Notice the ants on the small reddish-brown dots on the stem. This plant in the Pea Family has these patches (a.k.a. extra-floral nectaries) to attract the ants as protectors to keep other insects from eating the plant. Vetches and other wildflowers in the pea family have these nectaries.
Pea Family The leaves of this plant are photosensitve, at night they close up. Annual Where seen: Oak Ridge Greenways, Piney Falls SNA, Great Smoky Mountains NP, Warrior's Path SP, widespread {Formerly known as: Cassia fasciculata}
August 12, 2005 I finally got my good photo of the orchids! We went to Max Patch, NC where I saw a HUGE patch of them blooming along the road! I yelled my all too familiar, "Pull over NOW, I've got to get a picture of those!" It was a little un-nerving having fully loaded logging trucks rumbling down the road just a few feet away while I was perched on a steep bank to take the pictures! Why do these flowers have to be such a challenge?! The next photo is a detailed close-up of the beautiful fringed flowers.
