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UltravioletPhotography

Penstemon digitalis [Foxglove Beardtongue]


Andrea B.

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Blum, A.G. (2018) Penstemon digitalis Nutt. ex Sims (Plantaginaceae) Foxglove Beardtongue. Flowers photographed in ultraviolet and visible light. http://www.ultraviol...ve-beardtongue/

 

Middletown, New Jersey, USA

08 June 2018

Wildflower in home garden

 

Synonyms:

  • Penstemon bradurii Pursh

 

Comment:

This Canadian and Eastern US native perennial can reach a height of 4 feet or more when established. The white flower has 4 fertile stamens and one hairy infertile stamen giving rise to the 'beardtongue' designation. The calyx, flower tube and stems are covered in glandular hairs.

 

This particular plant was gathered from a cow pasture about to be bulldozed for building new homes. After transplanting to my garden, the next year it thrived and produced about 3.5 feet of growth with several panicles full of bloom.

 

In ultraviolet light, the tubular throat of the flower is UV-absorbing while the outer corolla and outer tube are UV-reflecting. The stems are strikingly UV-black. Both stems and flowers show some iridescence.

 

Reference:

1. New England Wild Flower Society (2018) Nutt. ex Simms. Foxglove Beardtongue.

https://gobotany.new...emon/digitalis/

 

 

Equipment [Nikon D610-broadband + Nikon 105mm f/4.5 UV-Nikkor]

 

Visible Light [f/16 for 6" @ ISO-100 in Sunlight with Baader UVIR-Block Filter]

penstemonDigitalis_vis_ambient_20180608wf_10327pn.jpg

 

Visible Light [f/4.5 for 1/2.5" @ ISO-400 in Sunlight with Baader UVIR-Block Filter]

Multiple images were stacked for improved depth of field.

penstemonDigitalis_vis_ambient_20180608wf_10311pnStackV2.jpg

 

Ultraviolet Light [f/4.5 for 4" @ ISO-200 with SB-14 UV-modified Flash and BaaderU UV-Pass Filter]

penstemonDigitalis_uvBaader_sb14_20180608wf_10269pn02.jpg

 

Ultraviolet Light [f/4.5 for 4" @ ISO-200 with SB-14 UV-modified Flash and BaaderU UV-Pass Filter]

Multiple images were stacked for improved depth of field.

penstemonDigitalis_uvBaader_sb14_20180608wf_10317-21stack.jpg

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Argh. The loss of open land is horrifying and drives me a little nuts. People and animals need green space.

 

I meant to say it’s a gorgeous flower also but got distracted. It seems very different from the usual foxgloves.

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