I know my garden like the back of my hand, so any little change is noticed.
On a misty, moisty morning last week, I was out with my camera and noticed the Passion flowers looked wrong.
They usually have the stamens and pistil parts in a whorl like a merry-go-round above the lovely corona.
On this morning however, the pistils were pulled up away from the stamens.
Were the pistils being prude for a particular reason?
I wish I could answer my question. I did do some research.
Some flowers are “male only” so that only the bisexual blooms set fruit to save plant resources.
All the blooms were pointing their pistils up, so I do not think this is the case here.
I checked today and all the pistil parts are down again, cozying up to the stamens and their pollen.
Ready for business with their styles spread wide.
Maybe some of you botany folks can shed light on this mystery.
Does the androgynophore morph due to temperature, humidity, maturity…?
Flower