The aster family's inflorescences are called "capitula." Sunflowers, daisies, dandilions--their "flowers" are really clusters of little flowers, each one making its own little seed, except for the "petals," ("ray flowers") which children use for divination. "He loves me, he loves me not...."
"Capitulum" is "little head" in Latin. (This innocent observation will probably attract all sorts of nasty spam.) After several weeks of learning about all sorts of new computer skills, my own head is very tired, and needs to spend more time among the late summer asters.
4 comments:
How lovely to find your blog this morning! I am a mountain-lover and have decided in my mid-life to tackle the study of horticulture and botany--something I have wanted to do for years. So, your sweet daisy photograph was much enjoyed, but also I loved your botanical explanation for it (and for the tomato) I'll be visiting again! Come by and see my two blogs as well.
They do look like little heads. Thank you for this. I never knew dandelions were part of that family of flowers.
I love dandelions.
A new word for me! Thanks, Rebecca. This is indeed the season for Compositae.
Gotta love those Compositae!
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