Monday, March 2, 2009

Mountain Laurel


Mountain Laurel, Kalmia latifolia.

A broadleaf evergreen bush with pink to white flowers. Notice the little seed pods, remnants of the flowers. The flowers have the fascinating habit of curling their anthers out so that they grip and lock into the inside surface of the petals. When a bumblebee comes in for nectar, the anthers are tripped! They zoom in and bang off the bee, depositing their pollen for the bee to spread on to other flowers.

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