Hi, my first post. This photo was taken at Neyes Provincial Park on August 1, 2013. This plant is a solitary specimen found along the volcanic shoreline rocks with a west-facing disposition. I was attracted by the fuzzy inflorescence and maroon stem and clasping main veins of its leaves. This plant wants to stand out. I have searched some in native flora listings and have not been able to identify this plant (perhaps a type orchid?). Given its location on a body of water directly connected to the wold’s ocean systems, a seed or fragment could have travelled from anywhere in the world to reach this spot far inland. Photo taken with a Nikon Coolpix c. 2008 camera. Thanks, Mary
With the colouration of the stem and leaves, something in the Caryophyllales. But, it is going to be a late bloomer if that is the stage it is in on August 1. Hmm.
This may help, even though it's Ontario. The Caryophyllales: Amaranths, Cacti, Sundews, and a Whole Lot More I was mildly surprised to see Opuntia and Drosera in the same order. But then again, I'm supposed to be related to Genghis Khan.