Shore Cottage, Southwest Harbor, Maine, USA
01 August 2016
Wildflower
Synonyms:
- Lady's Thumb Smartweed
- Persicaria persicaria (L.) Small
- Persicaria vulgaris Webb & Moq.
- Polygonum dubium Stein
- Polygonum persicaria L.
The central area on the P. maculosa leaf probably lacks chlorophyll so the anthocyanin shows through as a dark blotch. I was particularly interested in how this blotch would appear in UV light. As it turned out, the leaf blotch does not show up at all under my broadband BaaderU UV-pass filter. The flower spike had not yet fully bloomed before I had to leave Maine, so a more detailed UV-signature will have to wait until later.
The leaves are edible, but this introduced plant, native to Europe and Asia, is mostly regarded as a weed in the US. Although its pink flower spikes are pretty and gracefully arched, the plant can be a bit agressive if given a place in the garden.
Reference:
1. New England Wild Flower Society (2016) Persicaria maculosa. Lady's Thumb Smartweed. https://gobotany.new...caria/maculosa/
Equipment [Nikon D600-broadband + Nikon 105mm f/4.5 UV-Nikkor]
Visible Light [f/16 for 1/200" @ ISO-400 with Onboard Flash and Baader UVIR-Block Filter]
Dark leaf blotch.

Ultraviolet Light [f/8 for 15" @ ISO-200 with SB-14 UV-modified Flash and BaaderU UV-Pass Filter]
No sign of the leaf blotch in UV.

Ultraviolet Light [f/11 for 13" @ ISO-200 with SB-14 UV-modified Flash and BaaderU UV-Pass Filter]
The tiny pink flowers are mostly UV-dark.
