Mountain Avens growing wild in North West Scotland. SCO 9910.
Dryas octopetala (common names include mountain avens, eightpetal mountain-avens, white dryas, and white dryad) is an Arctic–alpine flowering plant in the family Rosaceae. It is a small prostrate evergreen subshrub forming large colonies. The specific epithet octopetala derives from the Greek octo (eight) and petalon (petal), referring to the eight petals of the flower, an unusual number in the Rosaceae, where five is the normal number. However, flowers with up to 16 petals also occur stems are woody, tortuous, with short, horizontal rooting branches. The leaves are glabrous above, densely white-tomentose beneath. The flowers are produced on stalks 3–10 cm (– in) long, and have eight creamy white petals - hence the specific epithet octopetala. The style is persistent on the fruit with white feathery hairs, functioning as a wind-dispersal agent. The feathery hairs of the seed head first appear twisted together and glossy before spreading out to an expanded ball which the wind quickly disperses. It grows in dry localities where snow melts early, on gravel and rocky barrens, forming a distinct heath community on calcareous soils.
Size: 4034px × 6062px
Location: Inchnadamph, Lochinver. Sutherland. Highland Region Scotland. UK.
Photo credit: © David Gowans / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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