Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Dorstenia foetida subsp. lancifolia

Fascinating plants these! Just finishing off a summer of growth, it's time to flower. And what flowers.
The flower gives it its common name "Shield Flower", the "Shield" being a multitude of tiny flowers. The plant is of course Dorstenia foetida subsp. lancifolia. Of course.
Native to a wide area, including Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Yemen and Oman

These plants are especially sensitive to boggy conditions and appreciate a bright location. They will go dormant, or at least partially so, during the winter when water should be a rare condition. They're grown from seed, so prepare to catch them. They can blast away a distance of a couple of meters.

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