The sweetly, often powerfully, scented freesia belongs to the iris family, shown here in close up of anthers and stigma. The white freesia has feint lilac lines running up from the base of the flower, these purple stripes are replicated in the anthers.

My photography is reputed, amongst friends and family, for portraying some of the otherwise unseen aspects of nature, but whether you love it or hate it, you just can’t help being impressed by the engineering of evolution that created such miniature complexities.

Each of the freesia’s anthers is no larger than the head of a match and yet, each one is literally loaded with hundreds (or maybe thousands) of pollen grains. Even more incredible is nature’s precise management to ensure tiny atoms reach their destination, whether it be by weather or wildlife.

Anthers, style and petals belong to one of a cluster of freesia flowers arranged on a branched, leafless stem and a spray of the blooms displays a rainbow of colours. Small, delicate and attractive as the flowers are, their popularity is probably due more to their perfume than appearance.

Native to South Africa, there are fourteen varieties of freesia, some of which are a source of food for some species of caterpillar. Grown from a bulb, or corm, freesias are widely cultivated nowadays, and because of their pleasant scent are often used in the manufacture of soaps, bath products and candles, but the cut flowers remain a springtime favourite.

Exif Data
Focal Length: 4.1mm; Exposure Time: 1/8 sec; Flash: Off;
F-Number: F/4; ISO: 100; Metering Mode: Matrix;