Mother Nature's Artistry

This month's photo is the inflorescence of a female Cycas revoluta (King Sago). The flowering structure you see here is about a foot in diameter. After pollination, the whole thing closes up into a ball, where the seeds develop over the summer. At the end of the year it opens back up to release the seeds. The female plants of this species only flower once every two years, and new leafy growth only emerges on the alternate years.

Mother Nature's Artistry is featured here on the last day of every month. Check back again next month to see what Mother Nature has been up to!