If nature has flowers mimicking the female organ,
clittoria ternateathese flowers have scrotum-like balls!
We shall finalize the identification of this fascinating plant, but we notice that the balls are globular (not ovate). It is so easy to confuse this with species with Asclepias physocarpa or Gomphocarpus physocarpus but we should be warned that it is poisonous to
both man and beast.
| Plant | Asclepias physocarpus/Gomphocarpus physocarpus |
| Common name | Milkweed, hairy ball flowers, devil's balls,balloon plant,family
jewels |
| Location | Salvador Benedicto |
| Camera | Olympus Vg-110 |
| Photographer | Ernesto P. Adorio |
| Reference | Wikipedia |
Note: According to the wikipedia article, both species fruticosa and physocarpus can be distinguished by the following:
- balloon cotton bush (Gomphocarpus physocarpus) has rounded (i.e. globose or sub-globose) fruit that come to an abrupt point and often have a sunken (i.e. indented) tip with a tiny beak.
- narrow-leaved cotton bush (Gomphocarpus fruticosus ) has narrowly egg-shaped (i.e. ovoid) and slightly curved (i.e. falcate) fruit that gradually taper to a short, curved beak.
