I understand there are no black flowers in nature, but there are some very, very dark flowers, like the one I linked to (and probably misidentified). What are the evolutionary circumstances that would select for this? What are the challenges and what are the benefits of having black-ish flowers, a…

early blue cohosh has almost-black flowers too. It blooms very early right after snow is melting so perhaps the dark colors relate to chemicals that protect from frost, and given it’s so early its pollinator is probably pretty specialized and there isn’t a lot of competition (or early insects take a…

Oh I like that one. Makes me think of https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/56793-Fritillaria-biflora

Yum, chocolate! [IMG_5163] Penstemon whippleanus flowers can be a very dark shade of purple

There’s Stapelia grandiflora , the carrion flower, which is pollinated by flies.

This species comes pretty close, and there are several completely black orchid hybrids (artificially selected and bred of course). Here’s one that I have [image]

One black flower - Nature Talk - iNaturalist Community Forum

One lesson iNat has taught me. Never say never. There will be a niche, and a flower, which reaches its pollinator with a black (to our eyes) flower. Found 2 via google https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&taxon_id=362404 https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&taxon…

The flower might rely on self pollination more than relying upon other pollinating agents, this may be the reason for the presence of “unattractive” black colour of flower. Also, there could be some pollinators like bats who have poor sense of vision, so the flower don’t have to be “visually” attra…

Evolution of Black(ish) Flowers?

Nature Talk

pranavdatar May 25, 2023, 9:53am 16

I did have read that the colours human eyes percieve might not be same for other animals (here in this case, for pollinators of black flowers).

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Evolution of Black(ish) Flowers?

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