Mustang grape inflorescence
Click for greater detail and sharpness.
The past three posts have emphasized the twining nature of the mustang grape vine, Vitis mustangensis. The photograph above and two that are coming tomorrow highlight different aspects of the species, and then it’ll be on to variations of red and reddish colors elsewhere.
Inflorescence is a fancy word for the flowering portion of a plant, and here you see the inflorescence of a mustang grape. The flowers aren’t at all showy by human standards, but they ignore our aesthetics and manage to get themselves pollinated just the same. (I’ll admit to taking after myself, because I remember that I made a similar comment about peppervine back in September.)
© 2012 Steven Schwartzman
Great shot of the grape vine; it’s amazing what you can find out there in the world around us. There are so many amazing things, on this planet, we just have to open up to it. Great post and I look forward to sharing more with you:))
wartica
January 22, 2012 at 2:41 PM
Welcome to the world of nature in central Texas—and by extension elsewhere.
Steve Schwartzman
January 22, 2012 at 3:00 PM
I would go so far as to say that “sexy” is defined not only by species but by individuals in those species–I’ll bet this is mighty hot stuff as Mustang grape inflorescences go, but more importantly so, to whatever are the insects and/or creatures that regularly pollinate them. The birds and the bees do know more about it than most humans, that’s for sure.
kathryningrid
January 22, 2012 at 3:53 PM
It’s good that you can put yourself in the position of a mustang grape and see this inflorescence as hot stuff (I or my subconscious first mistyped the word as studd).
On the serious side, you raise a good point. Some of the species I’m familiar with that have among the least interesting flowers—to us—turn out to be quite prolific, a fact that implies that pollinators are just as drawn to them as to the fancier—again, to us—blooms.
Steve Schwartzman
January 22, 2012 at 4:18 PM
The most common plant has something to share, it’s for us to find it and spread the news. 😀
Spiral Dreamer (Francis)
January 22, 2012 at 6:36 PM
Well said. That’s why I look even at our “weedier” native species.
Steve Schwartzman
January 22, 2012 at 6:43 PM