Colors: Lilac (17 photos)

Lilac is a very versatile color. Combining the flame of red and the serenity of blue, it can both calm and evoke passion. Purple exists in nature everywhere - from eggplants to amethysts, and man has made this color a symbol of royalty.

1. In this image, the Ross Bridge in Tasmania is shrouded in a mauve sunrise. The beautiful sandstone span of the bridge, built in 1836, is one of the oldest in Australia and features impressive carvings. (Sam Abell)

2. Purple clouds hang over the coast of the Scottish Isle of Skye like misty mountains. The Isle of Skye is part of the Inner Hebrides on the west coast of Scotland. (Jim Richardson)

3. Two polar bears fight in the snow against the background of a descending reddish-purple sunset over Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. Scientists fear that climate change could have a negative impact on these species. (Paul Nicklen)

4. Lychees rest against the backdrop of a purple sunset over the Okavango Delta in Botswana. Well adapted to life in humid areas, these antelopes typically feed on semi-aquatic grasses. (Beverly Joubert)

5. Dragon dancers rehearse a performance to celebrate Double Ten Day. This is an annual holiday in Taiwan that marks the end of the last Chinese dynasty. The performance includes a number in which a man fights a dragon amid swirling clouds of purple smoke. (Jodi Cobb)

6. Purple crocus flowers dusted with bright yellow pollen in Washington, DC. (Stacy Gold)

7. This bright purple starfish was photographed in the waters of Sulawesi, Indonesia. The starfish belongs to the genus of echinoderms, closely related to sea urchins. (Wolcott Henry)

8. Purple nudibranch eating hydroid polyps at Vatu-i-Ra in Fiji. Nudibranchs are shell-less molluscs that come in a variety of vibrant colors found in nature. (Tim Laman)

9. Clownfish next to its "home" - a purple anemone near Sulawesi in Indonesia. These colorful fish are covered with a thin layer of mucus, which is why anemones do not sting them. (Paul Sutherland)

10. A man dances on a sand dune with the Shaybah oil field in the background, giving the Saudi Arabian sky a purple hue. Saudi Arabia controls about a quarter of the world's oil reserves. (Reza)

11. A cloth-covered Bushman community dwelling supported by an antelope-shaped structure in Welkom, South Africa, reflects the strong connection of culture with nature. Changing times have forced nomads to move to the outskirts of the “new” Africa, where they often have to fight for survival. (Chris Johns)

12. End of the voyage at the end of the day - the ship delivered its cargo to the port of the Potomac River in Alexandria, Virginia. The historically significant coastal town is located very close to Washington. (Bruce Dale)

13. Purple haze spreads across the ship-filled harbor in Rockport, Maine. Maine's picturesque coastal towns are popular with sailors and tourists alike. (Ira Block)

14. California's Anza-Borrego National Park is famous for its spectacular wildflowers. In this photo, the biennial aspen stands out from the purple sea of sand verbena flowers. (Tim Laman)

15. Participants of the Celtic Bonfire Festival in Edinburgh perform at the annual festival known as Fringe Sunday. They carry a huge purple egg - which will be accompanied by a similarly sized seed - during a performance demonstrating the process of "creation". (Jim Richardson)

16. Yucca tree under a purple-black sky in the Mojave Desert in California. Native Americans once wove baskets and sandals from the leaves of this tree and ate its buds and seeds. (Tim Laman)

17.The ground and sky turn purple as night falls over the lavender fields at the famous Bridestove Estate in Tasmania. This is one of the largest lavender plantations in the world. (Gerd Ludwig)