Image
Victoria Amazonica

Lilly pads only grow in still fresh water
(1 of 15) (8054 views)

./LillyPadsAmazon20090407_173800_2600BCX.jpg

Lilly pads only grow in still fresh water

Flood plain inland from Amazon, Peru   •  (Photo posted Friday 15 May 2009)   •  (Photo taken 17:38:00 Tuesday 7 April 2009)   •  © 2009 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #173800_2600BCX
Add a comment or report a mistake

Some were intermixed with areas of floating grass
(2 of 15) (5430 views)

./LillyPadsAmazon20090407_173804_2601BCX.jpg

Some were intermixed with areas of floating grass

Flood plain inland from Amazon, Peru   •  (Photo posted Friday 15 May 2009)   •  (Photo taken 17:38:04 Tuesday 7 April 2009)   •  © 2009 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #173804_2601BCX
Add a comment or report a mistake

After pollination they begin to decompose
(3 of 15) (5393 views)

./LillyPadsAmazon20090407_173808_2602BCX.jpg

After pollination they begin to decompose

Flood plain inland from Amazon, Peru   •  (Photo posted Friday 15 May 2009)   •  (Photo taken 17:38:08 Tuesday 7 April 2009)   •  © 2009 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #173808_2602BCX
Add a comment or report a mistake

They form a delicate floor atop the water
(4 of 15) (5486 views)

./LillyPadsAmazon20090407_173812_2603BCX.jpg

They form a delicate floor atop the water

Flood plain inland from Amazon, Peru   •  (Photo posted Friday 15 May 2009)   •  (Photo taken 17:38:12 Tuesday 7 April 2009)   •  © 2009 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #173812_2603BCX
Add a comment or report a mistake

New and old lilly pads mingle
(5 of 15) (5427 views)

./LillyPadsAmazon20090407_173818_2604BCX.jpg

New and old lilly pads mingle

Flood plain inland from Amazon, Peru   •  (Photo posted Friday 15 May 2009)   •  (Photo taken 17:38:18 Tuesday 7 April 2009)   •  © 2009 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #173818_2604BCX
Add a comment or report a mistake

Decomposing lilly pads become food for the new
(6 of 15) (5470 views)

./LillyPadsAmazon20090407_173916_2606BCX.jpg

Decomposing lilly pads become food for the new

Flood plain inland from Amazon, Peru   •  (Photo posted Friday 15 May 2009)   •  (Photo taken 17:39:16 Tuesday 7 April 2009)   •  © 2009 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #173916_2606BCX
Add a comment or report a mistake

Hollow vein structures underneath help them float
(7 of 15) (5496 views)

./LillyPadsAmazon20090407_174042_2612BCX.jpg

Hollow vein structures underneath help them float

Flood plain inland from Amazon, Peru   •  (Photo posted Friday 15 May 2009)   •  (Photo taken 17:40:42 Tuesday 7 April 2009)   •  © 2009 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #174042_2612BCX
Add a comment or report a mistake

Sharp spines underneath protect from predators
(8 of 15) (5389 views)

./LillyPadsAmazon20090407_174126_2613BCX.jpg

Sharp spines underneath protect from predators

Flood plain inland from Amazon, Peru   •  (Photo posted Friday 15 May 2009)   •  (Photo taken 17:41:26 Tuesday 7 April 2009)   •  © 2009 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #174126_2613BCX
Add a comment or report a mistake

White flowers attract beetles to a carbohydrate feast
(9 of 15) (5473 views)

./LillyPadsAmazon20090407_175432_2624BCX.jpg

White flowers attract beetles to a carbohydrate feast

The flower closes and traps the beetles overnight   •  Flood plain inland from Amazon, Peru   •  (Photo posted Friday 15 May 2009)   •  (Photo taken 17:54:32 Tuesday 7 April 2009)   •  © 2009 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #175432_2624BCX
Add a comment or report a mistake

A dark pink flower has not yet released its beetles
(10 of 15) (13625 views)

./LillyPadsAmazon20090410_104852_3255BCX.jpg

A dark pink flower has not yet released its beetles

Flood plain inland from Amazon, Peru   •  (Photo posted Friday 15 May 2009)   •  (Photo taken 10:48:52 Friday 10 April 2009)   •  © 2009 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #104852_3255BCX
Add a comment or report a mistake

The flower too is protected by underwater spines
(11 of 15) (11659 views)

./LillyPadsAmazon20090410_104950_3258BCX.jpg

The flower too is protected by underwater spines

Flood plain inland from Amazon, Peru   •  (Photo posted Friday 15 May 2009)   •  (Photo taken 10:49:50 Friday 10 April 2009)   •  © 2009 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #104950_3258BCX
Add a comment or report a mistake

The beetle, once freed, pollinates another white flower
(12 of 15) (11601 views)

./LillyPadsAmazon20090410_105022_3261BCX.jpg

The beetle, once freed, pollinates another white flower

Flood plain inland from Amazon, Peru   •  (Photo posted Friday 15 May 2009)   •  (Photo taken 10:50:22 Friday 10 April 2009)   •  © 2009 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #105022_3261BCX
Add a comment or report a mistake

The Cyclocephala beetle plucked from its dining room
(13 of 15) (11574 views)

./LillyPadsAmazon20090410_105120_3266BCX.jpg

The Cyclocephala beetle plucked from its dining room

Flood plain inland from Amazon, Peru   •  (Photo posted Friday 15 May 2009)   •  (Photo taken 10:51:20 Friday 10 April 2009)   •  © 2009 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #105120_3266BCX
Add a comment or report a mistake

The Cyclocephala beetle is a harmless herbivore
(14 of 15) (11581 views)

./LillyPadsAmazon20090410_105136_3273BCX.jpg

The Cyclocephala beetle is a harmless herbivore

Flood plain inland from Amazon, Peru   •  (Photo posted Friday 15 May 2009)   •  (Photo taken 10:51:36 Friday 10 April 2009)   •  © 2009 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #105136_3273BCX
Add a comment or report a mistake

The Cyclocephala beetle
(15 of 15) (11548 views)

./LillyPadsAmazon20090410_105150_3278BCX.jpg

The Cyclocephala beetle

Flood plain inland from Amazon, Peru   •  (Photo posted Friday 15 May 2009)   •  (Photo taken 10:51:50 Friday 10 April 2009)   •  © 2009 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #105150_3278BCX
Add a comment or report a mistake
Subscribe to our mailing list for a Sunday summary of the week's stories.
* indicates required
Email Format
home • contact • topic guide • top 25 • photos • video • writing • blogs • upload • terms • privacy