The flower above and the friend below were both experiences to be savored at Corkscrew Swamp--an Audubon preserve.
Said friend is heralded by this plant--appropriately enough called Alligator flag. Throughout the swamp we found them with these regular, even perforations. They were so perfect that it seemed unlikely to be caused by a browsing insect. I thought perhaps they functioned like the slits in banana leaves. Alas, I know too little about this mystery to help you resolve it.
And the friend below brought to me courtesy of a short side-trip to Estero, Florida--the Koreshan Settlement.
