Odd plants:
I studied these plants carefully, and took a number of leaf and inflorescence
measurements between photographs. I was looking, in particular, at the details of the flower petals, spur, and calyx
lobes, as these are used as the primary features that separate
Pinguicula macroceras subsp. macroceras,
Pinguicula macroceras subsp. nortensis,
and Pinguicula vulgaris. However, far more than these features, I was struck by how small these plants were
in comparison with the Pinguicula macroceras plants I have seen so frequently in California! In fact, the
diameters of the entire
leaf rosette of most of these plants were less than 3cm in diameter! Look at the rosette on the right-rear. The ant
crawling on the leaf will give you some sense of scale. The ant wasn't a particularly large one. Are these
Pinguicula akin to the plants in the
Cascades populations, which are known for their small size?
Since you have read this far, you can look at this
free bonus photograph!
