Thursday, August 02, 2007

More Handsome Bracts

Thistle inflorescence, still wrapped in its hairy
bracts

More bracts, subtending other inflorescences. Modified leaves, the bracts are more delicate than the thistle leaves, the spines subdued to bristles, bristles to silky down. The insect-damage spot turns out to be a leafhopper (Cicadellidae).

Leafhopper on a thistle
bract

2 comments:

Unknown said...

oh how lovely.. i love thistles..(i have even donned leather gloves to cut them for bouquets)

of course they are nice in bloom (just started here in NYC) and i love that i can cut them where ever i see them (even in gardens.. i knock on the door, ask, can i cut the thistle, the home owner says "its a weed!" and i cut away!)

Rebecca Clayton said...

I love thistles too--I've been taking a series of pictures of this bunch as they bud and flower.