‘Hot Lips’ … and more thrips

Scientific name, “Salvia x jamensis ‘Hotlips’”. Possible common names:
» “Autumn Sage”
» “Sage ‘Hot Lips’
» “Salvia microphylla ‘Hot Lips’”
» “Salvia x microphylla ‘Hot Lips’”
In the mint family (Lamiaceae).

It was rather scary how I ID’ed this on my own…

Unfortunately, this flower clearly has at least a couple “thrips” — http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2014-03-26
My plant biology professor contact has this to say about our greenhouse thrips: “They are nasty greenhouse pests. [Note the word ‘thrips’ is both singular and plural]. They destroy the internal parts of flowers and even the leaves of some plants. They also transmit plant diseases. During the spring, Rich always has trouble with them — very hard to control.”

Salvia genus page at PhytoImages, http://phytoimages.siu.edu/cgi-bin/dol/dol_terminal.pl?taxon_name=Salvia%20&rank=genus

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

1 year ago (“Harbinger of spring”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2013-03-28
2 years ago (“Geometric shapes in the Library”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2012-03-28
3 years ago (“A Game of ‘Cat and Mouse’”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2011-03-28

[Rick Schies]

That has such a soft velvety look to it