Flower Behavior.

Flower power

There are a number of flowers that you should look for if you want to know what the weather will be like. One of these is the Scarlet Pimpernel, which has been called the "poor man’s weather glass". This is because its flowers open in sunny weather, but close tightly when rain is expected.

The petals of the Morning Glory act in a similar way – with wide open blooms indicating fine weather and shut petals predicting rain and bad weather. This opening and closing also occurs with the South African magic carpet flower.



Reference from: http://www.rcn27.dial.pipex.com/cloudsrus/lore.html

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Flower folded itself and bundled to protect itself from the cold weather.

Will add on if there are more.

Potential data visualization.

From the data exercises we've done in previous exercises, I began pondering on how we are able to simplify data that will be shown on the petal or flower should the need arise. And this simplification should aim to be both unique yet simple to read.

So I dug up this chart over the net. This shows some of the various ways we can show data:

source: www.eyezberg.com

Final visualization is subjected to change.

Side tibits.

Here are some links I stumbled upon while digging up information about flowers and their behavior towards weather changes.

This quote intrigued me the most:

Nothing predicts the weather better then nature herself.

Source: http://www.humanflowerproject.com/index.php/weblog/comments/flowers_as_weather_casters/

Some thing I found that might help shape the end product... Although we aim to simplify our end product to make it more user-friendly and easily understandable.

Source:
http://www.earthtechproducts.com/p300.html

That's all for today's tibits. Still unable to find information of flowers towards fluctuations of weather(s). If anyone has any clues/hints as to where I can find some, please post! Thanks. :)

The right track.

For teachers/group mentors who are monitoring our assignment, the prior research posts are just research!

There is no intention of modeling the end product in resemblance to any existing flower and/or take on any traits of any existing flower in full.

What we aim to do, however, is to make a basic stereotype of a flower. And with it, take on some traits of different flowers that links up to our goal, which is in this case, to note down weather. It is more of a 3 in 1 thing. :)

One that caught our attention is the sunflower.

Flowers flowers flowers

Research on the appearances of flowers, these below are candidates from where our flower's outlook idea come from. We took note that since we need petals to be detachable, its best to select flowers which are not too complicated, in short, the sun flower and daisy


Flowering Plants:-

1. Asteraceae or Compositae (daisy family)[Link:Asteraceae]
There are in total 23,600 species

2. Orchidaceae (orchid family)[Link:Orchidaceae]
There are in total 21,950 species.

3. Fabaceae or Leguminosae (pea family)[Link:Fabaceae]
There are in total 19,400 species.

4. Rubiaceae (madder family)[Link:Rubiaceae]
There are in total 13,183 species.

5. Poaceae or Gramineae (grass family)[Link:Poaceae]
There are in total 10,035 species.

6. Lamiaceae or Labiatae (mint family)[Link:Lamiaceae ]
There are in total 7,173 species.

7. Euphorbiaceae (spurge family)[Link:Euphorbiaceae]
There are in total 5,735 species.

8. Cyperaceae (sedge family)[Link:Cyperaceae]
There are in total 4,350 species.

9. Malvaceae (mallow family)[Link:Malvaceae]
There are in total 4,225 species.

10. Araceae (aroid family)[Link:Araceae]
There are in total 4,025 species.
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Asteraceae, daisies.

Info: The family Asteraceae or Compositae, known as the aster, daisy or sunflower family, is the second largest family family of flowering plants(refer to top) after Orchidaceae , in terms of number of species.

This includes several species and classifications.
Chrysanthemums are a genus (Chrysanthemum) of about 30 species of perennial flowering plants in the family Asteraceae , native to Asia. It was named from the Greek prefix chrys-, which means golden (the colour of the original flowers), and -anthemon, meaning flower.

Calendula (pot marigold) is a genus of about 12-20 species of annual or perennial herbaceous plants in the daisy family Asteraceae. It is also the flower of the month October.

Common Daisy, Lawn Daisy or occasionally English daisy. It is native to western, central and northern Europe. The species is widely naturalized in North America, where it is considered an invasive weed.

Purpose of existence, Flowers.

Some research on Flowers, things we might know and we might not.

Flower: Part of a plant, also known the bloom or blossom of a plant. It sometimes has a stem - a thin pipe - to support the flower. Flowers have petals. The word "flower" is usually used only for the part that produces seeds.

The flower is usually the most colourful part of the plant.


Found some meaning/relations of flowers as well:

Cheery flowers -

• Red Roses – imply passionate, romatic love.
• Pink Roses - a lesser affection.
• White roses still suggest virtue and chasity.
• Yellow roses still tand for friendship and devotion
• Bridal Rose – Happy Love
• Coral Rose - desire
• Sunflowers – respect.
• Gernera Daisy – innocence or purity – One floral source reports this is a big favourite with modern woman.
• A string of Ivy – fidelity.
• Daffodil – regard.
• Yellow Acacia – secret love.
• White Lilly – purity.
• Gardenia - ecstasy – often sent to secret loves.
• Forget-Me-Nots -obvious -true love.
• Red Carnation – according to the flower society if you “receive a red carnation bouquet , it means, "My heart aches for you" and when you receive white carnations the sender is saying: "I am still available."
• Blue Violet – faithfulness.
• Sweet Violet – Modesty
• Water Lilly – purity of heart

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Not so cheery flowers -

• White Rose (dried) – death preferable to loss of innocence.
• Wortleberry – treason.
• Creeping Willow – Love Forsaken.
• Water Willow – Freedom
• Weeping Willow – mourning.
• Yew – Sorrow.
• Zephyr Flower – Expectation.
• Zinnia – Thoughts of absent friends.

And now let's move on to what human beings use flowers for:

For decorations -
Flowers have long been admired and used by humans. Most people think that flowers are beautiful. Many people also love flowers for their fragrances (scents). People enjoy seeing flowers growing in gardens. People also enjoy growing flowers in their backyards, outside their homes. People often wear flowers on their clothes or give flowers as a gift during special occasions, holidays, or rituals, such as the birth of a new baby (or a Christening), at weddings (marriages), at funerals (when a person dies). People often buy flowers from businesses called florists.

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For food -
People also eat some types of flowers which comes in vegetables form like brocoli, cauliflower and artichoke. Parts that come from a certain part of a flower have also become expensive spices like Saffron, from crocus flower.

Honey is flower nectar that has been collected and processed by bees. Honey is often named for the type of flower that the bees are using (for example, clover honey). Some people put flowers from nasturtiums, chrysanthemums, or carnations in their food. Flowers can also be made into tea. Dried flowers such as chrysanthemum, rose, jasmine are used to make tea.

Their usage for consumption includes vegetables, spices, flavoring, flower teas, decoration on their food as well.

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For special meanings -
Some people think that some flowers have special meanings. Lilies make people think of life. Red roses make people think of love, beauty, and passion. Poppies make people think of making people feel better after people have died. In Britain, Australia and Canada, red poppies are worn to remember the soldiers who have died in wars. Daisies make people think of children and innocence.

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Since flowers have existed in our lives in quite many different ways, here's the lists of the more common flowers.

1. Rose
2. Water Lily
3. Sunflower
4. Petunia
5. Jasmine
6. Tulip
7. Hibiscus
8. Dahlia
9. Daffodil
10. Uniflora
11. Pansy
12. Daisy

The flowers that are in bold will be the ones we're considering the flower model we're following.

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References from: Types of Flowers & Flower

Chosen idea; a brief explanation.

After going over a few of our ideas with Mr. Adrian, we have finally settled on one together. To briefly explain, I will put down the overview below.

Weather Flower
- a flower that responses to the changes of weather and seasons.

Type:
- Weather Forecasting

Function(s):
- Able to take note and respond to seasonal changes, thus telling the season.
- Able to react prior to weather change on a daily basis, thus able to provide weather forecasts.
- To measure temperature unconventionally.

Concept:
Weather is a part of Nature, and so are flowers. Flowers have a unique ability to alter their outlook according to different types of weather to protect itself, as well as react to changes in weather(either for the good or worse).

Thus, we have decided to use these traits of a flower to represent weather data.

How it works:
In accordance to daily temperature.
- As the temperature rises, the more the flower will wilt. According to markings that will be specified, this will tell the temperature of the surroundings.


In accordance to seasons.
- The stalk of the flower will change colour gradually(from bottom to top) as the season progresses from one transition to another. When the hue reaches the bud area, it would mean that the season is in full bloom(aka, it has arrived).

- Colours would be default green for spring, orange for summer, brown for autumn and lastly, teal for winter.

In accordance to weather.
- When rain is fast approaching, sensors of the flower will pick it up in advance, and its petals will react. It will close up to signify that rain is approaching.


Usability:
For user's convenience, we have decided to have the petals of the flower detachable for portable usage. Once detached, the petal will sense its seperation from the bud and display info on itself.

- temperature
- weather
- time(still in consideration)

Although once detached, the device would not be as interactive. This point is still opened for further improvements currently.

Post #1

Finally finished setting up the blog! And it is finally here, created and particulars being filled in.

Group members:

Sabrina Seow Shu Qing - 061263A
Kwan Mei Ling Alicia - 060987A
Chen Shuk Wai Evone - 063555H

Yosh~ Have fun everyone! <3