Diclesium / Anthocarp fruits of the Four O’Clock family
At only 2mm across, neither my 30x loupe nor my extension tubes helped me observe that there are no petals in this tiny bloom.
Spermacoce verticillata
Waltheria indica
Thyanta perditor?
Neptunia pubescens
Euphorbia blodgettii
This one was a bit tricky, because the flowers normally have a pinkish tinge. This one was a very bright white. Plus, it has a long growing season here in the Keys, so I most often find the bright red berries forming simultaneously with new flowers. I’ll head back over to double check the fruit in a few days. This species is more common than its close relative, Guinea hen weed. Find more info here.
Rivina humilis flower
Rivina humilis flower
Raceme of Rivina humilis
In between flower and fruit. The sepals and stamens remain, but the petals are gone.
Cynanchum angustifolium
Portulaca oleracea
Currently, many sources still list this under its older synonym Cordia globosa.
Varronia globosa flowers
Varronia globosa fruit
Chamaesyce mesembrianthemifolia
Frangipani leaf bud
I’ve always considered myself more of a bee than a squirrel—it’s the flower, not the fruit, that catches my eye. With this plant, however, everything BUT the flower shouts out for attention.
It never fails—find a hairy caterpillar with kids and they always claim that it’s “the one that stings!” To be fair, this one was virulently green with black-tipped spines and a bold red stripe. It certainly looked a bit dangerous. But never having met this beauty before, however, I decided to test their theory.
Minute Explorations 