Falsecrown
Perdita junceum
Lunaraceae (the Moon family)
. * .
\|/
. --*-- .
/| / | / | . | .
/ | . \ | / .
\|//
|
.|.
/_|_
Description
A climbing vine that seeks moonlight, turning its leaves toward the night sky. Thick, succulent leaves store moisture and have a bluish bloom.
Composite flower heads resemble small moons with ray and disc florets, colored dawn pink. Blooms under a full moon.
Habitat
Appears in gardens that have been tended with love for generations.
Traditional Uses
The sap was used to make a temporary ink that fades over weeks.
Folklore
Believed to mark the boundaries between the seen and unseen worlds.
Similar Species
Distinguished from Summermist.
Conservation
Locally common but declining in some parts of its range.
Field Notes
Fragrance is strongest just after rain.