Forest Flowers

I found some wild flowers during our hike through the forest of Agasthiamalai, last week. This is a Day Flower Commelina forskalii found near the Banateertham Falls. You can see the falls in the background. Usually Day flowers are intense ,electic blue, but this was a very pale blue, matching the colour of the constant spray.

This flower is called the Dhobi's Kerchief. It is found all over the forests of the Western Ghats. The garden Mussaenda has been hibridized from this plant. The flowers are a tiny orange, but each flower has a modified white leaf attached to it , which draws the attention of the pollinators in the lush green forest.Dhobi means Washerman in Hindi, and this flower , with its spotless white 'kerchief' is aptly named.

The pea-like, purple flowers of this tree were blooming all over the forest. The trees are short and full of flowers. Bees were swarming the flowers. I could not find the name of this attractive tree.