Special Photography/Patterns in Nature: Flowers

Hibiscus Petals

Photograph by Amy White & Al Petteway

Bright petals mark the hibiscus, a flowering plant found in much of the world.

Giant Lobelia

Photograph by George F. Mobley

The leaves of a giant lobelia plant

photographed on Mount Kilimanjaro's 

Shira Plateau in Tanzania, spiral around the center.

Sunflower Florets

Photograph by Jozsef Szentpeteri

Beads of dew cling to the florets that spiral inside a sunflower head.

Calla Lily

Photograph by Raul Touzon
A favorite of brides, the ethereal calla lily is often called the wedding flower.

Claret Cup Cactus Flower

Photograph by Raul Touzon
The flower of a claret cup cactus glows amid Tonto National Forest in Arizona.

Picotee Pansies

Photograph by Jonathan Blair
White borders rich purple in these picotee pansies in Gilroy, California.

Flower Spores

Photograph by Jozsef Szentpeteri
A flower's spores are accentuated.

Hairpin Banksia

Photograph by Jason Edwards
The hairpin banksia (Banksia spinulosa) is native to eastern Australia.

Prickly Pear Cactus

Photograph by Tim Laman
Sharp spines erupt from the skin of a prickly pear cactus in the Galápagos Islands.

Coleus Plants

Photograph by Tim Laman
Coleus plants grow across much of South America.

Zinnia Hybrid Flower

Photograph by Jonathan Blair
Genetic engineering created this zinnia hybrid flower.

Castor Bean Leaf

Photograph by Jozsef Szentpeteri
The seeds of the castor bean plant (Ricinus communis) are the source of castor oil as well as the deadly poison ricin.

Hair Cap Moss

Photograph by Rich Reid
Hair cap moss (Polytrichum commune) is found throughout much of the world.

Water Lily

Photograph by James P. Blair
A water lily thrives in the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis.

Red Tulips

Photograph by Stephen St. John
Red tulips fill Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C.