Shrub with racemes of small tubular orange fruits (or maybe they're flowers)

Discussion in 'Plants: Identification' started by wcutler, Aug 24, 2012.

  1. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    This shrub at the West End Community Centre has racemes of small orange tubular things - I thought they were fruits, but now looking at the photos, I'm not sure if they're flowers or fruits. Underside of the leaves is light grey. Leaves have no fragrance. I thought some sort of fragrance was in the air, but we couldn't figure out what it was from.
     

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  2. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Grevillea victoriae.
     
  3. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    Wow. Proteaceae. I was thinking the right continent (Australia), but otherwise totally wrong.

    Are these flowers or fruits?
     
  4. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    The fruits are rounded. Flowering occurs from fall to spring here, as the plant has never adjusted its bloom time to being in the northern hemisphere. Beloved of Anna's hummingbird, which fights over flowering specimens.
     
  5. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    That's surely a myth, for any plant. This Australian nursery mentions winter to spring flowering too.
     
  6. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Maybe so, I think I looked into the claim a little bit once but did not put much time into it.
     
  7. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    I'm surprised that Grevillea victoriae isn't more popular here. The photos I first posted for ID a couple years ago were taken in August, and I just noticed them last week in February (with open flowers this time). As was mentioned, fall to spring - pretty good return on investment.
     

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  8. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    We saw one of these at UBCBG today from a distance (not photographed by me) and wondered if we were looking at fruits or flowers. It turns out that exactly nobody has ever photographed a fruit from this species, or at least posted a photo that I can find. I went to look at the shrubs near me, and best as I can figure out, the yellow bits just under the red pistils in the first three photos are what are supposed to turn into fruits just under 2cm (1/2 in) long. There were several flowers today, but I only found three possibly potential fruit structures. @Ron B said the fruits are rounded - maybe he's seen them, or seen photos; else I'd wonder if they ever really did produce fruits. Last photo shows the flower buds just opening.
    Grevillea-victoriae_WECC_Cutler_20171024_P1310416.JPG Grevillea-victoriae_WECC_Cutler_20171024_P1310418.JPG Grevillea-victoriae_WECC_Cutler_20171024_P1310422.JPG Grevillea-victoriae_WECC_Cutler_20171024_P1310429.JPG
     

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