Clematis drummondii Buds Beginning to Open

Side view of a Clematis drummondii bud beginning to open

One of my favorite native plants to photograph is Clematis drummondii, a  climbing vine that is flourishing in several locations in my neighborhood now in spite of, or perhaps because of, the continuing drought. Shown above is a side view of a bud as it begins to split open. Note the characteristic hairiness of the plant. Below is an angled view from above of another bud that has opened a little further to reveal the densely packed stamens inside.

Angled view from above of a Clematis drummondii bud splitting open

© 2011 Steven Schwartzman

(Visit the USDA website for information about Clematis drummondii, including a clickable map showing where the species grows.)

Sneezeweed Flowers

Sneezeweed, Helenium quadridentatum

Walking in the bed of an unnamed tributary to Bull Creek a couple of weeks ago, I came across a few sneezeweed plants, Helenium quadridentatum, that were flowering. The flower heads were in bright sunlight, and I crouched down to position them against the dense juniper trees that were in shadow across the creek. The result, as rendered by a camera sensor that is much less sensitive than the human eye, is a photograph with a black background that nicely sets off the saturated yellow of the plant’s ray flowers.

© 2011 Steven Schwartzman

(Here is information about Helenium quadridentatum, including a map showing where the species grows.)