We're taking a break from bryophytes this week to look at Grevillea rosmarinifolia (Proteaceae), aka the rosemary grevillea. And buckle in, because I have a *lot* of photos to share. The above is a mature, open flower while....
...these are opening flowers! This Grevillea is native to south-eastern Australia it is also a common horticultural plant, with a huuuuge variety of cultivars and hybrids in production.
Plants are usually a shrub of 0.3-2m with dense, and very prickly, foliage. Flowers are a typical Grevillea flower (they have tepals and a pollen presenter) with the wild forms being red-pink.
Flower buds are green instead of white. They change colour as they mature.
This specimen, which is from a plant growing on campus, also had pink pollen! Very exciting indeed. The pollen on this pollen presenter had the most perfect impression of the anthers I've ever seen.
Like, look at that. Gorgeous.
For those that don't know, Grevillea anthers dehisce pollen onto the pollen presenter before the flower fully opens.
And another reminder, Grevillea pollen is triangular!
And for anyone who's stuck around this far, here's a present for you. A little sap-sucker (Hemiptera) nymph hiding in the crook of an immature flower. I see these guys all the time on Grevillea. They must make great homes.