Bloom

Hundreds of small flowers bloom on a spring evening.

Trio

 

This photograph, taken in the small Austrian village of Halstatt, features a trio of tiny, pure white flowers.

Enveloped

The petal arrangement of this flower is rather unusual. Normally, the petals of a flower are smaller and concentrated more closely together. In this case however, the yellow petals are abnormally large, and spread out relatively loosely. Due to the large size of the petals, the internal part of the flower is in the shadow, and seems to be getting enveloped by the petals. Also, interestingly, the petals form a sort of infinite staircase. If you start at any petal any go anti-clockwise, you will notice that you will only have to climb, never descend. Naturally, the reverse is true if you go clockwise. This is another feature of this flower that makes it unique and engrossing.

Red Flowers

The red flowers in this photograph are very peculiar. In my opinion, their peculiarity arises mainly from their shape. Most flowers are wide and flat. The width of the flower normally exceeds the depth or height. In this case however, the flowers are extremely long, almost tube like in shape. The strange, long structures emerging from some of the flowers make them look like bright red snails. (especially the flower at the bottom right).

The structure of their petals also somewhat resembles carnivorous pitcher plants, which use their pitcher like structures to catch and dissolve prey. Of course, these flowers are completely innocent, and do not eat insects. They are also must more pleasant to look at and to smell than pitcher plants, which are known to smell like decaying flesh due to trapped insects inside them.

The last aspect of these flowers that makes them peculiar is their arrangement on the plant itself. Usually, flowers emerge in bunches at the tip of a shoot, or individually. In this case however, the flowers are emerging from the complete length of a branch of the plant. This is a normal pattern for the emergence of leaves, but it is very uncommon for flowers.

Despite all the peculiarities I have found in these flowers, I have still not been able to find their name. If anyone knows what these flowers are called, please let me know in the comments below.

 (Entered in The Daily Post’s Weekly Photo Challenge “Vivid“.)