Kalmia latifolia L. (mountain-laurel), wildflower, macro close-up of flower buds
3.73325
digital color photograph
Born digital
Photographic image
2005 – 2012
Kalmia latifolia L. (mountain-laurel), woodland wildflower, image shows closeup of fancy-shaped pinkish buds, evergreen shrub 10' tall forming in dense thickets, leaves are 2-4" long mostly alternate entire rich green leathery smooth elliptic-oblanceolate or elliptic on stalks 0.4-0.8" long, flowers individually are perhaps the most beautifully shaped of all flowers especially as buds are opening, flowers are variable from white to pink-rose to deep rose having purple markings within 0.75-1.0" across broad-campanulate in May-June borne in 4-6" terminal corymbs, each flower has 10 stamens which on first expanding are held in little cavities in the corolla, the "knee" (bend) formed by the filament is sensitive to facilitate insect pollination
