Janet Brien's photos with the keyword: Amaranthaceae

What wonderful, strange flowers these are! Celosia comes in several odd appearances, and this one is named for its similarity to the fleshy growth on top of a rooster's head! As odd as these flowers may seem, it will really surprise you to learn that these flowers and especially its leaves are edible and are very popular in many African and asian countries. This is an excerpt from Wiki: "Celosia is a broadleaf annual leaf vegetable. It grows widespread across Mexico, where it is known as "Velvet flower", northern South America, tropical Africa, the West Indies, South, East and Southeast Asia where it is grown as a native or naturalized wildflower, and is cultivated as a nutritious leafy green vegetable. It is traditional fare in the countries of Central and West Africa, and is one of the leading leafy green vegetables in Nigeria, where it is known as ‘soko yokoto’, meaning "make husbands fat and happy". In Spain it is known as "Rooster comb" because of its appearance. As a grain, Cockscomb is a pseudo-cereal, not a true cereal. These leaves, young stems and young inflorescences are used for stew, as they soften up readily in cooking. The leaves also have a soft texture and a mild spinach-like taste. They are also pepped up with such things as hot pepper, garlic, fresh lime, and red palm oil and eaten as a side dish."

3 more pictures in notes above! This morning I stepped out onto our porch to look at the flowers I have growing there. Zinnias, a Dahlia plant which is about to burst into bloom, a Cosmos with pink flowers, and several colors of the strange and wonderful Cockscomb Celosia which I think looks just like Brain Coral! The sun was making the flowers glow, their bright, almost fluorescent colors bursting into neon brilliance, and I knew what my Pick of the Day would be! It was fun trying different angles and playing around with distance vs. dof. I ended up getting several nice pictures, and this picture really surprised me because I didn't realize there was such a strong glow under the main blossom! George Eastman (July 12, 1854 – March 14, 1932) was an American innovator and entrepreneur who founded the Eastman Kodak Company and popularized the use of roll film, helping to bring photography to the mainstream. Roll film was also the basis for the invention of motion picture film in 1888 by the world's first film-makers Eadweard Muybridge and Louis Le Prince, and a few years later by their followers Léon Bouly, Thomas Edison, the Lumière Brothers, and Georges Méliès. Wikipedia: George Eastman Explored on September 1, 2013. Highest placement, page 3.

I call this beautiful and unusual blossom a Clam Flower because of the wavy similarity to the mouth of a clam. They come in a rainbow of outrageous neon colors and are soft and velvety to the touch! I LOVE THEM!!!! :D From Wikipedia: Celosia is a small genus of edible, ornamental and medicinal plants in the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek word κηλος (kelos), meaning "burned," and refers to the flame-like flower heads. Species are commonly known as woolflowers, or, if the flower heads are crested by fasciation, cockscombs. The plants are well known in East Africa’s highlands and are used under their Swahili name, mfungu.

3 more pictures in notes above! :) Yesterday Steve and I stopped by a garden center on the way home and I brought home some new flowering plants for my garden! The wildflowers around here are getting scarce and though there are endless cool pictures to capture, I really love bright and cheerful blossoms, so I picked out a few! Today I'm sharing two images of a totally bizarre flower called a celosia! There are many different species, many of which look like burning feathers or flames, hence its name, Celosia, which comes from the Greek name, "kelos", which means "burned". This flower is also an important food in some countries and the leaves are supposed to taste a bit like mild spinach when cooked. Celosia also has many medicinal uses too! The kind of Celosia I got is known as a Cockscomb because of its appearance to a chicken's comb. Jim Hodges (born 1957) is a New York-based installation artist. Hodges was born in Spokane, Washington. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Fort Wright College in 1980 and his Master of Fine Arts degree from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY in 1986. Since the late 1980s, Hodges has created a broad range of work exploring themes of fragility, temporality, love and death utilizing a highly original and poetic vocabulary. His works frequently deploy different materials and techniques, from ready-made objects to more traditional media, such as graphite, ink, gold leaf and mirrored elements. Charting both the overlooked and obvious touchstones of life with equal attention and poignancy, Hodges’ conceptual practice is as broad and expansive as the range of human experiences he captures. Hodges has been the subject of numerous solo exhibitions in the United States and Europe and has been included in various significant group exhibitions, including the 2004 Whitney Biennial. Hodges is currently a Senior Critic in the Sculpture Department at the Yale University School of Art. A major retrospective of Hodges’ work, organized by the Walker Art Center and the Dallas Museum of Art, is scheduled for 2013 and 2014. Wkipedia: Jim Hodges Explored on July 30, 2013. Highest placement: page 2 (#46).