Wendy's recent fuzzy stumper made me think of this forum again! So I figured I'd present you with something edible, that only appears during my winter. Best of luck!
GACK! Edible...? By braver individuals than myself! Stronger-stomached, anyhow. Well, I know this ain't it, but it reminds me of Xylaria polymorpha, 'Dead Man's Fingers'.
Absolutely edible, and quite tasty to boot (although bitter if you don't add a bit of sugar...) Of course, if I showed you a whole one it would be a dead giveaway, and I think the ones that grow here are darker than the ones that grow in other countries. And it's from a member of the Magnoliophyta, not the Fungi.
Nope, but getting closer. This family has representatives on every continent except Antarctica (if memory serves), and the particular genus shown in the photo has in excess of 300 members. The particular species is a shrub, and what's shown in the picture isn't the only useful part of the plant.
OK, sounds like y'all need a hint. Here you go: the fruit (and yes, it's a fruit) shown in the photo above is used in the preparation of a tasty beverage.
Togata is now in the right family, but not nearly the right genus. (Plus, I've already done a cacao stumper....)
Ding ding ding! It is indeed Hibiscus sabdariffa, AKA Roselle or Flor de Jamaica, and more specifically fresh bracts and fruits. Here's the whole photo from whence the stumper was extracted. This is the actual colour of those fruits - as I mentioned above, Ecuador's production seems to be a great deal darker than that of other countries.
Whoo-hoo! :-) These look like finials from a wrought-iron fence. Have been assuming that these are dried fruits...are they in fact fresh ones...?! Wonder why the Ecuadorian ones are darker than ones from other areas. ???? What evolutionary influence is here evidenced? Hmm. Perhaps a response to all the volcanic ash!
