purple and white flower in macro shot

This is an extreme macro of the reproductive parts of a Dianthus flower. The tall, twisting stigma gathers pollen and brings it to the pistil using those tiny clear tentacles. You can see anthers and a dusting of pollen at the bottom left of the image. Dianthus flowers are about an inch across. They are one of the “perfect flowers” because they have both “male” and “female” reproductive parts.