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UltravioletPhotography

Spergularia rubra [Red Sand-spurry]


Andrea B.

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Blum, A.G. (2017) Spergularia rubra (L.) C. Presl (Caryophyllaceae) Red Sand-spurry. Flowers photographed in ultraviolet and visible light. http://www.ultraviol...ed-sand-spurry/

 

Shore Cottage, Southwest Harbor, Maine, USA

29 July 2014

Wildflower

 

Synonyms:

  • Arenaria rubra L.
  • Spergularia rubra var. perennans (Kindb.) B.L. Robins.
  • Tissa rubra (L.) Britt.

Comment:

In spite of the fact that Red Sand-spurry is an non-native weed, the little pink stars arrayed over a grassy summer lawn is quite a fetching sight. The tiny flower petals are moderately UV-absorbing with UV-black central reproductive parts. The longer sepals, however, seem to have some UV-iridescence and appear brighter under the petals making for a distinctive UV-signature.

 

 

Story: The Elusive Ruby Spurrey

spergulariaRubra_20140729shoreCottageSwhME_744201.jpg

 

 

 

Reference:

1. New England Wild Flower Society (2017) Spergularia rubra. Red Sand-spurry. https://gobotany.new...rgularia/rubra/

 

 

Equipment [Nikon D600-broadband + Carl Zeiss 60mm f/4.0 UV-Planar]

Unless otherwise noted.

 

Visible Light [f/14 for 1/200" @ ISO-400 with Nikon Df + Micro-Nikkor 60/2.8G in Sunlight]

Pink stars.

spergulariaRubra_20140729shoreCottageSwhME_7436pn.jpg

 

Visible Light [f/11 for 1/1.6" @ ISO-800 in Sunlight with Baader UVIR-Block Filter]

Note glandular hairs on the sepals and leaves.

spergulariaRubra_visSun_20140729shoreCottageSwhME_24427pn01.jpg

 

Ultraviolet Light [f/11 for 1/1.6" @ ISO-800 with SB-14 UV-modified Flash and BaaderU UV-Pass Filter]

spergulariaRubra_uvBaadSB14_20140729shoreCottageSwhME_24429pnFinal.jpg

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Hornblende

What a coincidence! I saw this exact same plant alongside the road today, I tried to identify it but I gave up :(

I thought ALL pinks have fringed or deeply cleft petals.

Now I know.

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Well, you are now learning how those botanical classifications go. There is a basic family "type" - such as the fringed/cleft petals for Carophyllaceae. But -- BUT -- there are always a number of deviations from type to make us confused. :blink: :blink: :blink: I'm amazed that the botanists could derive all the elaborate family classifications before the DNA era using only microscopes and cellular data. Since DNA has been used, there have been re-classifications - but not as many as one would think.

 

Since I recommended the Botany in a Day book to you, I have been reading in it again. Such an amazing book! It is really very, very well done. I originally found that book several years ago when it was in its 4th or 5th edition. The latest 6th edition with colour and additional material is superb. I've decided to go out and put into practice the suggested flower observation given on page 24. Having learned so many local flower IDs, I have gotten a bit lazy about it all. So spending a day practicing careful observation will be rewarding and remind me about what to look for when I do encounter a new flower.

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