Flowering head of the common Teazel, Dipsacus fullonum (also spelled teasel or teazle ). The picture shows early flowers opening on a head that produc

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Flowering head of the common Teazel, Dipsacus fullonum (also spelled teasel or teazle ). The picture shows early flowers opening on a head that produces hundreds of individual blooms. Flower opening begins above the centre of the head, and spreads upwards and downwards over a period of a few days. The flowers are tubular and pale purple-pink, with anthers of a pale pink. The as yet unopened buds appear as green to purple-hued, depending on their maturity. Each flower is surrounded by an involucre made of bracts (here, green) tipped with a sharp spine. The flowers are a favourite source of nectar for butterflies. Wild teazel differs from fuller's teazel ( D. fullonum ssp fullonum ). In fuller's teasel, additional bracts terminate in a hook, rendering it more efficient at raising the nap of woven textiles; an ancient use of the plant that remains to this day.

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Size: 3468px × 5212px
Photo credit: © DR JEREMY BURGESS/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: biological, biology, botanical, botany, bract, butterfly, dipsacus, flower, fullers, fullonum, involucre, teasel, teazel, teazle, tubular