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UltravioletPhotography

Tragopogon pterodes [Salsify]


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Rørslett, B. 2014. Tragopogon pterodes Pančić (Asteraceae) Salisify. Flowers photographed in visible and ultraviolet light. http://www.ultravioletphotography.com/content/index.php/topic/919-tragopogon-pterodes-salsify/page__hl__%22tragopogon+pterodes/

 

This is a member of the Salsify (Tragopogon), a group of plants native to Europe and Central Asia. Most species are yellow-flowered, but purple to pink-coloured flowers exist. The flower heads only open fully in direct sunshine in the morning and may appear wilted later in the day.

 

T. pterodes is a species of dry upland meadows of the Balkan, Bulgaria and SE Russia. It has lilac to nearly white ligules (rays) and it further distinguished by its short phyllaries.

 

The specimens depicted were collected in the Durmitor National Park, Montenegro 21 June 2014. Elevation 1360 m a.s.l. As the weather was intermittently overcast, their capitula were not fully opened but sufficient to secure a UV photograph of them. The specimens at the location had flower heads ranging from pale lilac to near white. They co-occurred with T. orientalis L.

 

This shows the overall appearance and the short phyllaries,

TRAG_PTE_G1406210765_VIS.jpg

Image reference: TRAG_PTE_G1406210765_VIS

 

A close-up of a capitulum, showing the pale nearly white upper surface of the ligules.

TRAG_PTE_G1406210766_VIS.jpg

Image reference: TRAG_PTE_G1406210766_VIS

 

Visible light: Nikon Df, Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 125 mm f/2.5 lens, daylight.

 

In UV light, the ligules are quite bright. The stigmas are UV-dark while pollen grains are shiny in UV.

 

TRAG_PTE_I1406211671_UV.jpg

Image reference: TRAG_PTE_I1406211671_UV

Ultraviolet light: Nikon D3200 (modified), Coastal Optics 60 mm f/4 APO lens, internal Baader U2" (Venus) filter, SB-40 flash.

 

T. pterodes behaves unlike other studied Tragopogon species (Rørslett, in prep.) by having ligules quite reflective in UV. It should be mentioned that Tragopogon is awkward to deal with unless you can shoot the plants in situ under conducive light conditions (early in the day, full sunshine).

 

[ Published 20 July 2014 ]

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