Aristolochia gigantea (‘Dutchman’s pipe’)

This is an open flower, photographed from behind and shooting into the sun. Now we can see, at least from underneath, what prompted Rick to write “The huge vascular system is quite interesting to see in a leaf like this”; indeed! See a year-ago post, http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2013-03-08

Species page at PhytoImages, http://phytoimages.siu.edu/cgi-bin/dol/dol_terminal.pl?taxon_name=Aristolochia_gigantea&rank=binomial

Photo taken at SIUC Plant Biology Greenhouse, http://www.plantbiology.siu.edu/facilities/plant-biology-facilities/greenhouse/index.php

1 year ago (“I can’t keep from aging…” and I beat that time last week!): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2013-03-11
2 years ago (“Serenity”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2012-03-11
3 years ago (“You’re going the wrong way!”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2011-03-11

[Danette Thompson]

Nice capture of it. They are pretty incredible.

[KAL]

Gorgeous flower! Great to see last years post! Fav

[Rick Schies]

That is one awesome looking flower

[Sheralee S]

It looks huge! At first I thought it was an avocado hanging in the middle of it.

[Thom Mitchell]

@bella_ss Indeed, Sheralee! Note the species name, "gigantea"! Hmm. Avocado. Probably not terribly different in size from the green structure in the image. ("Green structure": I need to learn flower anatomy!)

[Sheralee S]

@rhoing Lol, I often use the word thingy or everything is a stamen whether it is or not :)

[Thom Mitchell]

@bella_ss I guess "structure" is just my version of "thingy"! What can I say in my defense: I'm the son — and son-in-law — of engineers!