Yesterday the inevitable occurred, and Perry’s mummifying inflorescence fell over. There’s still a bit of green left, but the entire upper part of the structure is beginning to dry nicely. It’s actually rather grotesque (as is any other mummy…), and will become an interesting display object. Perhaps I’ll keep it in my office along with my dried flowers of Darwin’s Orchid (Angraecum sesquipedale), antique Sphinx Brand Embalming Fluid bottle, Arcimboldo-style ceramic owl built of vegetables (I use it to illustrate wave-particle duality), Violet Ray Machines, ingots of indium and yttrium, and other interesting objects.
The mummy, scaled to the usual live model, is shown in one of the photos below (click on the thumbnails for larger versions). The other two photos are shot from different angles. In one, a beam of sunlight transects Perry’s mummy. Interpret that as you will.
Two webcams for Perry remain active. Stay tuned for initiation of leaf growth.