Dehiscent Fruits

Fig. 1   Arbus precatorius seedpods in watercolor.

 It is a plant that grows as a weed in the coastal areas of my hometown in the Philippines.
And for the sake of nostalgia, I decided to draw it based on a picture I saw on the internet.

One the subjects I have enjoyed painting recently have been some dehiscent fruits.  These are the fruits that split-open at maturity to reveal or release the seeds in them.  Dehiscence is nature's seed dispersal mechanism.

Sometimes as gardeners we seem to be focused on the flowers especially on ornamental plants such as the Fortnight Lily (Dietes iridioides).  However as a plant scientist, I seem to be more fascinated by the inherent ultimate purpose of the plant which is reproduction.  Flowers are mainly there to facilitate the seed production.  It is for this very reason that the petalss are not very lasting - they fade right after pollination.  The fruits which contain the seeds are the true star of the whole show.

Fig. 2  Dietes iridiodes seedpods in watercolor.

Commonly known as Fortnight Lily, it is a popular choice for the local landscapes because of its heat and drought tolerance. It has beautiful white flowers that bloom in waves from spring to fall.  After the petals fade away, prominent green seedpods take the place of the flowers.  However, during this time of year blackish-gray cracked seedpods hover over the evergreen leaves.

Poppies

Poppies

Poppies always fascinate me. 

Stilted on long skinny stalks, they dance to the slightest wind. 

Delicate yet intensely colored petals wave at me

Drawing my eyes to the unopened buds

Demure and tender, they are blanketed in trichomes 

Carefully they peep through a slit making sure the sun is out...

And like parasols they unfurl to add color to the field

As they join in the dance.

Happy are the fields where poppies dance.

~~~

There are no poppies in my garden but if I could command any plant to do something I would say to the poppy to grow beautifully in my garden.   But because I cannot do that, I drew poppies instead. This is my first attempt to sketch poppies.  Someday I might sketch a more realistic version of this subject. :) 

Helleborus vesicarius

Helleborus vesicarius  - Pencil Sketch* 

*This picture is based from a botanical sketch by Helen Campbell as published in the English Garden magazine (May 2016).  Although I haven't drawn anything before other than stick figures and circles, learning to draw is my new hobby.  And what better subject than plants? 

Helleborus vesicarius is considered a rare plant that grows on a certain mountain region that extends from Turkey to Syria and Lebanon.  It is highly toxic which explains why it can survive on hillsides where goats graze.  Unlike the more common helleborus with gorgeous flowers, the balloon-like seedpods of Helleborus vesicarius is the most notable feature in this plant.  I can only imagine that as the seedpods mature and break off from the plant that they would move around in the landscape easily with the wind.  So the balloon-like characteristic of the pod is just another seed dispersal mechanism in nature.

Draw a plant you have not seen before 

and learn something about it.