{"id":2101,"date":"2011-06-10T04:59:28","date_gmt":"2011-06-10T09:59:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/p4td.lightshedder.com\/2011\/06\/10\/6102011-pitcher-plant-in-bloom\/"},"modified":"2011-06-10T15:00:40","modified_gmt":"2011-06-10T20:00:40","slug":"6102011-pitcher-plant-in-bloom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/psnp.info\/p4td_\/?p=2101","title":{"rendered":"6\/10\/2011: Pitcher Plant in Bloom"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Continuing what appears to be developing into a theme: something different<\/em> in the way of flowers. The Pitcher Plant is one of a very few carnivorous plants world-wide, and, as far as I know, the only one to grow in Maine. It is restricted to the few peat bogs that remain in odd corners. I am privileged to live about 15 miles from one of those corners: Saco Heath, and I try to visit it several times a year. June is mandatory as the Rhodora are in bloom, making a brave pink show over the upland sections of the bog. Due to my travel schedule this year, I missed the main bloom of the Rhodora, but I managed to catch the Pitcher Plants in full cry. I counted about 30 in bloom, that I could see from the boardwalk. I am certain there were more out of sight. They grow at the very edges of the raised areas that support the Jack Pine and Rhodora in the bog. <\/p>\n

What we have above is a view of the flower from underneath, close up, and looking almost straight up. (This is when I appreciate the flip out LCD on the Nikon most.) Below you will see a more conventional view, showing the pitcher part of the plant and the intense maroon of the top of the flower. <\/p>\n

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The pitcher collects a bit of water, in which insects drown and decompose, providing essential nutrients to the plant in this nutrient poor environment. I told you it was different<\/em>. <\/p>\n

And here is a more conventional close up of the flower.<\/p>\n

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Nikon Coolpix P500. 1) Close Up Scene Mode, 32mm equivalent field of view, f3.7 @ 1\/320th @ ISO 160. 2) 190mm equivalent, f5.5 @ 1\/200th @ ISO 160, Program mode, 3) Close Up Scene, 32mm equivalent, f3.7 @ 1\/200th @ ISO 160. <\/p>\n

Processed in Lightroom for Clarity and Sharpness. Some color temperature adjustment. <\/p>\n

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