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Sedum acre [Biting Stonecrop]


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Rørslett, B. 2013. Sedum acre L. (Crassulaceae). Biting Stonecrop. Flowers photographed in visible and ultraviolet light. http://www.ultraviol...ting-stonecrop/

 

Sedum acre L.

NO: Bitterbergknapp

SE: Gul fettknopp; bitterknopp; munkpeppar

DK: Bidende Stenurt

FI: Keltamaksaruoho

IS: Helluhnoðri

DE: Scharfer Mauerpfeffer

EN: Biting Stonecrop; Wall-Pepper

 

A low-growing perennial species native to Europe and introduced in North America, S. acre is an extremely drought-tolerant plant. It literally can grow on bare cliffs and rock faces where nothing other than some hardy lichens may survive. The stems are short and densely packed with short succulent foliage. Roots are very shallow and one sometimes wonder how the plants can get a holdfast at all.

 

Flowering is late spring to early summer, but often continue all summer. The pretty, yellow star-shaped flowers are frequently visited by small pollinators such as hoverflies and ants.

 

Specimens photographed at Malmøya outside Oslo, Norway, 4 Aug 2012.

 

SEDU_ACR_I1208042331_VIS.jpg

Image reference: SEDU_ACR_I1208042331_VIS.jpg

Visible light. Nikon D300, 120 mm f/4 Medical-Nikkor lens.

 

SEDU_ACR_I1208044808_UV.jpg

Image reference: SEDU_ACR_I1208044808_UV.jpg

Ultraviolet light. Nikon D40X, UV-Nikkor 105 mm f/4.5 lens, Baader U 2" (Venus) filter, SB-140 flash.

 

In UV, the plant appears black so acts like it has been treated with a very efficient sun-blocking lotion. The cuticula causes specular reflections from the foliage when a UV flash is shined onto the plants.

 

Strong UV marks are seen on the basal part of the petals. Interestingly some of these marks are set off against a bright white band, a feature not often seen in flowers with the typical "bull's-eye" UV pattern.

 

[Published 30 Jan 2013]

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