GENTIANACEAE

Eustoma russellianum

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Eustoma grandiflorum habit1.jpg (87915 bytes)

Eustoma grandiflorum flowers5.jpg (69281 bytes)
habit--Texas bluebells is a biennial (what does this mean, exactly?) or short-lived perennial that likes open areas with moist (but not waterlogged) soils flowers (impressive, huh?)

Eustoma grandiflorum flowercloseup1.jpg (31043 bytes)

Eustoma grandiflorum stigmas.jpg (38377 bytes)
flower closeup--this flower has just opened.  Notice that the large anthers are shedding their pollen, but the stigma is green an unreceptive... ...The stigma will open, however, after the pollen has been completely shed (why would there be a temporal difference in pollen release and stigma receptivity?).  Notice that there are two large, yellow lobes to the stigma--everything about this flower is big!
Eustoma grandiflorum unopenedflowers.jpg (45515 bytes) Eustoma grandiflorum leaves1.jpg (31014 bytes)
flower buds--do you see how the developing petals are curled up in a spiral?  Also, notice the 5 sepals. leaves--what kind of leaf arrangement is present here?  The leaves of Eustoma are slightly succulent.