There's more to flowers than just their beauty.

With summer past and fall well entrenched, flowers seem but a distant memory. Their beauty, although often enhanced by breeding and selection, can still be enjoyed at the florist's or perhaps a conservatory if you have the erge to be surrounded by their sensory inducements.

Next time you look at a flower, take a moment to explore its magnificance. The beauty of flowers isn't just about their scent, soft nature, and brilliant array of colours. Although appealing, the real artistry they possess comes down to the cellular level and the function each part plays in the reason for their existance.

I photographed the central part of the purple and yellow flower shown above as I was intrigued by the pattern and variety of colours. I used my macro setup usually reserved for insects and other associated microfauna; the small aperture and multiple flashes produced an appealing image. If you look carefully at the photo you will see tiny yellow flecks. Those are the grains of pollen that comes from the stamens, the male component of the plant. The stamens are the larger yellow clusters in the center of the flower. A single grain of pollen will alight on the female component and work its way slowly down the entire length to eventually fertilize the awaiting ovum. The pollen grain actually splits into two parts, the first part producing the fertilized cell that will eventually become the new plant and the second part joins with another component to make the endosperm - the germ layer which will feed the seed after germination begins.

The blue parts of the plant next to the stamens are visible parts of the pistol, the female component of the plant. Although only the stigma is showing, the rest of the pistol including the style and ovary descend deeply into the base of the flower where fertilization will take place. We only see the outside beauty of the reproductive organ, its real beauty is revealed by the process of fertilization and the eventual maturation into the fruit of the plant.

This single flower is just one of many thousands which differ in form but are alike in function. It is truely breathtaking to take a moment to see beyond the surface and consider the deep truths held within the ephemeral shell which we can barely experience. Nature, in all its forms, is truely amazing.

Thanks for reading.     Ericspix     Eric Svendsen