From: vli@mpr.ca (Vincent Li)
Subject: Re: About flowers
Organization: MPR Teltech Ltd., Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Date: Sun, 10 Jan 93 18:46:01 GMT

A most interesing article. 8-)

In article <1993Jan8.233154.29636@dsg.tandem.com> leung@DSG.Tandem.COM (Steven Leung) writes:
>
>The most beautiful moment of a flower varies among various types. For most
>flowers, it is the moment of full blossom.
Although I think we know when a flower looks beautiful, we don't really know
when it's not. To use a cliche, "beauty is in the eyes of the beholder".
Everyone has their own views. Personally, I think "most brilliant" might be
a better description than "most beautiful". Beauty could be in a dazzling
brilliance, could be in a subtle pastel, could be something you don't even
notice 'til it's gone.
>
>				X	X	X
>
>Many people think that the type of flower they love most is the most beautiful 
>type although in reality, few of them actually see more than a couple types. 
True. But then, an orange is orange although an apple is red. 8-)
It seems only logical that the flower one loves most is one that think is most
beautiful, "beauty" in its many senses. When one knows of many types of flowers,
one may still love the one one used to love, or may find a different favourite.
But the flower one loves the most, is still the most "beautiful".
>
>And all people enjoy looking at beautiful flowers, and the enjoyment is
>invariably enhanced considerably when _somebody else_ take care of the flowers.
How so? Many people also find the enjoyment is in the grooming and care to
produce the most brilliant bloom.

>(Note the subtle point here: there are flowers (like those on the pavement)
>don't need people's care, but people don't appreciate them, let alone their
>enjoyment being enhanced. Therefore, only a flower that needs people's care
>will the enjoyment of its beauty occur, and only that care is provided by 
>_somebody else_ will the enjoyment be enhanced. There were, of course, flowers
>that are not beautiful but need care, but they must have become extinct long 
>time ago in the evolution process.)
Ah, but have you ever heard of a dessert bloom which emits a foul odour to
attract flies? I don't know its name, but in the dessert, where neither bees
nor butterflies exist, it emits a foul odour to attract flies to do the
pollenation.
>
>				X	X	X
>
>Behind every successful bee, there are more than one flowers.
And behind every successful flowers, there are many bees (and butterflies).
>
>People tend to think that a beautiful butterfly standing on a blossoming flower
>constitutes a beautiful picture. From the flowers' viewpoint, they also always
>prefer butterflies over bees (and large ones over small ones) to visit them.
Why? Although I must say, some flowers will attract butterflies more than
others.

>But unlike bees who intentionally visit the flowers, the butterflies appear to
>be on the flowers just by chance. (I always have a hard time to figure out what
>the butterfly tries to do when it stands on a flower.) And of course, what is
A butterly that does not stand on a flower is a dead butterfly!
Biology 101 says: bees & butterflies survive by feeding on the nectar produced
by flowers. Bees & butterflies feed from flower to flower, and in turn, pollens
from the flowers are carried from flower to flower, thereby, allowing the
flowers to be pollenated and reproduce. You see, bees & butterflies serves
the same purpose to the flower. It is a symbiotic relationship for which both
parties benefit. It is the aphids which sucks the sap from the plant.
May be I should say it's the catepillar that devours the plant. So it seemsi
that the flower will perfer the bee over the butterfly!

>on a blossoming flower is purely determined by what happens to be around when
>the flower blossoms. So, it is not uncommon that some unfortunate flowers end
>up with having a fruitfly on them! That's what we called "Yuan Fun," sigh.
But a fruitfly may serve the flower just as well, depending on what kind of
flower.

-- Vince

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                          |-] you can say about your pillow. -- Mr Boffo
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