Monday, April 12

dent du Lion

Did you ever look at a dandelion flower up close? Click on the photo and look at the curlicues and the rest of the structure, it's pretty cool.

Dent du lion (lion's tooth) is the original spelling, the description of the serrated lives looking like teeth, not the flower. Dandelions are a important source of pollen and nectar for early spring flying butterflies and honeybees. 

They are also an important source of pollen for allergy sufferers in early spring, unfortunately. On the other hand they have been an important food source for humans for hundreds of years, loaded with vitamins and minerals and fresh greens after a long winter of preserved foods. And now you know.

4 comments:

Andora said...

I took a picture of one up close and they are really pretty..I guess if we look at all flowers up close they are all unique

Florida Beach Basics said...

as luck would have it, I picked one today and stuck it in my buttonhole. didn't last long, but I love their color - let's hear it for weeds!

Murr Brewster said...

Unfortunately, I can't eat them fast enough. Plus, the fluff gets stuck in my teeth.

Caroline said...

Andora-love macrophotoraphy of flowers, don't you?

Marge-my dad is a habitual buttonhole flower afficinado, he always starts the spring with dandelions, mades a big hit when he went into the courthouse for a trial!

Murr-you must look like you have been eating baby ducks :o)
Maybe we should start brewing dandelion wine, do you think?