Jim Lloyd Posted May 8, 2018 Share Posted May 8, 2018 I saw some white and blue bluebells growing on a roadside verge and thought it would be interesting to compare the UV signature. "The native Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) and introduced Spanish bluebell Hyacinthoides hispanica both occur in the wild as well as Hybrid bluebell (Hyacinthoides x massartiana). This is British-Spanish hybrid between H. non-scripta and H. hispanica bluebells. It was first recorded in the wild in the UK in 1963. Native bluebells share many of the same characteristics as hybrid bluebells so it may be tricky to tell them apart." "Our native bluebells may be under threat because they cross breed with non-native bluebells. The hardy and vigorous hybrids spread quickly, out-competing our native bluebells and diluting their gene pool. (Reference: Woodland Trust)." Looking at the information on the Woodland Trust website I think my examples are probably hybrids, although it is difficult to be sure. Both my examples have a strong sweet scent It is interesting that my examples look indistinguishable in reflected UV and very different from the example shown by Bjorn here (h. non-scripta) I photographed these in the evening with some cloud, indoors on a windowsill. I took one image with a dandelion as I was wondering if there was some technical issue. This gave the typical signal and me some reassurance Maybe the UV signature gives a way of telling if the example is pure native or hybrid? Visible Light: Full spectrum converted Nikon D3200, Photax35 mm f/3.5 preset lens, sunlight, ASA 200 1/20 s, BG40 2mm filter.Ultraviolet Light: Full spectrum converted Nikon D3200, Photax35 mm f/3.5 preset lens, sunlight, ASA 400 20 s, BG40 2mm + UG1 2mm filters. Visible - "blue bluebell" UV "blue bluebell" Visible "White bluebell" UV "White bluebell" Visible - both blubells UV - both bluebells Visible bluebells with dandelion as quality control object UV of above Link to comment
Andrea B. Posted May 8, 2018 Share Posted May 8, 2018 Hmmm.....well the question is: which one of us has photographed an actual H. nonscripta? Because my photo of this flower, made in Scotland, differs from both yours and his. :o Here is my Visible version photographed at Loch Tay Lodge near Killin, Scotland. I have it labeled as H. nonscripta, but will investigate further. Yours and Bjørn's look like Spanish Bluebells, but I'm quite willing to be wrong !!! Link to comment
Jim Lloyd Posted May 8, 2018 Author Share Posted May 8, 2018 Well the Scots call swedes turnips, so who knows! - see here Link to comment
Andrea B. Posted May 8, 2018 Share Posted May 8, 2018 Is that what a swede is? A turnip? Oh my!! Bjørn and Ruth made that vegetable for dinner once when I was staying with them in Norway. It didn't look like anything I'd ever seen so I asked the name of it. They were'nt quite sure what the English name was but came up with "swede". Here is a Scottish bluebell reference which is not a Campanula: https://scottishwild...ecies/bluebell/ And another: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyacinthoides_non-scripta Link to comment
Jim Lloyd Posted May 8, 2018 Author Share Posted May 8, 2018 Hi Andrea - Yes I think yours are the true native ones, Bjorn's are Spanish and mine are hybrids. See https://www.plantlif...anish-bluebells for a comparison. The pure Spanish ones have no scent, whereas my examples have the strong sweet typical bluebell smell. Swedes are big - purple on outside - yellow inside . Turnips are small and white. The Scots eat mashed swedes with haggis on Burns night, but call it bashed neeps Link to comment
Andrea B. Posted May 8, 2018 Share Posted May 8, 2018 oh Neeps! I remember having that in Killin. Didn't really know what it was. But the veg we had in Norway was big and white. Maybe a rutabaga? ***** So funny about the Bluebells we all found!! I will study further on them. Thanks for the additional link. Quite interesting that the UV signature of yours versus Bjørn's is different. Yours has UV-dark anthers and Bjørn's has UV-bright anthers. Link to comment
Jim Lloyd Posted May 13, 2018 Author Share Posted May 13, 2018 Photographed some blue bells in-situ today - pretty sure these are H. nonscripta . Mystery as to why UV signature is different to that shown by Bjorn? Outside : Full sun mid morning.Nikkor EL 80 mm f/5.6 lens (New version) Nikon d3200 convertedUV: at f/8 iso 800 1/2 sec. UG1 2mm+BG40 2mm.Visible BG40 2mm, iso 100, f/8. 1/00 sec. Link to comment
nfoto Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 Actually the last example is nearly identical to some of my captures. Don't be mislead by the overall colour rendition, after all they are patently false. I might have preferred a rendition in the yellows in the earlier days whereas now the blue is more 'natural'. Clearly the RAW conversion software is an important factor to consider. Photo Ninja used by me since 2011 or so produces a colour palette that is more consistent across species and cameras. Link to comment
Cadmium Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 Jim, I like the 'quality control' dandelion, great idea. :) Link to comment
nfoto Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 I ran my specimens through the ID Key of Flora Europea (Vol.5:43) and my plant keys out as H. non-scripta. Link to comment
Andrea B. Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 ...Thank you, Bjørn !!!!! ************************ It seems the anther color is a helpful guide for the amateur botanist and those of us without a Hyacinthoides key. :D H. hispanica = blueH. non-scripta = cream But this pesky cross might confuse.H. x massartiana = blue BUT may be cream in the white or pink versions of the flower. Best Bluebell reference from BSBI. Click on this link and then click on Hyacinthoides for a pdf. I am attaching it also below in JPG format.https://bsbi.org/identification Other Bluebell references, some based on the preceding BSBI Crib.(And I think I have repeated one of Jim's links here.)http://www.thewildfl...may_article.htmhttp://www.cumbriabo...-for/bluebells/http://sppaccounts.b...assartiana.htmlhttp://www.woodlandt...ative-bluebell/http://www.plantlife...anish-bluebellshttps://granthamecol...nish-bluebells/ Link to comment
Jim Lloyd Posted May 15, 2018 Author Share Posted May 15, 2018 Thank you Bjørn and Andrea. As ever extremely knowledgable, helpful and generous with your time ! I am learning so much here ! A lot to think about. Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now