A flower For Friday

I have been meaning to try out this challenge but usually forget.

This was a flower - is it still a flower when the petals are all gone? I think a sunflower looks just as interesting at the end of its life as when in full bloom.

Can some knowledgeable person here tell me the difference between a wide angle lens and a long lens? I have pretty well sorted out the wide angle shots but what is the long lens and how does one achieve it?