Robert L. Niese

As a biologist and naturalist, I am very conflicted about photographing flowers, mushrooms, and lichens. As a natural historian, I readily recognize that they are an integral part of every wild landscape, but as a biologist, every time I look at them, I can't help but think about their botanical function. Sex. Taking macro photos of another organism's sex parts and posting them all over the internet has always felt...well...a little odd.

Thus, it seems apt to consider this slideshow an x-rated, pornographic feature. Taking a look at some of these images, it's no wonder that authors throughout the centuries have featured the flower prominently in endless innuendo. So next time you're observing a plump, well-formed fungus, remember, it's spraying its tiny progeny across the landscape, and you're standing there, staring, breathing it all in. Literally. And next time you admire a pleasant floral display, remember, you're staring into the genitals of a plant - get too close, and you'll likely breath-in its sperm too.

Cheers.