Members of the Rosaceae that occur in the wild NEVER have blue flowers (like the fringed gentian of the Gentianaceae on the left) or red flowers (like the royal catchfly of the Caryophyllaceae) on the right. This is because the Rosaceae lacks the genes to produce true blue or pure red flower pigments.

Photos by K. R. Robertson. Gentiana procera on the left, taken at Illinois Beach State Park; Silene regia on the right, taken at Smith Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve, Indiana.

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