Flora Picture of the year 2009

Swagat
Barley, Hordeum vulgare

It is photographed in the Botanical Garden of Srinagar, J&K on 3rd August 2009.

It was standing alone in the grassy patch...

Evening light was beautiful...

After lots of trial & errors got this shot.

Image is croped & sharpened in photoshop.

Rajesh Sachdev.
Fimbristylis
The most surfaced flower in ITP and FOI web portals.......Trying to find out the answer from anyone, who knows abt it.....Can't forget June 30th of 2009 at about 08.30 AM when I first photographed this flower....

it still chases me like a ghost...would chase me, till i get it IDed। Can't wait for next monsoon, when i would visit Matheran (near Mumbai) again in 2010 same date and same time, to get this flower plucked and show it to seniors in Mumbai/Pune. As per Shrikant ji---
Assuming that this is an annual herb with linear leaves crowded near
base, stem less than 15 cm long then this plant is Fimbristylis of
Cyperaceae
Further ID of sp. will be accurate only with a specimen but in the present
circumstances we assume that stamens and stigmas were 3 each and style
is 2.5 mm long then this is F. lawiana (Boeck) Kern.

Prashant Awale
Bot. name: Geissaspis cristata, Family: Fabaceae
Location: Aakraswadi at the base of Matheran Hill.

Spontaneous reaction of few of my friends after seeing this picture was.... "Hidden Treasure", "Open book" and thats how it looks..


Narendra Joshi
Dendrobium densiflorum
The Pineapple orchid is my flower for the year 2009. It resembles like a full size pineapple. All the buds have opened.

Nalini Bhat

Nigella damascena (Love-in-a-mist) Jungfer-in-grünen

This is my favorite flower. For many years i had this flower in my garden, it is self-seeding and so i had these flowers year after year at the same place. It took over one corner in the garden and so i started to use the attractive capsules in dry flower arrangements or give away to my friends. I suppose, one day no capsule was left over to spread the seed in my garden. I was sad, that for a couple of years i had no Jungfer-in-grünen. BUT in 2009 there was one plant with a few flowers and it was like meeting an old friend after some years. I hope to get more in 2010.

Mayur Nandikar
Abutilon ranadei Woodr. et. Stapf.

I dont think this has been sent earlier on Indian treepix.
This Picture I would like to nominate as flora picture of the year 2009.
Abutilon ranadei Woodr. et. Stapf.
Family: Malvaceae.
Photograph taken at Amba Ghat- Kolhapur- Ratnagiri Road from its Type locality on 4th December 2009.
This plant is one of memorable in my life because of as i wrote earlier picture was taken from its type locality and another thing is I saw first time this plant in flowering (In Wild).
Abutilon ranadei Woodr. et. Stapf. is one of the critically endangered plant species of the Western Ghats in India. It is Endemic and restricted to four Districts of Maharashtra State.
Best Seen At: Amba Ghat region.
This endangered species, named after N. B. Ranade, for many years keeper of the Herbarium at the College of Science, Pune, who died of the plague in 1897.
Conservation of this species is now initiated in various institutes.

Katie bagli
Carvia callosa

This pic. has special significance for me as it was one of thousands that bloomed en mass at CEC in 2008, the Carvia callosa, after a gap of 8 years. This flower persisted in its dry form for a year, and with the first showers in June, the forest was alive with its "clicking" sound as the seeds absorbed water and catapulted here and there, being its method of dispersal.

Indeed, Nature has strange ways for the survival of its many species. Let's hope that in the coming New Year all its creations continue, not only to survive, but to thrive and that we don't have to worry about global warming and climate change any more.



J.M.Garg

White colour is so pure.

It is also one of the most beautiful.

Inderjeet Sethi
This picture is not of any particular plant but this is nature at its beautiful self. So I consider it the Flora picture of the year 2009.
This picture was taken on September, 9th 2009 at Hunder, a village in Nubra Valley, Ladakh. This is early morning dew on leaves looking like shining beads or if salt has deposited on leaves. The site was so beautiful with all the plants covered by this mist. As the sun came out these drops disappeared.

Gurcharan Singh
Bauhinia roxburghiana
I consider this Bauhinia roxburghiana as my picture of the year for two reasons:

First the tree is very rare in our area

Second the flowers from a distance look very insignificant, perhaps ugliest in the genus, but only after taking a close up view of the flower I realised that it has one of the best architecture in the genus. My friends don't believe me when I tell them that flower is less than one inch in diameter.

Dr. Satish Phadke
Linum perenne
I would like to label this plant seen by me in Spiti Valley and identified by Gurcharan ji as
Flora Picture of the year - 2009
I was fascinated by the colour, texture and the shining glossiness which the flower was decorated with. It was surprising to find this beautiful plant in dry barren Cold desert of Spiti valley H.P.

Dinesh Valke
Bauhinia malabarica.

Attached is the photo of my first sighting of Malabar Bauhinia on 30 SEP 2007 in Nagla Block of Sanjay Gandhi National Park - rare occurrence in state of Maharashtra.

For 2 years, was considering it to be B. thonningii, until Shrikant ji corrected my thoughts !!

This year, found trees at two more places: Saphale Ghat and Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary.

Alok Goyal

This is my submission for the flora picture of the year-2009. inspired to some extent by David Attenborough's "private life of plants" i keep looking for some less noticed structures on the plants which enhance their attraction, used in defense or for any other purpose other than the routine.

The leaf is that of Erythrina suberosa. its a young leaf which is almost all covered with a lot of hair. the base of leaf is possesses these extrafloral nectaries which stand out of the hair covering the young parts. the nectaries probably act in plant defense by attracting ants which feed on the nectar produced by these nectaries. These ants in turn protect the plant, flowers and flower buds from insect pests.

A.K.Bhatt
Bauhinia X Blakeana
This flower was discovered in Hongkong and as it is a cross, only vegetative propagation is possible. So like Bodhi Vriksha all the trees have been developed from a single plant. This is the national (!) flower of Hongkong

. Shrikant Ingalhalikar
Clematis smilacifolia
I have travelled extensively for studying and photographing wild flowers in the Western Ghats, but this plant alone made me do 10 trips amounting to 10,000 kms to Goa and adjoining areas in the last 10 years for its flowering to be witnessed and documented. I found several plants but not in flowers ever. A fruiting plant was shown to me by Dr. Milind Sardesai in Nov. 2007 inside Dajipur WLS near Kolhapur. The sanctuary opens on 1st November and this precious climber flowers just before that. This year I made a reckoning trek inside Dajipur and to my delight found the climber in buds. Of course I had to go back yet again after a week and there was the gorgeous profusion of flowering of this extremely rare climber. The size, beauty and the divine fragrance of flowers of Clematis smilacifolia surpassed all the disappointment of my earlier trips.
Shrikant Ingalhalikar

Adesh Shivkar
Ceropegia oculataLocal name (Marathi) : Mor Kharchudi
I have some particularly fond memories related to this flower..... While on a trip to Kaas Plateau, Satara, I chanced upon this flower that was then identified by Late Dr.Shraddha Shimpi (Botany Dept., Pendharkar College, Dombivili) who was our resource person....More than my finding, I was fascinated by the way Shimpi Madam was excited and explained its features and importance with a child like enthusiasm. I was simply amazed not just by her vast knowledge, but by the way she used to explain flora to novices and make it so interesting that many people (I know this for sure) have started appreciating & respecting the floral world.....I owe my interest in flowers to Her.

She left for heavenly abode in the year 2009....but her teachings will always inspire and motivate me to inculcate interest in more people about this fascinating floral world. I would dedicate this and all my flora images of 2009 to my teacher - Dr.Shraddha Shimpi.
Adesh Shivkar

Satish Pardeshi
Murdannia semiteres (Dalz.) Sant.
My best picture for the year 2009 is of Murdannia semeteris which I
clicked at Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Mumbai during a trail for
Kanheri caves during monsoon. These tiny plants were growing on open
rocky area among the grasses. The blue-pink color of the tiny flowers
along with red buds and stem of this plant is an eye catcher. I am
really attracted by the shape of the corolla and the different shapes
of stamens.

Aarti Khale
Adansonia digitata

Flower of the Baobab Tree with bud....taken at Jijamata Udyan, Mumbai sometime during May.

Aarti Khale

FAMILY : POLYGALACEAE ON INDIANTREEPIX

P.persicaria SN


P.persicaria SN


Polygala elongata JMG


Polygala elongata JMG


Polygala elongata JMG


Polygala elongata JMG


Polygala elongata JMG


P.arvensis VW


P.arvensis VW

P.arvensis VW


P.arvensis PA


P.arvensis PA


P.persicarifolia PK


P.persicarifolia Dr Phadke

P.persicarifolia Dr Phadke

FAMILY : POLYGALACEAE

Milkwort family
Polygala(Latin) means much milk. Cattle feeding on these plants are supposed to give more milk.
There are 17 genera and 900-1000 species around the world. 50 %of the plants are in genus Polygala.

Vegetative characters:

It is a small cosmopolitan family of herbaceous plants, shrubs and small trees. Leaves are alternate, always simple, usually without stipules. Polygalas have Irregular flowers and superficially resembling Fabaceae.

Inflorescence and flowers:

Flowers are generally in spikes or racemes, each flower subtended by a bract and two bracteoles.

Sepals are 5 and unequal, two side sepals are often larger and coloured like petals. Uppermost sepal is keeled(Ridged in a way that resembles two connected petals or sepals. There are three petals united at base and the lower one boat shaped or saucer shaped -keel with a fringed crest; enclosing 8 stamens and a pistil style. Stamens are often fused by their filaments into a split sheath. Ovary of two fused carpels, 2 chambered, each chamber one seeded;

Fruits and the seeds:

Fruit is a capsule.

Examples: From Maharashtra

1. Leaves amplexicaul; flowers in spike; stamens 4-5; capsule toothed … Salomonia

1. Leaves not as above; flowers in racemes; stamens 8 capsule entire. … Polygala

2.Shrubs … P.arillata

2.Herbs

3. Flowers Pink …P. bulbothrix

… P.irregularis

… P.persicarifolia

3.Flowers yellow

…P. furcata

… P.erioptera

… P.elongata

… P arvensis.

… P. Linarifolia

Flora Picture of the year- 2008

Some of the beautiful photos of year 2008.

"Flora Picture of the year- 2008"


Tabebuia aurea

Hi all,

The Caribbean Trumpet Tree Tabebuia aurea which is a non-native plant of India, is my favourite shot of a Tree for 2008. This was a stunning tree in bloom with its vibrant yellow flowers in contrast to its dark brown broken bark and against the blue sky! This was shot in one of the very small parks in South Delhi which were part of my research area of flora and avifauna in an urban residential area.Though this was not posted to the group, I want to share this with all of you.

This is a tree of the urban horticulturists who use it to green the gardens in cities. One of the cities where this really proliferates is Bangalore along with the Pink Tabebuia which is another spectacular sight.

Another favourite of mine are the Floss Silk Trees-both White and Pink. Both are outstanding iand spectacular in their prettiness and wow value especially in Lutyens's Delhi's roundabouts!!

Enjoy

Janaki Turaga

Couroupita guianensis
I would like to send this as my Flora picture of the Year [this has
not been sent earlier on this forum].
Couroupita guianensis.Fam:Lecythidaceae. Place-Bangalore-taken 11th April 2008
Also revered as Shivalinga,Nagalinga.The stamens form a 'hood' over a
small depression beneath, in which there is a 'linga'.This tree grows
opposite my apartment & i'm sentimental about it because a friend & i
saved it from the axe.
The fruits look like cannonballs & are as lethal-only i have not come
across a single case of anyone being hit on the head [ that does not
mean anyone take a risk !]-surprisingly even when they dropped with
alarming frequency at the time the building in the adjoining compound
was being constructed & the roots were heavily damaged.The tree has
stabilised since.

Ranjini Kamath

"TIBOUCHINA URVILLEANA" --
My vote for Flora Picture of the year- 2008

Our gardener has the most wonderful job in the world. We share a common love for exotic flora. He would go to any length to look for the best plants and flowers for me. He is aware of the indian common names while I know the english ones. So if I am unable to describe a plant or flower to him, I draw it out to him, or I collect some leaves and we both go a hunting spree to locate the plant or find the names and ID of the same.

He got me this plant last monsoon saying, he didn't know the name of the flower but it is really pretty and purple and I would surely love it. For almost a month I watched the plant and nothing bloomed from it. I told him it had no flowers. He was glum, and vouched that he did see some flowers and I admonished him that he must be high on bhang. Just a day later the first flower bloomed in the plant and it surely took my breath away. When I showed him the photos he face lit, "mai na kehta tha"!

Me and my husband spend two whole days trying to look for its ID and viola I am sharing it with you now.

Cheers

Sangeeta Das

Paracaryopsis lambertiana
Hi,

This is one the most beautiful flower

which I had photographed

thanks

Pravin Kawale


Barleria prionitis
This flower I would like to nominate as flora of the year 2008. This I shot at Phansad WLS, 200 Kms. from Mumbai. While shooting this flower, I got so engaged with it, that I did not notice that a green vine snake just passed by my legs. After, I was done with the shooting this flower, i realize that I missed an opportunity of shooting the reptile.

Rajesh Sachdev


Meconopsis dhwojii

Hi,

This flower of Yellow poppy

Meconopsis dhwojii photographed at Kedarnath

Uttarakhand 23 Jul.2008.

Blue poppy is the main attraction of valley of flowers

but Yellow poppy is equal beautiful too.

Thanks
Pravin Kawale

Abutilon persicum
Madam
In November 2008 during my trek thru Tirangi-ghat ( climbing down from Doni village
on the Ghats down to Rampur village in the Konkan ) among the thick KARVI,
suddenly I saw this one ..infact the only ONE flower on that plant !
Rahul Natu


Dendrobium barbatum
Dear All
It was tough to select THE flower of 2008 when each and every one of them had something that touched one's core so deeply. I offer this orchid, Dendrobium barbatum as my selection for flower of 2008.

best wishes
Padmanabhan Geetha



Costus speciosus.
Friends
I send this flower for the ' Flower of the year'
Place Mizoram , November 2008
Thiruvengadam Ekambaram



Habenaria roxburghii
Habenaria roxburghii syn. H. platyphylla in Talakona forest, AP on 16/8/08. It's difficult to chose from so many species clicked in 2008. This was special for me as I was longing for finding some Orchid species (after seeing so many beautiful postings of wild Orchids) in Talakona forest being a rainy season (as Orchids flower only for a very small period during rainy season). I was not even aware at that time, though enamoured by its beauty, that it was a ground Orchid.
2008 was the year when I took to shooting of herbs in a big way. Before that I hardly looked at them. But the photographic beauties they have matches with those of butterflies, birds & other subjects.Welcome to the lovely world on beautiful herbs.
With regards,
J.M.Garg

This is my submission for the Flower of the Year 2008 (shot in Bangalore , one fine April morning) as I share with you the beautiful moment I experienced.

If you want a story, I have none. The sheer beauty of the "smiling gleeful duo" mesmerized me to pen this haiku....

In cool morning breeze
Waltzing on emerald floor
A blithe Cosmos pair.

Cheers

Prakash Swaminathan

I am afraid the choice could have been better, but this is what I could find.

I like bougainvillea as it is hardy and shows off lovely bright colours. The petals are dry and from the face of it, one would hardly expect any honey inside the flower. But the sunbird knows best, and we have to agree. It is a frisky bird, and I was lucky to catch it in camera. But I know that it is not competition quality.

Best wishes,

akbhatt

Dear all

This is my husband's contribution to the list. photo courtesy Hirak Dutta

While coming back from Gangotri we spotted these wonderful "Kachnar" (Hindi) "Kanchan" (Bangla) , trees all along the hill side. What was most enchanting about these flowers were that there were no leaves on the trees only the flowers were clinging to the trunks, clumps and sinewy branches. Something like delicate damsels clinging on to their bodyguards.... Some times the entire tree looked white from a distance because of the flowers.

We had to trek a bit into the hills and zoom in with our cameras to get some good views. The most pretty flowers were in the most hard to reach trees on the cliff sides.

The contrast of the hard and cracked trunk and the delicate petals of the flower makes a wonderful picture... almost like yin and yang.

cheers

Sangeeta Das

When I first planted a few plants of this bush I didi not realise its potential. But it grew fast and within a year started floweering. The bush is full, and the surprising part is the flush is not once, but 2-3 times. But the first flush is the best. I like flowers which are easy to grow, and quick to give result. And Tecoma gaudichaudi ranks fairly high in my list now. This is my personal discovery and so the flower of the year.

Best wishes,

akbhatt



Gloriosa superba

Sometimes the Stars, the Moon, the Sun -- all of them are happy at the same moment -- I mean happy with my photo-shooting skills.

One such moment: September 16, 2007 11.03am ... clicked Gloriosa superba at Valley Park, Navi Mumbai.

Native of India (and south-east Asia) ... a very different flower ... colors blending from green to yellow to orange to red ... and almost to scarlet ... a very different plant of lily family ... reaches out for support with help of its leaves ... the leaf tip elongates to form a very slender tendril to coil around nearby support.

Commonly known by many names: climbing lily, creeping lily, fire lily, flame lily, gloriosa lily, glory lily, malabar glory lily, superb lily, tiger claw ... and kandhal in Tamil (காந்தள்) ... it is the State Flower of Tamil Nadu, India.
Dinesh Valke





ButeaMonosperma
Palas or Palash.
IT IS NATIVE.
IT HAS BEAUTIFUL COLOURS AND MANY USES.
Dr Satish Phadke