Les Jones

Science > Biology Blogging: ID These Six Plants

I downloaded pictures from the camera today and found some good ones. Can you name any or all of these plants? Post your answers in the comments. (Later: I added more hints.)

You can click on any image for an enlarged view

Fruit or Vegetables
I found this plant growing beside the corn in Melissa's Aunt Stella's vegetable patch. It's the one with the large, pointy leaves. Here's another view. Hint: this plant produces beans. Oil from those beans is a traditional herbal remedy. (First correct answer goes to Tess. See her answer and others in comments.)

Wild Things
This tree has not one, not two, but count 'em three vines growing on it. One is an exotic invader, common in disturbed areas. Hint: part of it is edible, and the edible part isn't the root, the flower, or the leaves. The other two are native species found in any wooded area in Tennessee. Hint: they have three leaves and five leaves, and the one with three leaves should be familiar to anyone who goes camping. (First correct answer for the three-leafed plant came from Chris Range at Celtic Grove. Tess got the five-leafed plant.)

The single-leafed plant is air potato (Dioscorea bulbifera), a relative of the yam. It produces an above-ground tuber. The ones around here are small - not much bigger than a jelly bean - but some species and varieties grow to a pound or more.

Flowers
Melissa and I grew these gorgeous annuals in our garden from seed. There are two species shown. One has the large, robust blooms in the center of the photo. (First correct answer: tie between Justin at Elephant Rants and Deb at Sugarfused.) The other species has small, delicate flowers, and frilly, Seussian leaves. (Botany goddess Tess correctly identified the smaller flower.) Both occur in a wide range of colors and varieties. You can find them at any garden center.