Floscopa glomerata
Growing in a wet portion of cattle pasture at Kapsabet, Rift Valley, Kenya, Africa. Dec. 2015. The purple color is actually due to hairy bracts that enclose the buds and developing fruit. There are no actual flowers visible here! In the thumb image at right one pale flower with three petals can be seen open.
A pretty flower. But more than that because Floscopa is a obligate wetland plant. It grows with the roots and lower stems
partly or wholly submerged in marshy areas. Wetlands are vitally important for overall ecosystem health - they hold and filter rainwater
that later enters groundwater or surface streams. Without wet lands drought and water pollution increase. Agriculturists often feel impelled
to drain marshy areas of their land for increased production, but this practice ultimately degrades agriculture downstream
and leads to endangered wetland species.
