Fine close-up shots! I know *Commelina* spp. produce small flowers. This phenomenon of production of underground or un-opening flowers (which still produce seeds) is known as "cleistogamy". The disadvantage of cleistogamy is that the plants produced by such seeds are genetically same to parents. But the survival of a species in long run requires variations which can be brought by normal flowers; that is why this species produced normal flowers. Plants are probably wiser than we usually assume! DSRawat Pantnagar
On Monday, January 7, 2013 9:57:14 PM UTC+5:30, Bhagyashri Ranade wrote: > > Dear all, > My Flora picture of the year 2012 are these flowers of Commelina forskalei > Vahl. It was fascinating for me to see and learn that the same plant has > flowers above the ground as well as underground and that the underground > flowers apparently form a drought-survival development. > Regards > Bhagyashri > --
