Gentianales

Flowers of Gardenia carinata folding for the evening

Gardenia carinata

Published by Daniel Mosquin on April 16, 2019

Golden gardenia, or Gardenia carinata, is a member of the coffee family or Rubiaceae.

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Close-up of Stapelia grandiflora

Stapelia grandiflora

Published by Daniel Mosquin on December 14, 2018

Stapelia grandiflora is native to the Northern Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. It has a long list of common names, including carrion flower, starfish flower, starfish cactus, and giant toad plant. These names are shared with the similar Stapelia gigantea, featured on BPotD in 2005. Contrary to some of its common names, […]

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The inflorescence of Caralluma retrospiciens

Caralluma retrospiciens

Published by Daniel Mosquin on August 10, 2017

Sometimes I can’t track down what seems to be the most agreed-upon name for a taxon, and this is one of those times. Depending on the resource, this species is listed under Caralluma retrospiciens, Caralluma acutangula and Desmidorchis retrospiciens. I’ve opted to follow the latest version of The Plant List. Bart Wursten, the photographer, also […]

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Flowers of Asclepias curassavica cultivated in New York

Asclepias curassavica

Published by Daniel Mosquin on July 13, 2017

Asclepias curassavica has many common names including tropical milkweed, bloodflower, Mexican butterfly weed and wild ipecacuanha. The genus name, Asclepias, is derived from the name of the Greek god of healing, Asklepios, as tropical milkweed has many traditional medicinal uses despite its mild toxicity to vertebrates. Tropical milkweed is a tender perennial subshrub, typically 1m […]

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Stathmostelma pauciflorum inflorescence

Stathmostelma pauciflorum

Published by Daniel Mosquin on June 2, 2017

Stathmostelma pauciflorum is a perennial species native to parts of eastern and central Africa. It can be found in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Its preferred habitat is seasonally waterlogged grassland from sea level to 1500m (~4900 ft.). According to Goyder’s 1998 paper A revision of the African […]

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Amsonia hubrichtii growing in the State Botanical Garden of Georgia

Amsonia hubrichtii

Published by Daniel Mosquin on April 13, 2017

Hubricht’s amsonia or Arkansas bluestar is one of approximately twenty plant species endemic to the Ouachita Mountains of central Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma.

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Close-up of Raphionacme procumbens

Raphionacme procumbens

Published by Daniel Mosquin on April 6, 2017

Raphionacme procumbens is one of 36 species in the genus. All but one are native to Africa.

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