Dianthus libanotis

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fragman

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Dianthus libanotis
« on: August 29, 2011, 06:34:01 PM »
We were lucky to have this striking pink blooming in our gardens. It is native in the dry high mountains of the Levant (S Turkey to Sinai-Egypt). A short lived perennial. So we have to renew it from seeds every 2-3 years. Amazingly every plant has a different dot patters.
Ori Fragman-Sapir
Jerusalem Botanical Gardens

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MikeHardman

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Re: Dianthus libanotis
« Reply #1 on: August 29, 2011, 09:22:31 PM »
Nice photo, Ori.

One has to wonder what purpose is served by the petals having laciniate edges.
...On this and other plants such as Lychnis flos-cuculi.
Mike
Geologist by Uni training, IT consultant, Referee for Viola for Botanical Society of the British Isles, commissioned author and photographer on Viola for RHS (Enc. of Perennials, The Garden, The Plantsman).
I garden near Polis, Cyprus, 100m alt., on marl, but have gardened mainly in S.England

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Alisdair

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Re: Dianthus libanotis
« Reply #2 on: August 30, 2011, 08:04:29 AM »
On Mike's point, I've always thought that elaborate petal fringes dramatically increase the flower's visibility (to insect pollinators). I suppose this sort of optical enhancement would be particularly helpful to any night pollinators working by sight rather than by scent. 
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

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MikeHardman

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Re: Dianthus libanotis
« Reply #3 on: August 30, 2011, 08:12:43 AM »
Hmmm. Do they, Alasdair? One could argue that, for a given expenditure of resources (primarily petal area), the flower would be brightest if it was a complete disc. Feathering the edges of the petals may allow a greater diameter, but the overall brightness (ie. from a distance) would be diluted by the (presumably darker) background.

I would be interesting in seeing pictures of such cut-petalled flowers (a selection of specis) under UV lighting; maybe there are 'honey guides' extending out to join up with the cuts?
Mike
Geologist by Uni training, IT consultant, Referee for Viola for Botanical Society of the British Isles, commissioned author and photographer on Viola for RHS (Enc. of Perennials, The Garden, The Plantsman).
I garden near Polis, Cyprus, 100m alt., on marl, but have gardened mainly in S.England

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fragman

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Re: Dianthus libanotis
« Reply #4 on: September 06, 2011, 09:33:59 PM »
I suppose that it is a similar case to the alpine Dianthus superbus. I don't think they are not primarily night flowers, open all day.
Ori Fragman-Sapir
Jerusalem Botanical Gardens

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Alisdair

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Re: Dianthus libanotis
« Reply #5 on: September 23, 2011, 04:57:55 PM »
Dianthus superbus was happily open in the daytime when we were in the Cerdagne (Eastern Pyrenees) earlier this month. But the heightened visibility of a fringed flower contour would also be valuable in daytime.
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society