Smile of Earth- 14

Some Exotic Flowers

Aloe flowers

Anyone would love these exotic flowers!!

Aloe flowers vary in size, shape and color. They are held in a racemose inflorescence. The common species is Aloe vera and its flowers show  variations depending on the climatic conditions where it grows.

The Portuguese squill (Scilla peruviana) is a perennial that produces large striking blue conical-shaped inflorescence. The star-shaped flowers last for several weeks. These plants propagate from bulbs.

Ornamental garlic plants can be grown to get pretty blooms in globose inflorescence. Garlic flowers have a green stem that bear lime green, pink, or white spherical capsule of miniature flowers. No marks for guessing their smell!! 🙂

And now, the Crucifix orchids (Epidendrum radicans). These have thick leaves and long, thin stems with long lasting clusters of flowers. The common name refers to the modified petal that resembles a small cross.

Portuguese squill

Garlic flowers

Crucifix orchid

Eventide- 17

Sun sets at Lands End!

Witnessed these sunset scenes at Lands End Lookout in San Francisco.

The winter sunset started at an early hour. Clouds could not suppress the glory of the phenomenon.
And what a glorious finale it was…though the dipping orange ball was not visible in its entirety! A close look will give you a glimpse of the sun in the horizon, through a gap in the clouds.