The flora of Périgord in South-West France is abundant and diverse. In this blog you can find, in pictures, brief encounters with several hundreds of wild flowers and plants as they grow here in French Perigord. Following the seasons other species are added. An index of scientific and English names you find below on the right.

Corine Oosterlee is a botanist and photographer and she offers guided Botanical Walks and other activities around plants and vegetation in nature in Perigord. Do you want to know more? On www.baladebotanique.fr you can find more information. For Corine's photography see www.corineoosterlee.com. Both websites also in English.

Enjoy!




May 19, 2009

Tassel Hyacinth


This crab spider does not make a web, but sits in wait for its prey on a flower. When an insect visits, in search of nectar, it is jumped upon and killed. Here she (yes, it is a she, males are much smaller) choose a Tassel Hyacinth (Muscari comosum).






















The Tassel Hyacinth is now in flower on roadsides and in meadows. It is a bulbous plant, like the hyacinths that grow in gardens. On the picture below you can see it has two kinds of flowers. Below are the purplish-brownish fertile flowers. The top of the plant is attractive to insects (and spiders) due to the strong blue color of the infertile flowers.