Geranium pratense [Meadow Crane's-bill]

[Andrea B.]

Blum, A. G. (2015) Geranium pratense L. (Geraniaceae) Meadow Crane's-bill. Flowers photographed in ultraviolet, visible and infrared light. http://www.ultraviol...ow-cranes-bill/

 

Trenton, Maine, USA

07 July 2010

Wildflower

 

Comment:

The Geranium seem to be divided into two classes: one set being moderately UV-absorbing and the other very UV-reflective. The G. pratense here shows the UV-brightness with dark veining as does

G. sanguineum and G. sylvaticum.

 

Reference:

1. New England Wild Flower Society (2015) Geranium pratense L. Meadow Crane's-bill. https://gobotany.new...anium/pratense/

 

Equipment [Nikon D700-broadband + Carl Zeiss 60mm f/4.0 UV-Planar]

 

Visible Light [f/11 for 1/13" @ ISO-400 with onboard Flash and Baader UVIR-Block Filter]

Meadow flowers become a bit battered by wind, rain and insects.

 

Ultraviolet Light [f/11 for 1/1.6" @ ISO-640 with Nichia 385nm UV-LED and Baader UV-Pass Filter]

UV-Led light is somewhat narrowband, so this 385nm photo will show slightly different false coloration than the following 365nm photo when both are edited under the same D700 colour profile.

 

Ultraviolet Light [f/11 for 1/1.6" @ ISO-640 with Nichia 365nm UV-LED and Baader UV-Pass Filter]

UV-Led light is somewhat narrowband, so this 365nm photo will show slightly different false coloration than the preceding 385nm photo when both are edited under the same D700 colour profile.

 

Infrared Light [f/11 for 1/80" @ ISO-400 with onboard Flash and B+W 092 IR-Pass Filter]

The veining is also dark in IR light.

 

Infrared Light [f/11 for 1/30" @ ISO-400 with onboard Flash and B+W 093 IR-Pass Filter]

[nfoto]

That one looks extremely familiar :D.

[Andrea B.]

I wonder if there is any underlying biologic or DNA reason to divide these Geranium into two classes based on the split between moderately UV-absorbing types and very UV-reflective types? Wouldn't that be interesting?? :D

[nfoto]

It's not that different from, for example, Potentilla. Here there all kinds of UV signature expressions.

 

One could envision a continuum, perhaps not always manifested, from totally reflective petals to non-reflective, where the dark areas become larger and larger starting from the basal area (or the bright regions begin at the tip and work towards the base).