Krystyna Szulecka, a generous contributor to the UBC Botanical Garden Forums, posted this gorgeous photo to the UBCBG Website. The original post can be seen here and a photo of the fruit and discussion of the plant is available in this thread. Thank you Krystyna.
Lindsay Bourque writes about the tree:
Grias neuberthii, known as the piton tree, is a large tree native to the western Amazonian rainforest (Ecuador, Columbia and Peru). The waxy flowers pictured above are borne close to the ground, emerging straight out of the bark where they are easily accessible to the bees and beetles that pollinate them.
The Quechua people of the Pastaza River in Loreto, Peru, call this tree sacha mangua (meaning mango from the wild forest) and use a stem infusion as a purifying emetic to treat malaria. Grias neuberthii also demonstrates a high level of antioxidant activity and is currently being tested by food science researchers to use as a natural preservative to prevent lipid oxidation, one of the main problems that may occur in foods during processing.
love the extremely clear details. thank you all!
That must be a great camera. You can alsmost smell/feel the flower from this wonderful picture.
So startling! No need for coffee this morning.
Wonderful photo, in all respects…
It’s great to learn more about non-temperate families. I love the Photo of the Day!
GS
I like this photo a lot too. It looks as if the flower were carved from white chocolate.
thank you white chocolate indeed
daves garden has a image of the tree
tropico has an image of the flowers
growing on the trunk of the tree
i do like it around here
Wow, amazing flower. I wonder if it bears any edible fruits?
This flower looks almost fake, like it’s made of clay!