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UltravioletPhotography

Eschscholzia glyptosperma [Desert Gold Poppy]


Andrea B.

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Blum, A.G. (2016) Eschscholzia glyptosperma Greene (Papaveraceae) Desert Gold Poppy. Flowers photographed in ultraviolet and visible light. http://www.ultraviol...ert-gold-poppy/

 

Kelbaker Road, Mohave National Preserve, San Bernadino County, California, USA

20 February 2016

Wildflower

 

Synonyms:

  • Desert Golden Poppy

Comment:

Desert Gold Poppy is native to the deserts in the Southwestern US.

When photographing these little poppies in UV it is a bit difficult to get good focus because the petals are UV-absorbing and very, very UV-dark. Using a UV-LED torch to add some illumination during focusing does not always work out well either because the petals are also iridescent under UV. So E. glyptosperma got me both coming & going, as they say. This particular flower's stem had been bent over by a stick which made for a graceful look in the photo. (I removed the stick.)

 

The iridescence on the curved petals makes it appear as though there is some kind of patterning in UV but that is not the case. This is easily determined by shooting the poppy at different angles to the main light to see the iridescence appear in different places.

 

 

Reference:

1. Gary L. Hannan & Curtis Clark (2016) Eschscholzia glyptosperma, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkel...JM.pl?tid=25208, accessed on September 06, 2016.

 

 

Equipment [Nikon D600-broadband + Nikon 105mm f/4.5 UV-Nikkor]

Unless stated otherwise.

 

Visible Light [f/10 for 1/2000" @ ISO-400 EV-0.3 with Nikon D750 + Nikon 24-70/2.8G AFS in Sunlight]

This is a stack of two separate photos made for improved depth of field.

The American coin, a quarter which is about 25mm in diameter, shows how small the flowers are.

eschscholziaGlyptosperma_visSun_20160220kelbakerRdMohaveNatPresCA_42104-05composite.jpg

 

Visible Light [f/11 for 1/1250" @ ISO-100 in Sunlight with Baader UVIR-Block Filter]

E. glyptosperma typically grows upright. The stem of this particular flower had been bent over by a stick (which I removed.)

eschscholziaGlyptosperma_visSun_20160220kelbakerRdMohaveNatPresCA_43784pn01.jpg

 

Ultraviolet Light [f/11 for 1/125" @ ISO-400 with SB-14 UV-modified Flash and BaaderU UV-Pass Filter ]

eschscholziaGlyptosperma_uvBaadSB14_20160220kelbakerRdMohaveNatPresCA_43757pn.jpg

 

Ultraviolet Light [f/11 for 1/125" @ ISO-160 with SB-14 UV-modified Flash and BaaderU UV-Pass Filter]

eschscholziaGlyptosperma_uvBaadSB14_20160220kelbakerRdMohaveNatPresCA_43790pn01.jpg

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Bill De Jager

Fascinating results, Andrea. It's interesting how the UV shows what look like glands on the leaves that are not as evident in visible light.

 

Most Californians are aware of the showy perennial-to-annual California poppy (Eschscholzia californica), the state flower. Few are aware that there are several diminutive and quite charming annual Eschscholzia species found in the drier foothill, valley, and desert regions of the state.

 

One topic for research would be to look for correlations between UV flower darkness and habitat preferences. This plant was growing on what looks like alluvial sediment, which in the desert tends to be much lighter in visible color than the desert varnish found on surfaces undisturbed by occasional floods. I wonder if desert varnish is dark in UV? I'd guess that it is, if only to protect the microbes that create it from the intense UV of their environment. For those not familiar with desert varnish, here's an explanation: http://www.desertusa...rt-varnish.html

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Jepson (Reference 1 above) tells us that both E. glyptosperma and E. minutiflora grow on desert washes, flats & slopes. As you observed about this one. :D

The larger California poppy is usually found in grassier areas.

 

I will have to look to see if some of my UV-landscapes show desert varnish.

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