I've been watching another one open tonight .. about 30 minutes after it started opening I could actually see the fringe unfurling and moving around - kinda scary in a way - I wish I had a time lapse camera!

What a neat looking plant X

Xeramtheum said:I'm trying to imagine what kinds of evolutional pressures created the incredibly long "fringe" on the petals.

X - as Joseph has said elsewhere, "I don't know a thing about it." But it's fun to speculate. Perhaps the long fringes serve as a guide to the flower's nectar for blind moths who have to feel their way around with their antennae? Just guessing.

Perhaps knowing a little about where this plant grows wild might help - Shimane, Japan - http://wildflowersofshimane.we... - Imagine those long 'whiskers' moving [in a cloud of moisture brought inland from the Sea of Japan by westerlies], suspended up a tree as the vine climbs - http://wildflowersofshimane.we....

Kinda reminds me of jellyfish tendrils floating in the Baltimore Harbor. Morphologically and ecologically, the two relationships seem to have some parallels. Maybe there's an answer there, but it would take me volumes to find it.

X, this beautiful flower just gets more and more intriguing. Thank you for bringing this one up.

I was thinking along the same lines as the Jellyfish but haven't seen anything actually get caught or tangled up in it so far. The fragrance is pretty strong and reaches its peak around 1am. I saw another Stemorrhages costata moth on a flower last night. The flower exudes copious amounts of nectar as well .. I took a tiny taste and it's super sweet.

Thanks for the links .. the 2nd one is split on 2 lines and doesn't work if you click on it because it get broken up - for those who want to click on it use this:

http://wildflowersofshimane.we...

WOW!!! for that most awesome plant!!! If it was in my yard, I would never get any sleep!

Very interesting plant and I do love the bloom .
When I first saw the bloom I thought it was
Dianthus ''Spooky''

Those are beautiful! Had no idea that Dianthus did that until Bluespiral pointed that out! Do they set seed and breed true to the parent?

They do set seed but mine are planted too close to some Siberian blues so this is what the X seed looks like. I think if the white was isolated they might come true.

I originally purchased the seed commercially but have forgotten where
they are perennials here.

I like the pink one as much as the white one.

Spooky is way unusual - what a bloom!