confronting vegetation: Montrouziera

Is it possible to gaze at this New Caledonian Montrouziera flower and not see, reaching out to us from around the yellow core, five alien seven-fingered hands? 

If so, do they seem friendly?

(Or if not, does the question simply reveal that your correspondent has an alien hand fetish, since he also saw alien hands in an Araucaria muelleri a few posts back?)

Does it help to get closer? 

Or would you rather not?

What if we view them from the side?  Does that make them more or less hand-like?

What about different colors?  How do they change the impression?

(And are these different kinds of flowers, or just a younger and older version of the flower above?)

Is it inevitable, whenever we walk into an alien landscape ...

... that we want something to address us?  Welcome us?  Reach out a little?  Even wave, maybe?

 

Comments

[Teresa Gilman]

Jarrett, what a delightful encounter with the Alien Hand Plant. The close-up side view looks like some sort of bonnet [American sense of the word], and the others.... well they are all hands scrabbling at the air, trying to find meaning in the world.

Like us.

T.

[robin andrea]

Yes, hands, beautiful little hands that look both young and old. I have to admit to see them fills me with a little pang, an ache that I can not grasp them and free them from their longing.

Thank you so much for stopping by the Dharma Bums and leaving such a thoughtful comment. It is much appreciated.

[Denis Wilson]

Hi Jarrett
Interesting plants, but yes, you do have an alien hand fetish. But the last photo alone justifies it. A lovely image.
<
By the way, some feminists might use that plant to justify their belief that the Goddess has a sense of humour.
<
Personally, I am more of a Darwinian than that, (but not a Dawkinsian). Blind Watchmakers would not make those lovely hands - for they could not wind their watches with all those fingers.
Cheers
Denis

[robin andrea]

I had to come back to say that these hands remind me of the lines from the song Suzanne by Leonard Cohen:

They are leaning out for love
And they will lean that way forever

I know I'm projecting, but they really are quite evocative.

[Miss Bliss]

Yes they are lovely...but also just a teensy bit creepy. Maybe that's because I've read too much science fiction and tend to be suspicious of anything that looks like it could actually grab me. :-)

[Dick]

Very strange. Like a still from some CGI masterpiece yet to be made.

[Crafty Green Poet]

there's something distinctly eerie about that plant, excellent series of photos