Thursday, March 18, 2010

Bluet (Houstonia pusilla)

I spotted our first Bluet (Houstonia pusilla) last week.

At our place... They don’t grow too thickly and only grow in a couple of spots in the front field. They are so small and scant that they are almost unnoticeable. You can pass by them without seeing them.

At Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center... A noticeable patch just by the entrance to the parking lot at Fox Lake.

A blue flower... The iridescent surface is quite clear in this photograph.

A white flower... These also have an iridescent surface but are much more difficult to photograph. In full sunlight, they reflect too much light. They photograph much better in the shade but it is difficult to capture the iridescence.

Bluets are native to the United States. At Fort Yargo State Park, I've found them on the trail from the campground to the dam; to the left just as you approach the incline onto the dam. At Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center, I found them by the entrance to the parking lot at Fox Lake.

Click on an image to view a larger image


Distribution Map:

- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Houstonia pusilla (Tiny Bluet)


Identification resources:

- Southeastern Flora: Bluet (Houstonia pusilla)


Related posts:

- 2010: Year Of The Wildflower

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