Scorpioid Swirl
This little flower blooms in a spiral. Scorpion's tail grows its flowers along one side of a coiled stem, curled at the tip like a scorpion's tail, which is exactly what botanists call it: a scorpioid spike. The flowers open one at a time, starting near the base, and the coil slowly unwinds as it blooms, so the plant keeps flowering for weeks, one tiny white bloom after another.
Butterflies love it, and some come for more than nectar. Male queen butterflies and their relatives seek out plants like this one to gather natural compounds they turn into their courtship perfume. The same compounds make the plant toxic to us, so this one is for admiring, not tasting.
This moment of noticing is like a high you’re always chasing. I caught the perfect picture of this heliotrope a few months back, but the center hairs were slightly blurry, the focus missing just enough I couldn’t confidently blow it up for someone’s wall. Ever since, I have been photographing this plant every time I see it in hopes I can capture the essence that original photo carried. This image, “Scorpioid Swirl,” is the first one that’s come close, if not surpassed. The composition is completely different, but the feeling is the same. Whimsical, show-stopping, jaw-dropping. Everything that makes a good photo.
What we protect begins with what we notice. My noticing leads to The Wild Land Project.
About This Image
Common name: Scorpion's tail (butterfly heliotrope)
Scientific name: Heliotropium angiospermum (likely)
Location: Northern Belize
Collection: Wild Bouquet
