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Knapweed; supersize mine, please...


Knapweed; supersize mine, please...
Photo Information
Copyright: Jay Meeuwig (Shoot_Score) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 445 W: 302 N: 670] (2376)
Genre: Plants
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2003-07-26
Categories: Flowers, Bushveld
Camera: Fuji FinePix 3800
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2006-12-18 3:42
Viewed: 5571
Points: 10
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I like to share this [giant] flower of this knapweed < Centaurus ; Centaurea / Flockenblume / knapweed >. It is not evident from this photo that this flower is huge < for knapweed >. So I will post the original of what I shot, which shows the flower alongside a tape . Meanwhile here is some info.

Thistles, knapweed:

When Scotland was under an imminent Viking invasion, the Scots piled the beaches with thistles and waited. During the night of the invasion, the sandal-clad Norsemen leaped onto the thistle-strewn beach and let out cries of pain and curses. Warned of their approach, the Scots drove the Norsemen back to their ships. Small wonder that the thistle became Scotland's heraldic emblem and the source of her motto, "Touch Me Who Dares" (0). Since 1687, induction into Scotland's Order of the Thistle has been a great honor.



KNAPWEEDS, CORNFLOWER et al

Centaurea is the largest genus of the eastern Mediterranean area, where most weeds originated (1).

Centaurus is the classical name of a plant fabled by Ovid to have cured a wound in the foot of Chiron, one of the Centaurs of Thessaly.

Hence the name!

Centaurea includes the cornflowers, knapweeds, and starthistles.

They are enduring weeds, possessing ristly seeds that enable them to thrive in such averse areas as abandoned city lots, highways, and swamps. Starthistles and knapweeds are among the most notorious members of this genus. Perhaps the best-known knapweed is Russian knapweed (C. repens L. ), with knoblike heads of purple flowers.

The "knap" in knapweed is derived from the Anglo Saxon word cnaep for top, knob, or button (2).

A common name for cornflower (C. cyanus ) is bachelor button, which was grown extensively in English gardens as a home remedy for inflammation of the eyes and for jaundice.



0. Haughton, C. S. 1978. Green Immigrants. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, New York.

1. King, L. J. 1966. Weeds of the World-Biology and Control. Interscience Pub., Inc., New York, NY.

2. Jaeger, E. C. 1947.(2nd ed). A Source-book of Biological Names and Terms. Charles C. Thomas, Pub., Springfield, IL.



MORE at:

http://www.wssa.net/photo&info/larrymitich_info/thistles1.html

http://www.wssa.net/photo&info/larrymitich_info/thistles2.html

http://www.pbase.com/edlibaer/image/58930484

http://www.pbase.com/image/66149433

See also the spiky knapweed:
http://www.treknature.com/gallery/Middle_East/Lebanon/photo33822.htm
oscarromulus, Betty, heidi, bobair has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To heidi: Beautiful flower.Shoot_Score 1 03-23 10:26
To Clancys: Tissue eh!Shoot_Score 1 12-21 09:25
To anniejo: Magenta...Shoot_Score 1 12-20 03:32
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Critiques [Translate]

AWESOME colors!!
Love the lil magenta "spikes" on this one....nice detail, well-composed!!

This shot looks like someone sharded a pink tissue into a beautiful flower. Very interesting photo.

Jay,
Enjoyed, TRUELY, your notes. Delightful.
Educative. Well done.
5". This is a huge flower.
Vivid colours.
Well registered, presented and composed.
Have a great new year.
Mario.

  •      
  • Betty Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 11 W: 0 N: 10] (186)
  • [2007-01-23 3:12]

Hi Jay,
I can indeed see this is not quite the same knapweed I found in Lebanon; just goes to show how external pressures affect the ecosystem.
You chose an interesting POV and composition here that give the picture a "hypnotic" property: all we can look at are the pink petals and the fresh crisp colours.
well done, TFS,
Betty

  • Great 
  • heidi (78)
  • [2007-03-23 9:38]
  • [+]

Hi Jay,
Beautiful flower. The bright pink tone is great and make a good contrast with the green bg and the details are awesome. I like the sun in your photo.
Have a great shooting weekend,
Bj,
Aida

Hi Jay,
this a fine specimen of a flower that I am not sure I have ever seen.That is the beauty of TN.Your picture shows the golden ratio very well in the geometry of this flower and the colour is nice.Your note is very good as are all of them,certainly one should look at the included notes,but I think a number of people just eye the photos and ignore notes-not me!Thank for putting up this one,in snow here at the moment to beat the band. Bob

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