FFF167 - WATER-LILY

Nymphaeaceae is a family of flowering plants. Members of this family are commonly called water lilies and live as rhizomatous aquatic herbs in temperate and tropical climates around the world. The family contains eight large-flowered genera with about 70 species. The genus Nymphaea contains about 35 species in the Northern Hemisphere. The genus Victoria contains two species of giant water lilies endemic to South America.

Water lilies are rooted in soil in bodies of water, with leaves and flowers floating on the surface. The leaves are round, with a radial notch in Nymphaea and Nuphar, but fully circular in Victoria. Water lilies are a well studied clade of plants because their large flowers with multiple unspecialised parts were initially considered to represent the floral pattern of the earliest flowering plants, and later genetic studies confirmed their evolutionary position as basal angiosperms. Analyses of floral morphology and molecular characteristics and comparisons with a sister taxon, the family Cabombaceae, indicate, however, that the flowers of extant water lilies with the most floral parts are more derived than the genera with fewer floral parts.

Horticulturally water lilies have been hybridised for temperate gardens since the nineteenth century, and the hybrids are divided into three groups: Hardy, night-blooming tropical, and day-blooming tropical water lilies. Hardy water lilies are hybrids from the subgenus Castalia; night-blooming tropical water lilies are developed from the subgenus Lotos (L.) Carl Ludwig WilldenowWilld.; and the day-blooming tropical plants arise from hybridisation of plants of the Brachyceras Casp. subgenus.

The water-lily shown here is the hardy "Pink Ribbon" Nymphaea hybrid.

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FFF167

1.	PETREA	10.	Simone, Germany	19.	Kebo, Italy	28.	booknerd
2.	CEREUS	11.	Ulla Laiho	20.	Eclectic Hamilton	29.	Dawn
3.	PENNYROYAL	12.	Jesh StG	21.	GERBERA	30.	Sara Chapman, Seattle USA
4.	SCARLET PIMPERNEL	13.	Jocee NZ	22.	Moni	31.	veredit
5.	Ingmarie We/Refugium	14.	ann nz	23.	Pollen Puffs	32.	Vilt og vakkert
6.	Aletta - Nowathome	15.	ann 2	24.	Eva	33.	McBryde Botanical Gardens Kauai
7.	Mascha	16.	Enerhagen	25.	christines welt	34.	WoollyMuses
8.	Gunilla	17.	islandrambles	26.	willothewizp
9.	Maboe	18.	Frauke * Germany	27.	Jim, Sydney, Australia

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FFF166 - TWEEDIA

Oxypetalum coeruleum is a species of flowering plant, native to South America from southern Brazil to Uruguay, in the Apocynaceae family. The synonymous name Tweedia caerulea is also used. Growing to 100 cm, it is a straggling evergreen perennial with heart shaped, gray-green, downy leaves.

It is grown for its clear pale blue, star-shaped flowers, which are long lasting and cut well. The summer flowers age to purple and are followed by 30 cm long, boat-shaped seed pods. The seeds have downy parachute-like tufts (cypsela).

The cultivar 'Alba' has white flowers, while 'Rosea' has pink flowers. Oxypetalum coeruleum requires full sun in a well-drained soil that is dry. Propagation is via seed. With a minimum temperature range of 3–5 °C,  it can be grown outdoors in a frost-free, sheltered environment. Alternatively it can be grown as an annual. This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

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FFF166

1.	LINDEN TREE	10.	NatureFootstep Photo	19.	@shijuvenate	28.	Heidrun
2.	RED HOT POKER	11.	Jim, Sydney, Australia	20.	ann	29.	Eva
3.	SUMMER ROSE	12.	Petal pics	21.	ann 2	30.	willothewizp
4.	Mascha	13.	Simone, Germany	22.	RANUNCULUS	31.	bookner
5.	MARVEL OF PERU	14.	Ingmarie We/Refugium	23.	Moni	32.	Rose Garden Malevik
6.	Gunilla	15.	Jesh StG	24.	Dawn	33.	Enerhagen
7.	Aletta - Nowathome	16.	islandrambles	25.	beagleAnnie	34.	Vivishagerom - fotoblogg
8.	Ulla Laiho	17.	Sara Chapman, Seattle USA	26.	Firasz	35.	Zauberpalme
9.	Mary,MI	18.	Sara Chapman #2	27.	Vilt og vakkert

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FFF165 - FAIRY FAN FLOWER

Scaevola is a genus of flowering plants in the Goodenia family, Goodeniaceae. It consists of more than 130 tropical species, with the centre of diversity being Australia and Polynesia. Common names for Scaevola species include scaevolas, fan-flowers, half-flowers, and naupaka, the fan flower's Hawaiian name. The flowers are shaped as if they have been cut in half. The generic name means "left-handed" in Latin. Many legends have been told to explain the formation of the naupaka's unique half flowers. In one version a woman tears the flower in half after a quarrel with her lover. The gods, angered, turn all naupaka flowers into half flowers and the two lovers remained separated while the man is destined to search in vain for another whole flower.

Scaevola is the only Goodeniaceae genus that is widespread outside of Australia. In at least six separate dispersals, about 40 species have spread throughout the Pacific Basin, with a few reaching the tropical coasts of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The Hawaiian Islands are home to ten Scaevola species, nine of which are endemic. Eight of the indigenous species are the result of a single colonisation event.

Scaevola aemula (Fairy Fan-flower or Common Fan-flower, shown here) is a small shrub native to southern Australia. It grows to 50 cm in height and produces white or blue flowers in spikes up to 24 cm long from August to March in its native range. These are followed by rounded, wrinkled berries to 4.5 mm in length.

The species occurs in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. The species is thought to be the most commonly cultivated of the genus Scaevola, and a large number of cultivars have been developed. Most of these are mat-forming to a height of 12 cm and spreading up to 1 metre in width. It prefers a sunny or partially shaded, well-drained position and tolerates salt spray and periods of drought. Pruning and pinching of tip growth may be carried out to shape the plant. Propagation is from cuttings or by layering.

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FFF165

1.	DAYLILIES	10.	Jesh StG	19.	Kebo, Italy	28.	Villroses hage
2.	TRACHELIUM	11.	Jocee NZ	20.	HYACINTH	29.	Marit
3.	MAGNOLIA	12.	Valerie, Australia	21.	Heidrun with winter blooms	30.	Eva
4.	MONTBRETIA	13.	Aletta - Nowathome	22.	Moni	31.	Dawn
5.	Ingmarie We/Refugium	14.	Trini Garden	23.	Jim, Sydney, Australia	32.	booknerdkim @ to kill a mockingnerd
6.	Gunilla	15.	Sara Chapman, Seattle USA	24.	christines welt	33.	ann nz
7.	Ranu	16.	Sara Chapman #2	25.	willothewizp	34.	Sara Chapman #3
8.	BirgittaB	17.	A Student Gardener - advice sought	26.	Pink Ribbons	35.	CathyC, Australia
9.	petal pics	18.	Ulla Laiho	27.	beagleAnnie	36.	Jutta K. Deutschland

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FFF164 - ROCK ISOTOME

Isotoma axillaris, commonly known as Rock Isotome, is a small herbaceous perennial in the family Lobeliaceae. It grows to 50 cm high and has divided leaves. The blue to mauve to pink star-shaped flowers appear between September and May in the species native range. It occurs in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, often on rocky outcrops. The species was first formally described by botanist John Lindley in 1826 in Edward's Botanical Register.

The acrid milky sap of Isotoma axillaris is a common characteristic in this family. It can cause severe irritation to skin and temporary blindness if inadvertent contact is made with eyes, and has been reported to be poisonous to stock. These warnings about the sap should not deter gardeners from planting these species as long as appropriate precautions are taken, as they give lasting flower displays in return for very little work. Also, the sap seems to be equally distasteful to potential herbivores. The plantings in the Australian National Botanic Gardens show no evidence of herbivory by either marsupials or insects.

Isotoma axillaris can be easily propagated from seed. Seed can be scattered directly in late winter, when there is no more danger of frost, or planted into pots and then transplanting in spring. Plants will require regular watering until established, and then only need watering about once a week, perhaps more in the heat. Propagation from firm cuttings is also possible, but it is recommended that gloves be worn to avoid reactions to the sap.

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FFF164

1.	MICHELIA	11.	Aletta - Nowathome	21.	WoollyMuses	31.	Heidrun
2.	HYDRANGEA	12.	NatureFootstep Photo	22.	willothewizp	32.	Enerhagen
3.	FLORAL YEAR	13.	Valerie, Australia	23.	Peek-A-Boo Purple	33.	PaintArtworkOnOldRoofTins
4.	OLEANDER	14.	Minoru	24.	Dawn	34.	Ulla Laiho
5.	Tom The Backroads Traveller	15.	Sara Chapman, Seattle USA	25.	booknerdkim - to kill a mockingnerd	35.	islandrambles
6.	Mary,MI	16.	Frauke * Germany	26.	Rose Garden Malevik	36.	RANUNCULUS
7.	Gunilla	17.	ROSES FOR CHARLIE HEBDO	27.	Eva	37.	Magic Palm
8.	BirgittaB	18.	Moni	28.	photographing New Zealand	38.	Christa, Virginia
9.	Mascha	19.	Zauberpalme	29.	ann nz
10.	Jesh StG	20.	Irina Dimitric	30.	ann nz

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FFF163 - EGGPLANT FLOWER

Eggplant (Solanum melongena) is a species of nightshade commonly known in British English as aubergine and also known as melongene, garden egg, or guinea squash. It is known in South Asia, Southeast Asia and South Africa as brinjal. It bears a fruit of the same name (commonly either "eggplant" in American, Australian English and sometimes Canadian English, or "aubergine" in British English and Canadian English) that is widely used in cooking, most notably as an important ingredient in dishes such as moussaka and ratatouille.

As a member of the genus Solanum, it is related to both the tomato and the potato. It was originally domesticated from the wild nightshade, the thorn or bitter apple, S. incanum, probably with two independent domestications, one in the region of South Asia, and one in East Asia.

The eggplant is a delicate, tropical perennial often cultivated as a tender or half-hardy annual in temperate climates. It grows 40 to 150 cm tall, with large, coarsely lobed leaves that are 10 to 20 cm long and 5 to 10 cm broad. Semi-wild types can grow much larger, to 225 cm with large leaves over 30 cm long and 15 cm broad. The stem is often spiny.

The flower is white to purple, with a five-lobed corolla and yellow stamens. The egg-shaped glossy purple fruit has white flesh with a meaty texture. The cut surface of the flesh rapidly turns brown when the fruit is cut open. On wild plants, the fruit is less than 3 cm in diameter, but very much larger in cultivated forms, reaching 30 cm or more in length. The fruit is botanically classified as a berry and contains numerous small, soft seeds which are edible, but have a bitter taste because they contain nicotinoid alkaloids (being a relative of tobacco).

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FFF163

1.	DAHLIA	10.	Tom The Backroads Traveller	19.	Moni	28.	bettyl - NZ
2.	SUNFLOWER	11.	Ingmarie We/Refugium	20.	Jim, Sydney, Australia	29.	FRIDAY GREENS
3.	MELBOURNE SUMMER	12.	Jocee NZ	21.	Heidrun, Germany	30.	HoodPhoto OR-USA
4.	HYDRANGEA	13.	Sara Chapman, Seattle USA	22.	Ulla Laiho	31.	veredit
5.	petal pics/girl friday	14.	Sara Chapman #2	23.	Carol Breslin	32.	ann nz
6.	Lavender	15.	Sara Chapman #3	24.	Mama Zen	33.	Jutta K. Deutschland
7.	NatureFootstep Photo	16.	WoollyMuses	25.	Dawn
8.	Aletta - Nowathome	17.	Simone, Germany	26.	Eva
9.	Gunilla	18.	GYMEA LILY	27.	2014 Gardening Year in Review

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