Campanula persicifolia [Peach-leaved Bellflower]

[nfoto]

Rørslett, B. 2013. Campanula persicifolia L. (Campanulaceae). Peach-leaved Bellflower. Flowers photographed in visible and ultraviolet light including fluorescence. http://www.ultraviol...ved-bellflower/

 

Campanula persicifolia L.

NO: Fagerklokke

SE: Stor blåklocka; storklocka

DK: Smalbladet Klokke

FI: Kurjenkello

DE: Pfirsichblättrige Glockenblume

EN: Peach-leaved Bellflower

 

This is a medium tall, up to 1 m, perennial herb native to Europe and Russia. It thrives on open habitats such as dry meadows, forest edges and clearings in deciduous forest. The underlying soils tend to be of a rich, calcareous kind. The large, bell-shaped flowers are borne in long open inflorescences and appear in July to August. They are eagerly visited by a wide range of pollinators, winged or wingless such as ants.

 

Plant collected and photographed on several occasions near Oslo, Norway mid July 2008-11. All are from the same population.

 

Image reference :CAMP_PER_A08071079893_VIS.jpg

Visible light: Nikon D200, Coastal Optics 60 mm f/4 lens, Baader UV/IR Cut filter, daylight, three frames stacked in Helicon Focus.

 

Image reference: CAMP_PER_I1107137539_UV320_390.jpg

Ultraviolet light: Nikon D3, UV-Nikkor 105 mm f/4.5 lens, Baader U 2" (Venus) filter broadband (320-390 nm), Broncolor studio flash with uncoated Xenon tube.

 

The corolla of C. persicifolia is, like seen with most Campanula species, highly UV-reflective. The style and anthers are UV-dark. In contrast, the basal nectaria are UV-bright. This is the UV appearance using a broadband UV transmitting filter. The yellow spots in the background are flowers of Erysimum cheiranthoides, with which C. persicifolia was growing at this location.

 

Image reference: CAMP_PER_I1107137556_UV340.jpg

Ultraviolet light: Nikon D3, UV-Nikkor 105 mm f/4.5 lens, Omega 340BP filter 10 nm narrowband (340 nm peak), Broncolor studio flash with uncoated Xenon tube.

 

When seen through a narrow-band transmitting filter deeper into the UV range (340 nm), the corolla begins to appear less reflective and there is a tendency to patchiness in the UV reflectivity as well. Do note that a narrow-band UV capture may have a restricted or monochrome 'UV colour' palette. The monochrome rendition will occur whether the image is balanced against a spectrally neutral target or by the usual profile from a broadband capture is applied. It is noteworthy that the Erysimum flowers have not changed their appearance so seems they reflect UV equally well in the narrow as in the broader UV band.

 

Image reference: CAMP_PER_I1107137536_UVIFL.jpg

Ultraviolet induced fluorescence (UVIFL): Nikon D3, UV-Nikkor 105 mm f/4.5 lens, Baader UV/IR cut filter + Kodak 2E, Nichia UV LED narrowband (peak 365 nm).

 

The nectaria of C. persicifolia are strongly fluorescent under UV illumination.

 

[Published 23 May 2013]