossy bed,

"I am improving every day,

Hidden deep in the earth away."

Little by little each day it grew;

Little by little it sipped the dew;

Downward it sent out a threadlike root;

Up in the air sprung a tiny shoot,

Day after day, and year after year,

Little by little the leaves appear;

And the slender branches spread far and wide,

Till the mighty oak is the forest's pride.

"Little by little," said the thoughtful boy,

"Moment by moment, I'll well employ,

Learning a little every day,

And not misspending my time in play;

Whatever I do I will do it well.

Little by little, I'll learn to know

The treasured wisdom of long ago;

And one of these days, perhaps, will see

That the world will be the better for me."

Cosmos bipinnatus, commonly called the Cosmos or the "Mexican Aster", is a medium sized flowering herbaceous plant sometimes grown in gardens.

This species is considered a half-hardy annual, although plants may re-appear via self-sowing for several years. The plant height varies from two to four feet. The cultivated varieties appear in shades of pink and purple as well as white. Its foliage is finely-cut into threadlike segments.

Pianta annuale, originaria dell'America centro meridionale, spesso chiamata astro del Messico; fa parte di una famiglia che conta circa 20-30 specie, di cui alcune coltivate come annuali, altre perenni. Costituisce ampi cespugli tondeggianti, che tendono ad occupare molto spazio; presenta piccole foglie allungate verde scuro, e grandi fiori semplici, con centro giallo e petali molto colorati, bianchi, gialli, rosa o rossi. E' molto utilizzata in giardino per la facilità di coltivazione e per la fioritura che dura dalla primavera fino all'estate.

Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota ), or Wild Carrot, resembles many other members of the Apiaceae family. The fleur-de-lis shaped bracts and bractlets are characteristic of the species. In east Harris and west Chambers counties, Bishops Weed (Ammi majus ), also non-native, is much more common. Its bracts are thinner and threadlike.

Katydid, (family Tettigoniidae), also called long-horned grasshopper or bushcricket, also spelled bush cricket, any of about 6,000 predominantly nocturnal insects that are related to crickets (the two groups are in the suborder Ensifera, order Orthoptera) and are noted for their mating calls. Katydids are also known for their large hind legs and extremely long threadlike antennae as well as the thick, upwardly curved ovipositor (egg-laying structure) of the females.

Calephelis nemesis. This little butterfly (wingspan about 2.5 cm) has a very ominous name, and I am not sure why. Presumably the vernacular name comes from the scientific name, except that nemesis does not mean fatal, exactly, in either Greek or English. And even if it did, it simply moves the mystery one step back: why "nemesis"? Unfortunately, we can't ask William H. Edwards, who named it in 1871. (I am not highly motivated enough to go to the library and try to find where he published his description of the type specimen and possibly his reason for naming it as he did.)

The "metalmark" part of the name comes from the threadlike lines on the wings that can appear shiny and metallic.

Photo in my yard, Austin.

Saturn's rings cast threadlike shadows on the planet's northern

hemisphere. Note the translucent C ring, and thin outermost F ring. The

image was taken with the Cassini narrow angle camera in visible light on

May 10, 2004, at a distance of 27.2 million kilometers (16.9 million

miles) from Saturn. Image scale is 162 kilometers (101 miles) per pixel.

Contrast in the image was enhanced to aid visibility.

The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European

Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory,

a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages

the Cassini-Huygens mission for NASA's Office of Space Science,

Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras, were

designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at

the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo.

For more information, about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit,

saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/ and the Cassini imaging team home page,

ciclops.org/.

credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

Introduced, cool-season, annual, ascending to erect, slender herb, 15-50 cm tall. Leaves are very finely divided into linear or threadlike segments that are less than 1 mm wide. Flowerheads are umbels in the leaf axils; they have small flowers with very small (about 0.3 mm long) white petals. Fruit are small and strongly ribbed; these are longer lasting and more likely to be noticed than the flowers. Flowering is from late winter to early summer. A native of America, it occurs in disturbed pastures, gardens and waste places. It is more abundant in moist areas, but is also found in drier areas during wet years. An indicator of disturbance and bare ground. It is a minor component of many pastures and regarded as an insignificant weed. It is relatively unpalatable to stock and only grazed when there is little else on offer. It may taint milk when present in sufficient quantities. Control can be achieved by maintaining strong dense pastures.

When the stems of spiderworts are cut, a viscous stem secretion is released which becomes threadlike and silky upon hardening (like a spider's web), hence the common name....Spider Lily

Utricularia subulata

This is a tiny plant with threadlike stems (those are pine needles in the background). It is a terrestrial bladderwort so it "catches" micro organisms in the damp soil.

Here is a link to more photos of this wildflower: www.flickr.com/photos/wildflowersflorida/albums/721577055...

Paris quadrifolia has solitary flowers with four or more very narrow greenish filiform (threadlike) petals, green petaloid sepals, eight stamens, and a round purple to red ovary in the center. The flower is borne above a single whorl of four or more stem leaves. It prefers calcareous soils and lives in damp and shady places, especially old established woods and streamsides.

Belgium. National Botanic Garden.

Willows are dioecious, with male and female flowers appearing as catkins on different plants; the catkins are produced early in the spring, often before the leaves, or as the new leaves open.

The staminate (male) flowers are without either calyx or corolla; they consist simply of stamens, varying in number from two to 10, accompanied by a nectariferous gland and inserted on the base of a scale which is itself borne on the rachis of a drooping raceme called a catkin, or ament. This scale is square, entire, and very hairy. The anthers are rose-colored in the bud, but orange or purple after the flower opens; they are two-celled and the cells open longitudinally. The filaments are threadlike, usually pale brown, and often bald.

The pistillate (female) flowers are also without calyx or corolla, and consist of a single ovary accompanied by a small, flat nectar gland and inserted on the base of a scale which is likewise borne on the rachis of a catkin. The ovary is one-celled, the style two-lobed, and the ovules numerous.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willow

California Dodder, a parasite, spreads its threadlike, leafless stems over shrubs and vegetation in the Angeles National Forest in the San Gabriel Mountains above Los Angeles. Plant produces tiny, whitish, bell-shaped flowers.

Origami Flower Garden. Fritillaria Imperialis

Frittilaria designed by Katrin Shumakov (c)2005

Diagrams are published in ORIBANA CHARM collection:

www.oriland.com/store/collections/oribana_charm/main.php

This paper flower is starring the oribana-compositions: "Emperor's Cortege". "Fairy Tale", "Near the Water". "In Dancing Rhythms" and "Chance Meeting" from this collection.

Fritillaria, commonly called fritillary, is any ornamental plant of about 100 species of the genus Fritillaria of the Lily family (Liliaceae). They are found throughout the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

Some species grow up to 4 feet (1.2 m) tall, while others average 10 inches (25 cm) in height. In the spring, all Fritillaries produce unusual, beautiful, cup- or bell-shaped, nodding flowers, with a shiny yellow receptacle of nectar near the inner base of the petals.

Flowers usually are solitary, but some species have exotic looking flowers, which hang downwards in a cluster on top of tall straight stems. The linear-lanceolate leaves alternate along the stem or are in the whorl.

The fritillaries are very diverse in form and color. They can be in different colors including nearly pure black, pale blue, bright red and a soft pink, but more often are a mix of colors—greens, purples, pale yellows or mauves, and maroons. The exquisite flowers are curiously blotched or checkered with various colors such as shades of brown, green, and white. Their delicate flowers are sweet and elegant like fairy hats.

Kamchatka Fritillary

Kamchatka Fritillary impresses by its uncommon beauty. Also called Kamchatka Lily and botanically known as Fritillaria camschatcensis, this plant produces a cluster of bell-shaped bronze-purple to black lightly mottled flowers on top of the upright stem. Lance-shaped leaves are located by circles; the lower whorls have broader leaves than upper. The height of this plant is 14-24 inches (35-60 cm).

Russian Fritillary

Russian Fritillary wafts a fairy spirit and enchants with its gracefully dangling flowers and tendrils. Its botanical name is Fritillaria ruthenica. This is a dainty plant with the slender stem to 20 inches (50 cm) tall and with the narrow leaves. The top threadlike leaves form tendrils, so it may climb twigs of nearby plants. Usually each stem bears 1 to 3 bells on the top. The bell-shaped flowers plump like a plum are brownish-purple and faintly checkered.

Fritillaria Meleagris

Fritillaria meleagris (commonly called Checkered Lily or Meadow Fritillary) is a lovely species producing 1 to 3 delicate lantern-like flowers per each slender stem. The blossoms are from dark brown to rosy lilac, wine, or white, with darker spots in a checkered pattern. The green leaves are strap-like and the flower stems are usually 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) tall.

The largest of fritillaries, Fritillaria imperialis (Crown-imperial) is the real stunner. The top of each upright strong stalk has an amazing umbel of about six downward-facing flowers, topped by a spiky crown of narrow green leaves. The lower part of the stem is covered by whorls of shiny lancet leaves. Flared bell-shaped flowers, which may be red, orange, or yellow, make a spectacular sight in woodland gardens.

You could try to fold the paper Fritillaries and they will surely bring an unforgettable spring display to your origami garden. Fritillaries also will be a charming addition to any Oribana arrangement.

Frittilaria Meleagris flower bloom "paper bloom" "real bloom" comparison juxtaposition "Origami Flower Garden" Oribana Art "Oribana Charm" Paper Flowers Vases Origami 折り紙 Ikebana 生け花 折り花 ORIBANA=ORIgami+ikeBANA Artists "Katrin and Yuri Shumakov" "Convolvulus Tricolor by Katrin Shumakov" Design Arrangement "All from paper" Oriland.com Oribana.com Toronto Ontario Canada "Katrin Ray" "Katrin Ray a.k.a Katrin Shumakov" Textures 500x500 "Swedish paper"

Paeonia tenuifolia (Fernleaf Peony) shows a rounded red bud nestled among finely divided threadlike leaves.

There was a very small freshwater creek entering the ocean at this point.

The entire course of the creek's journey over the rocks to the sea was carpeted in this interesting algae.

Photographed at Salt Point State Park, Sonoma County, California

Ageratum houstonianum, commonly known as flossflower, bluemink, goatweed, blueweed, pussy foot or Mexican paintbrush, is a cool-season annual plant often grown as bedding in gardens.

This herbaceous annual or dwarf shrub grows to 0.3–1 m (1 ft 0 in – 3 ft 3 in) high, with ovate to triangular leaves 2–7 cm (0.79–2.76 in) long, and blue flowerheads (sometimes white, pink, or purple). The flower heads are borne in dense corymbs. The ray flowers are threadlike and fluff-haired, leading to the common name. The narrow lanceolate bracts are pointed, denticulate only at the top and glandular hairy. The flowering period is from May to November in the northern hemisphere. The plant attracts butterflies.

The plant is native to Central America in Guatemala and Belize, and adjacent parts of Mexico, but has become an invasive weed in other areas. It was also naturalized in large parts of the tropics and in the southern United States. Its habitat is pastures, moist forest clearings and bushes up to altitudes of 1,000 metres (3,300 ft).

Today, it is widely used as an ornamental plant for summer borders and balcony boxes, high varieties also as cut flowers. The species is cultivated once a year, having numerous varieties whose crowns may be dark blue, purple, pink and white. Preferring cool soils and exposure in full sun, high varieties reach stature heights up to 60 centimetres (24 in).

Ageratum has evolved a unique method of protecting itself from insects: it produces a methoprene-like compound which interferes with the normal function of the corpus allatum, the organ responsible for secreting juvenile hormone during insect growth and development. This chemical triggers the next molting cycle to prematurely develop adult structures, and can render most insects sterile if ingested in large enough quantities.

Ageratum houstonianum is toxic to grazing animals, causing liver lesions. It contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids.

Ageratum houstonianum is prone to becoming a rampant environmental weed when grown outside of its natural range. It has become an invasive weed in the United States, Australia, Europe, Africa, China, Japan, New Zealand, and the Philippines.

Varieties

Ageratum houstonianum var. angustatum B.L. Rob.

Ageratum houstonianum f. isochroum

Ageratum houstonianum f. luteum

Ageratum houstonianum var. muticescens

Ageratum houstonianum f. niveum

Ageratum houstonianum f. normale

Ageratum houstonianum var. typicum

Ageratum houstonianum f. versicolor

The cultivars 'Blue Danube' and 'Blue Horizon' have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Thalictrum occidentale (Western Meadowrue) is dioecious, with male and female flowers occurring on separate plants.

These are male flowers:

"Male flowers (shown) have four, sometimes six, light green to purplish, obovate 3.5 to 4.5 mm long sepals, no petals, and 15 to 30 disordered hanging stamens with purple-brown threadlike filaments..."

Sources en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thalictrum_occidentale and linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Thalictrum%20...

Elevation 1400 meters (4600 feet)

Mount Townsend ( Trail 839)

Olympic National Forest, Hood Canal Ranger District

313

Origami Flower Garden. Fritillaria Imperialis

Frittilaria designed by Katrin Shumakov (c)2005

Diagrams are published in ORIBANA CHARM collection:

www.oriland.com/store/collections/oribana_charm/main.php

This paper flower is starring the oribana-compositions: "Emperor's Cortege". "Fairy Tale", "Near the Water". "In Dancing Rhythms" and "Chance Meeting" from this collection.

Fritillaria, commonly called fritillary, is any ornamental plant of about 100 species of the genus Fritillaria of the Lily family (Liliaceae). They are found throughout the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

Some species grow up to 4 feet (1.2 m) tall, while others average 10 inches (25 cm) in height. In the spring, all Fritillaries produce unusual, beautiful, cup- or bell-shaped, nodding flowers, with a shiny yellow receptacle of nectar near the inner base of the petals.

Flowers usually are solitary, but some species have exotic looking flowers, which hang downwards in a cluster on top of tall straight stems. The linear-lanceolate leaves alternate along the stem or are in the whorl.

The fritillaries are very diverse in form and color. They can be in different colors including nearly pure black, pale blue, bright red and a soft pink, but more often are a mix of colors—greens, purples, pale yellows or mauves, and maroons. The exquisite flowers are curiously blotched or checkered with various colors such as shades of brown, green, and white. Their delicate flowers are sweet and elegant like fairy hats.

Kamchatka Fritillary

Kamchatka Fritillary impresses by its uncommon beauty. Also called Kamchatka Lily and botanically known as Fritillaria camschatcensis, this plant produces a cluster of bell-shaped bronze-purple to black lightly mottled flowers on top of the upright stem. Lance-shaped leaves are located by circles; the lower whorls have broader leaves than upper. The height of this plant is 14-24 inches (35-60 cm).

Russian Fritillary

Russian Fritillary wafts a fairy spirit and enchants with its gracefully dangling flowers and tendrils. Its botanical name is Fritillaria ruthenica. This is a dainty plant with the slender stem to 20 inches (50 cm) tall and with the narrow leaves. The top threadlike leaves form tendrils, so it may climb twigs of nearby plants. Usually each stem bears 1 to 3 bells on the top. The bell-shaped flowers plump like a plum are brownish-purple and faintly checkered.

Fritillaria Meleagris

Fritillaria meleagris (commonly called Checkered Lily or Meadow Fritillary) is a lovely species producing 1 to 3 delicate lantern-like flowers per each slender stem. The blossoms are from dark brown to rosy lilac, wine, or white, with darker spots in a checkered pattern. The green leaves are strap-like and the flower stems are usually 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) tall.

The largest of fritillaries, Fritillaria imperialis (Crown-imperial) is the real stunner. The top of each upright strong stalk has an amazing umbel of about six downward-facing flowers, topped by a spiky crown of narrow green leaves. The lower part of the stem is covered by whorls of shiny lancet leaves. Flared bell-shaped flowers, which may be red, orange, or yellow, make a spectacular sight in woodland gardens.

You could try to fold the paper Fritillaries and they will surely bring an unforgettable spring display to your origami garden. Fritillaries also will be a charming addition to any Oribana arrangement.

Frittilaria Meleagris flower bloom "paper bloom" "real bloom" comparison juxtaposition "Origami Flower Garden" Oribana Art "Oribana Charm" Paper Flowers Vases Origami 折り紙 Ikebana 生け花 折り花 ORIBANA=ORIgami+ikeBANA Artists "Katrin and Yuri Shumakov" "Convolvulus Tricolor by Katrin Shumakov" Design Arrangement "All from paper" Oriland.com Oribana.com Toronto Ontario Canada "Katrin Ray" "Katrin Ray a.k.a Katrin Shumakov" Textures 500x500 "Swedish paper"

Presumably just past bloom. At maturity the threadlike pedicels spread into a thin, brittle cloud that breaks at base and rolls like a tumbleweed. N end Amtrak embankment, Fowl Meadow, Dedham, MA 7/14/12

Linaria vulgaris (Common Toadflax is a species of toadflax (Linaria), native to most of Europe and northern Asia, from the United Kingdom south to Spain in the west, and east to eastern Siberia and western China.

It is a perennial plant with short spreading roots, erect to decumbent stems 15–90 cm high, with fine, threadlike, glaucous blue-green leaves 2-6 cm long and 1-5 mm broad. The flowers are similar to those of the snapdragon, 25-33 mm long, pale yellow except for the lower lip which is orange, borne in dense terminal racemes from mid summer to mid autumn. The fruit is a globose capsule 5-11 mm long and 5-7 mm broad, containing numerous small seeds.

La Linaria è una pianta perenne, gracile, di aspetto erbaceo, con rizoma strisciante, lignificata alla base, fusti eretti, ramosi, pelosi e ghiandolosi in alto. Altezza 30-80 cm.Le foglie sono sessili, alterne, lanceolate, acute, lineari, con margine revoluto, uninervie, un po’ glauche.I fiori sono eliotropici, peduncolati, accompagnati da bratteee lineari, formano grappolo dapprima conico, poi allungato; tutta l'infiorescenza è pelosa con ghiandole frammiste ai peli. La corolla giallo zolfo, ha una macchia arancione sulla volta arcuata del labbro inferiore, termina con uno sperone ricurvo.

Linaria vulgaris (Common Toadflax is a species of toadflax (Linaria), native to most of Europe and northern Asia, from the United Kingdom south to Spain in the west, and east to eastern Siberia and western China.

It is a perennial plant with short spreading roots, erect to decumbent stems 15–90 cm high, with fine, threadlike, glaucous blue-green leaves 2-6 cm long and 1-5 mm broad. The flowers are similar to those of the snapdragon, 25-33 mm long, pale yellow except for the lower lip which is orange, borne in dense terminal racemes from mid summer to mid autumn. The fruit is a globose capsule 5-11 mm long and 5-7 mm broad, containing numerous small seeds.

Pianta perenne, gracile, di aspetto erbaceo, con rizoma strisciante, lignificata alla base, fusti eretti, ramosi, pelosi e ghiandolosi in alto. Altezza 30-80 cm.

Le foglie sono sono sessili, alterne, lanceolate, acute, lineari, con margine revoluto, uninervie, un po’ glauche.

I fiori sono eliotropici, peduncolati, accompagnati da bratteee lineari, formano grappolo dapprima conico, poi allungato; tutta l'infiorescenza è pelosa con ghiandole frammiste ai peli. La corolla giallo zolfo, ha una macchia arancione sulla volta arcuata del labbro inferiore, termina con uno sperone ricurvo.

Butterflies and moths are similar animals, but they have some general differences. The main difference is that butterflies have knobs, or clubs, on the tips of their antennae. Moths may have threadlike, feathery, or blunt antennae, but their antennae lack clubs. In addition, most moths tend to fly chiefly at night, while butterflies are active during the day. When at rest, most moths hold their wings folded flat over their backs, while butterflies hold their wings upright over their backs or bask with them spread flat out to the side. Many species of moths have dull gray or brown wings, and butterflies often have wings with colorful patterns. But numerous exceptions exist. For example, many moths fly during the day and are brightly marked, and many butterflies have soft, brown wings. In this case the moth is a diurnal type of moth and tries to blend with the surroundings not to fall prey to birds which are their greatest predators. Even the simplest moth shows the greatness of God’s creation, so small and yet so beautiful.

Fair insect! that, with threadlike legs spread out,

And blood-extracting bill and filmy wing,

Dost murmur, as thou slowly sail'st about,

In pitiless ears full many a plaintive thing,

And tell how little our large veins would bleed,

Would we but yield them to thy bitter need.

- William Cullen Bryant,

rutillatd quartz

Cut section of kidney with visible Leptospira sp. In this slide, the Leptospira are visible as dark, threadlike spirochetes. This slide was prepared in 1969, and imaged in January, 2022. This slide contained no description of the species of origin for this tissue.

This is an image of a microscope slide that is part of a collection of teaching materials in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology at the University of Saskatchewan. These slides were prepared by a number of unattributed instructors from the 1960's through the early 2000's; this photo was taken by Joseph E. Rubin in early 2022.

Introduced, cool-season, annual, ascending to erect, slender herb, 15-50 cm tall. Leaves are very finely divided into linear or threadlike segments that are less than 1 mm wide. Flowerheads are umbels in the leaf axils; they have small flowers with very small (about 0.3 mm long) white petals. Fruit are small and strongly ribbed; these are longer lasting and more likely to be noticed than the flowers. Flowering is from late winter to early summer. A native of America, it occurs in disturbed pastures, gardens and waste places. It is more abundant in moist areas, but is also found in drier areas during wet years. An indicator of disturbance and bare ground. It is a minor component of many pastures and regarded as an insignificant weed. It is relatively unpalatable to stock and only grazed when there is little else on offer. It may taint milk when present in sufficient quantities. Control can be achieved by maintaining strong dense pastures.

A change of tack. I'm stacking pieces of similar colours on top of each other then picking groups out and working on them on separate boards. This frees enough space to begin grouping assemblages on the man board. I'm working on top of the 1500pc Portapuzzle cover. This makes it easy to slide things around, but as the pieces are push-fit they come apart and have to be rebuilt (which often takes several attempts! ) You have to match the image extremely carefully on every detail because many wrong placements have partial matches. I'm hoping that the puzzle will fit and I'll have enough room to demonstrate its 'infinite nature' with diverse perimeters.

The first grouping I took out was the purple sea-urchin/jellyfish, then I worked on the pink threadlike coral and the green plant-like coral. This gave me the chance to put reasonably large areas together with good certainty they were right, but also highlighted that I needed to clear the working board to make any further progress. Laying out all the pieces for a photo gave me a good idea of the kind of colours and details involved but I wouldn't do it the next time. Laying out twenty then stacking similar pieces on top of each, then 'dealing' twenty more to get sorted upright piles felt much more useful than throwing them in a container.

(I resorted to stacking much smaller pieces years ago when I was doing the extremely difficult dragon tessellation jigsaw you can see below.)

Cut section of kidney with visible Leptospira sp. In this slide, the Leptospira are visible as dark, threadlike spirochetes. This slide was prepared in 1969, and imaged in January, 2022. This slide contained no description of the species of origin for this tissue.

This is an image of a microscope slide that is part of a collection of teaching materials in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology at the University of Saskatchewan. These slides were prepared by a number of unattributed instructors from the 1960's through the early 2000's; this photo was taken by Joseph E. Rubin in early 2022.

Cut section of kidney with visible Leptospira sp. In this slide, the Leptospira are visible as dark, threadlike spirochetes. This slide was prepared in 1969, and imaged in January, 2022. This slide contained no description of the species of origin for this tissue.

This is an image of a microscope slide that is part of a collection of teaching materials in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology at the University of Saskatchewan. These slides were prepared by a number of unattributed instructors from the 1960's through the early 2000's; this photo was taken by Joseph E. Rubin in early 2022.

These Mushrooms near our cabin pushed some rocks out of the way ! The Puhpowee Power of Mushrooms By Jay Rastogi, Naturalist / Educator here on the Yellowpoint.

A few months ago I came upon a new word. In and of itself, this isn't and extraordinary occurrence. but unlike other words, this one has stuck with me. Its not even a word from my language or one which I know has a synonym. This Anishinabbe word is puhpowee and refers to the force that causes Mushrooms to push up from the earth, An unseen energy, giving them the power to move soil, stones and even pavement.

This hydraulic pressure comes from the turgor pressure of the cells that make up the stalk of the mushroom. The cells of mushrooms also contain chitin, which when arranged the way it is in a mushrooms, makes the cell walls strong and confines the internal pressure in a vertical column. Chitin is the same material invertebrates (insects , Lobsters, etc) use for their exoskeletons. Its a tough material. The presence of chitin is in the fungal Kingdom and the animal kingdom but not in the plant kingdom is one bit of evidence that fungi and animals are more closely related to each other than to plants. This is not terribly relevant to most of us, but could it have implications for Vegetarians?

In addition, most mushrooms can sense gravity. many, if picked and placed on their side, will reorient their caps to be vertical. Ammonite species are fast at doing this.

The most common species people observe that move paving stones and ash fault are the Coprinus species (Ink Caps-Shaggy Mane). They grow on buried plant matter. It is indeed amazing that something so delicate and fragile to the touch can push through a few inches of ashphalt. The fruit of the Coprinus species are short lived. Within a day or two, they dissolve into a black watery mess called deliquescence. This phenomenon is what gives them the common name inky cap.

Mushrooms are the fruiting body of fungi, analogous to fruit on a tree. But keep in mind they are not closely related to plants. They do not photosynthesize. Instead, they make their living in a variety of ways. Some, like the Coprinus and Agaricus species are decomposers of plant matter and like to grow in compost piles, lawns and meadows.Some decompose animals. Others decompose dead trees and logs. Some grow on or in living trees. A large number grow under ground and are attached to the roots of living plants, in a relationship that benefits the plant and the fungus. The fungus passes minerals and water to the plants and gets the carbohydrates it needs from the plants. This allows the plants to grow in sub-optimal conditions, such as under the canopy or on dry hillsides. This group is called corrhizal and contains some of our most disirable edibles, such as chanterelles and pine mushrooms.

Western Science has, for the most part, had a mechanistic view of nature--looking at aspects of nature isolation (reductionism) in an effort to understand the whole by understanding the parts, like studying the puzzle pieces to understand the whole picture. The modern science of ecology, and certainly traditional Ecological Knowledge, sees the connection between things (living and non-living, but also processes) as essential. As John Muir put it "when we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe" Fungi illustrates this in a wonderful way. For most of the year, they are hidden, tiny threadlike filaments under the soil or in logs. But when presented with favourable moisture and temperatures, they fruit quickly and make their presence known. Puhpowee---emerging magically and making every fall walking the woods a new experience. Note: I learned the word puhpowee from Robin Kimmerer in her book: Braiding Sweetgrass--Indigenous wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the teaching of plants

The mycelium is the vegetative part of a fungus consisting of a mass of branching threadlike hyphae, threads of tissue; as shown here, this mass of hyphae is collectively known as the mycelium. It absorbs nutrients and also breaks down nutrients to support the environment around it.

Introduced, warm-season, biennial (2 years), erect herb, 30-150 cm tall. Stems are bristly and striated. Leaves are hairless and once or twice divided; leaflets are lobed. Flowerheads are large (to 12 cm) umbrella-shaped structures, which are surrounded by divided bracts with threadlike segments. Flowers are white or pinkish and about 2.5 mm wide; the petals are often uneven in size. Fruit are 3–4 mm long and ribbed, with rows of short hairs. Flowering is from spring to autumn. A native of Eurasia and North Africa, it occurs along roadsides and in waste places. An indicator of disturbance and bare ground. It is a common component of roadsides, but rarely is found in pastures. Susceptible to trampling and grazing by livestock.

Wikipedia says - It has solitary flowers with four or more very narrow greenish filiform (threadlike) petals and green petaloid sepals. The flower is borne above a single whorl of four or more stem leaves. It prefers calcareous soils and lives in damp and shady places especially old established woods and stream sides. It occurs locally in temperate and cool areas throughout Europe and Asia but is absent in the wild from the Americas, Africa and the southern hemisphere. In Britain it is more frequently found in the east of the country but it is uncommon throughout its range. Each plant only produces one, blueberry-like fruit, which is poisonous.

I'd only seen this once before so it was good to see a thriving colony in Balls wood , a Herts and Middx Wldlife Trust reserve.

Pianta annuale, originaria dell'America centro meridionale, spesso chiamata astro del Messico; fa parte di una famiglia che conta circa 20-30 specie, di cui alcune coltivate come annuali, altre perenni. Costituisce ampi cespugli tondeggianti, che tendono ad occupare molto spazio; presenta piccole foglie allungate verde scuro, e grandi fiori semplici, con centro giallo e petali molto colorati, bianchi, gialli, rosa o rossi. E' molto utilizzata in giardino per la facilità di coltivazione e per la fioritura che dura dalla primavera fino all'estate.

Cosmos bipinnatus, commonly called the Cosmos or the "Mexican Aster", is a medium sized flowering herbaceous plant sometimes grown in gardens.

This species is considered a half-hardy annual, although plants may re-appear via self-sowing for several years. The plant height varies from two to four feet. The cultivated varieties appear in shades of pink and purple as well as white. Its foliage is finely-cut into threadlike segments.

Introduced, cool-season, annual, ascending to erect, slender herb, 15-50 cm tall. Leaves are very finely divided into linear or threadlike segments that are less than 1 mm wide. Flowerheads are umbels in the leaf axils; they have small flowers with very small (about 0.3 mm long) white petals. Fruit are small and strongly ribbed; these are longer lasting and more likely to be noticed than the flowers. Flowering is from late winter to early summer. A native of America, it occurs in disturbed pastures, gardens and waste places. It is more abundant in moist areas, but is also found in drier areas during wet years. An indicator of disturbance and bare ground. It is a minor component of many pastures and regarded as an insignificant weed. It is relatively unpalatable to stock and only grazed when there is little else on offer. It may taint milk when present in sufficient quantities. Control can be achieved by maintaining strong dense pastures.

Introduced, cool-season, annual, ascending to erect, slender herb, 15-50 cm tall. Leaves are very finely divided into linear or threadlike segments that are less than 1 mm wide. Flowerheads are umbels in the leaf axils; they have small flowers with very small (about 0.3 mm long) white petals. Fruit are small and strongly ribbed; these are longer lasting and more likely to be noticed than the flowers. Flowering is from late winter to early summer. A native of America, it occurs in disturbed pastures, gardens and waste places. It is more abundant in moist areas, but is also found in drier areas during wet years. An indicator of disturbance and bare ground. It is a minor component of many pastures and regarded as an insignificant weed. It is relatively unpalatable to stock and only grazed when there is little else on offer. It may taint milk when present in sufficient quantities. Control can be achieved by maintaining strong dense pastures.

The play of light and shade in this area is very interesting on the threadlike foliage. Great mass groundcover with very good grasslike structures.

Introduced, warm-season, biennial (2 years), erect herb, 30-150 cm tall. Stems are bristly and striated. Leaves are hairless and once or twice divided; leaflets are lobed. Flowerheads are large (to 12 cm) umbrella-shaped structures, which are surrounded by divided bracts with threadlike segments. Flowers are white or pinkish and about 2.5 mm wide; the petals are often uneven in size. Fruit are 3–4 mm long and ribbed, with rows of short hairs. Flowering is from spring to autumn. A native of Eurasia and North Africa, it occurs along roadsides and in waste places. An indicator of disturbance and bare ground. It is a common component of roadsides, but rarely is found in pastures. Susceptible to trampling and grazing by livestock. This plant has become incredibly abundant this year on the Northern Tablelands due to a wet Dec and Jan.

A serious and very invasive weed introduced from Europe. Can be differentiated from other white daisies by its threadlike leaves. Composite Family, Asteraceae, Fish Creek Provincial Park, P7092096bib

Eysenhardtia texana

"Eysenhardtia texana Scheele

Texas kidneywood, Kidneywood, Bee-Brush, Vara dulce

Fabaceae (Pea Family)

Synonyms: Eysenhardtia angustifolia

USDA Symbol: EYTE

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

Texas kidneywood is an unarmed, much-branched shrub, 3-10 ft. tall, with an open, airy structure. A many-branched shrub with an open crown and gland-dotted, aromatic, resinous leaves and flowers. Its 3-4 in. spikes of white flowers are fragrant, as are the deciduous, finely divided leaves. Leaves up to 3 1/2 inches long, consisting of a central axis and as many as 40 small leaflets, each about 1/4 inch long, pungent when crushed. Flowers white, small, with a delicate fragrance, arranged in spikes up to 4 1/2 inches long at the ends of branchlets, appearing intermittently from May to October. Fruit a pod about 3/8 inch long, often with a threadlike tip. Seed pods are somewhat persistent.

This tree and its relative, the more westerly E. orthocarpa, were once used in remedies for kidney and bladder ailments, hence the name."

www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=EYTE

Cosmos bipinnatus, commonly called the garden cosmos or Mexican aster, is a medium sized flowering herbaceous plant sometimes grown in gardens. It can be found in the wild in much of North America where it is a garden escapee, sometimes becoming weedy.

This species is considered a half-hardy annual, although plants may re-appear via self-sowing for several years. The plant height varies from two to four feet. The cultivated varieties appear in shades of pink and purple as well as white. Its foliage is finely-cut into threadlike segments. When flowering, the plant can become top heavy. This problem is alleviated when grown in groups, as the bi-pinnate leaves interlock, and the colony supports itself.

Some of the varieties of Cosmos bipinnatus in cultivation today include:

* Sensation is a widely available mix of tall varieties

* Versailles and Sonata, developed for the cut flower trade, are shorter than the species, with heights remaining below three feet

* Daydream features a pink inner ring on a white background

* Seashells features quilled petals

Growth characteristics of this plant include:

* Germination takes between 7 and 10 days at the optimal temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 °C); flowering begins between 60 and 90 days after germination

* It prefers a soil pH between 6.0 and 8.5, reflecting its native habitat in the alkaline regions of Central America

* Flowering is best in full sun, although partial shade is tolerated

* The plant is tolerant to drought after germination, and is seldom subject to insect or disease damage

The flowers of Cosmos attract birds and butterflies, including the Monarch butterfly.

Ceratiomyxa slime molds are very variable. This is a young stage of the threadlike form.