Wednesday, October 20, 2010

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.


9 comments:

  1. Is really nice to find flowers in the woods. They will relieve tired legs... ;-)

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  2. Beautiful flowers and delightful captures! Lovely way to wind down my day! Hope your day is off to a great start!

    Sylvia

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  3. Yes, Stephanie. Flowers certainly relieve tired legs.
    Sylvia, thanks again for your nice comment.

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  4. Beautiful flowers to entertain you!

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  5. What an apt name - the dhobi flower!

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  6. Love that name...the dhobi flower! We find the plant here too but I don't what it's called here.

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  7. Lovely to see the wildflowers and good to know such beauties are still around. My neighbor has such a "dhobi" perhaps the improved variety, in her garden. It looks so attractive. we call it the handkerchief tree. I have to get a cutting!
    enjoy a beautiful weekend.T.

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