Brachyglottis or Senecio

Science doesn't stand still, nor should it. I remember reading several years ago that some academics had calculated the "half-life of scientific knowledge" at 45 years i.e. in that many years time half of current scientific understanding will be superseded by new knowledge. You can see this at the layman's level in the name changes that animals and plants periodically undergo as DNA and genetic research re-classify species. One example from the garden is a New Zealand shrub with yellow flowers and grey/green leaves. For decades I have called it Senecio greyi: now it is Brachyglottis greyi. Today's offering is a contrasty black and white photograph of this plant's leaves.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Olympus OMD E-M10

Stigma, style, stamen and petals

It's remarkable how episodes from childhood can pop up in your memory as though they were yesterday. When I was looking at this photograph on my computer of an open tulip bloom I mentally checked off the botanical names for the parts of the flower. In so doing I was transported back to the time in school when I drew a labelled diagram during a lesson about plant reproduction. As a botanical illustration this photograph lacks clarity. However, the contrast between the sharp centre and the soft surround gives it qualities that I like.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Sony DSC-RX100