Flower of the King Protea,Protea cynaroides,a native of South Africa,and the national flower of South Africa. The "flower" is a complex inflorescence,consisting of a ring of stamens surrounding a central boss comprised of stigmas. The "petals" - here pink,are in fact floral bracts.P. cynaroides is adapted to fire by the development of a swollen underground stem called a lignotuber,a structure shared with many eucalyptus species. Following a catastrophic fire event,the lignotuber produces new shoots which grow to produce a replacement plant. Protea flowers are nectar-rich and are pollinated by birds in their native habitat. This picture was taken in Victoria Australia,where the flowers are commonly visited by bees | |
Lizenzart: | Lizenzpflichtig |
Credit: | Science Photo Library / Burgess, Dr. Jeremy |
Bildgröße: | 5120 px × 3413 px |
Modell-Rechte: | nicht erforderlich |
Eigentums-Rechte: | nicht erforderlich |
Restrictions: | - |