Comments

  1. birgerjohansson says

    J Vance: “Purple is gay!”
    2025 guy: “The color pourple should be banned!”.
    Fox News: “why don’t you show proper American plants… like roses?”

  2. raven says

    That looks like a knapweed of some sort.
    There are several species that look very similar.

    They are seriously harmful invasive species.

    Meadow knapweed:

    Why Is It a Noxious Weed?
    Meadow knapweed is an aggressive invasive species that spreads into pastures and meadows. It outcompetes desirable forage plants as well as other native plants species.

    How would I identify it?
    General Description
    As a hybrid between brown knapweed and black knapweed (Centaurea jacea and Centaurea nigra, and possibly Centaurea nigrescens), meadow knapweed can have variable characteristics between the parent plants. It is a perennial that typically grows between 1 and 5 feet tall.

    WASHINGTON STATE Noxious Weed Control Board

    It doesn’t look quite like Meadow Knapweed, but some of these knapweeds are closely related and also harmful invasive species.

  3. Tethys says

    Another beautiful native prairie plant, but it’s not a knapweed. It is Liatris aspera, common name Rough blazing star.

  4. weylguy says

    It’s probably toxic as hell. I’d replace it with something even prettier, like foxglove. Perhaps a foxglove salad could be served at Mar-a-Lago.

  5. says

    Dear PZ, have you abandoned your spiders for lots of flower pictures? They are nice and I appreciate your reminiscence of earlier more pleasant times.
    Seriously, we really appreciate your providing so much other important info that the main stream slime media won’t bother with. And, graciously allowing us our rants.

    thanks from
    the arts in arizona and all of the Omnigma organizations

  6. says

    @1 birgerjohansson wrote: J Vance: “Purple is gay!”
    2025 guy: “The color pourple should be banned!”.
    I reply: that reminds me of an old favorite of mine —
    Tom Paxton wrote a great song: “Tinky-Winky must be gay,” I heard Jerry Falwell say. “He is purple, and — what’s worse –Tinky-Winky has a purse. That triangle on his head, Is a symbol,” Jerry said. But, for me, it’s just a sign That Jerry has too much free time. ©2001 Pax Music, ASCAP.

  7. StevoR says

    A day early but today is the day Purple~wise here :

    https://www.wearitpurple.org/

    On 30 August 2024, ‘Wear It Purple Day’ will unite LGBTQIA+ youth and allies to shine a glorious light on the thousands of schools, community organisations, universities, and workplaces that are coming together to create a more inclusive future for all Australians.
    By wearing purple, Australians demonstrate to rainbow young people that they are celebrated and respected, acknowledging all have the right to be proud of who they are and who they are becoming.

    Originally founded by students in response to global stories of teenagers taking their own lives due to bullying and harassment, Wear it Purple Day has become an international movement of love and support.

  8. unclefrogy says

    I have found many hours watching a youtube channel called “crime pays but botany doesn’t ” the picture reminds me of his videos. Some times he finds some beastie or other but mostly not just real close down in the dirt where they live like this picture.
    I used to get in trouble a little when I was distracted in Botany class by some thing walking past the subject we were examining at the time like a pink and purple mite. One of my favorite spiders are crab spiders, do they live out your way ?

  9. StevoR says

    @ ^ unclefrogy : Yes Great channel witha lot of excellentand fascianting episodes by Joey Santore :

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joey_Santore

    See frex WARNING : Swearing. Lots & lots of swearing here – Tony Santoro’s Guide to Illegal Tree-Planting (23 mins) plus The Weirdest Friggin’ Carrot You’ll Ever See. – 3 mins long.

    Unfortunately there’s at least a few eps and times recently wher ehe’s gobe very “anti-woke”and said some pretty problematic things too if memory serves -which is a real shame and had expected far better from him. Maybe those were atypical and he’s improved since? Dunno.