Finally Fringed Polygala Blossoms

In our area Mother's Day is associated with Fringed polygala for those who even know of this plants existence.  We appeared here on that day but could find no trace of this plant.  This is what we found five days later.  The promise of seeing one of our favorite native plants then seemed highly likely.

Today we returned to this woodland rock and were delighted to find open flowers.  Their visible structure is certainly unique.  John Burroughs described them as looking like a flock of tiny purple butterflies that had gathered on the forest floor.  In addition to the unusual appearance, these blossoms play no part in producing seed.  These are exclusively for beauty while another plain appearing flower, located just at or slightly below the forest floor, is responsible for setting seed.  Cleistogamous is the name assigned to this rather unusual method of reproduction.  Violets also reproduce in this manner.  In their case, I believe that the reproductive flowers appear much later than the beautiful blossoms.  Perhaps we will look for Polygala seeds later in the year.

Many Mother's Days have been spent searching for this plant.  Its flower is certainly different looking but I had never previously seen the beak protruding in the direction of the spiked sphere.  

 

This plant is located on the other side of the lane leading up to the field that is totally separate from the rest of the original farm.  We were pleased to find additional plants growing nearby as this is a rare native plant and we do not want to see it disappear. 

 

Mother's Day Wildflowers

Yesterday our annual Mother's Day search in the woods for Fringed polygala was called on account of rain.  Finding them a day later was still a wonderful discovery!  They grow close to the ground and  are less than three inches tall. This make the polygalas a tiny treasure  for us to search for and find.  Ed saw them first.  For some reason it is very hard to see the first one, but after you become aware of their presence you can see  the whole patch.  It was not a large group, but enough to make us very happy!

Still wet with water droplets from yesterday's rain these tiny little wildflowers take my breath away!   They mean more to me than any hot house orchid ever could.

I was delighted to see a still unopened bud.  That means I can enjoy the flowers for a little bit longer!

It seem like it is getting harder and harder to find a patch of these purple beauties. The flowers we found today have a lot of competition  from grasses and speedwell that have crept in from nearby fields.  It is not really practical to try to weed a patch of wildflowers in the woods, but I am sure Ed will make a special place and move a few plants from the edge of the patch to a perfect spot where they may have a chance to thrive!  He has transplanted them before with great results.   I'm sure he can do it again!