Lappula redowski [Western Stickseed]

[Andrea B.]

Blum, A.G. (2013) Lappula redowski (Hornemann) Greene (Boraginaceae) Western Stickseed.

blooms summer. Flowers photographed in visible and ultraviolet light. http://www.ultraviol...wski-stickseed/

 

Synonyms:

• Lappula marginata
  
• Lappula occidentalis
  

Comment:

A very tiny plant with an even tinier flower which may not grow much larger than 3" high. You might not see these fellows but part of them will travel home with you after they have set their spiny little seeds which stick to shoelaces, pant legs and socks.

There are varieties of Lappula redowski in the western US, some of which have pale blue flowers. In light of the work done by Rolfsmeier (2012) ⁽²⁾, I might need to change the species name of the plant shown here?

The UV appearance of the plant and flower is UV-dark against the brighter sandy or gravely areas where it grows. The corolla shows a slightly darker ring in UV at the beginning of the throat. The white hairs covering the leaves remain bright in UV making a nice contrast against the UV-black leaves.

 

Reference:

1. Weber & Wittmann (2012) Lappula Moench, page 114. Colorado Flora: Western Slope, 4th Ed. The U. of Colo. Press, Boulder, CO.

2. Rolfsmeier, Susan J. (2012) Taxonomy and Phylogeny of the genus Lappula Moench (Boraginaceae) in North America. Ph.D. Dissertation, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS. http://krex.k-state....dle/2097/15174.

 

 

SET 1

Mohave National Preserve, San Bernardino County, California, USA

03 March 2012

Wildflower

 

Equipment [Nikon D300-broadband + Carl Zeiss 60mm f/4.0 UV-Planar]

 

Visible Light [f/11 for 1/25” @ ISO 200 in Sunlight with Baader UVIR-Block Filter]

 

Ultraviolet Light [f/8 for 1/250” @ ISO 200 with SB-14 UV-modified Flash and Baader UV-Pass Filter]

 

SET 2

Twin Pines, La Plata County, Colorado, USA

28 April 2013

Wildflower

 

Equipment: [Nikon D600-broadband + Nikon 105mm f/4.5 UV-Nikkor]

 

Visible Light [f/8 for 1/1600” @ ISO 200 with Nikon Coolpix A]

Can you spot the single tiny white bloom in this photo? There is a hint at the bottom of the post.

Click this foto for a larger version.

 

Visible Light [f/8 for 1/640” @ ISO 200 with Nikon Coolpix A]

My Color Checker Passport is used to give an idea of the scale of the flower.

Here the flowers show a pink tint which I have not found mentioned anywhere so far. This varied randomly amongst the hundreds of little Lappula in the same area with untinted white flowers predominating.

 

Visible Light [f/6.3 for 1/1600” @ ISO 200 with Nikon D50]

This example shows the tubular throat of the flower which helps distinguish it from the many similar tiny white-flowered Cryptantha species which have a raised central yellow ring.

 

Visible Light [f/8 for 1/1000” @ ISO 400 in Sunlight with Baader UVIR-Block Filter]

Dark reddish tints on the leaves or stems are common.

 

Ultraviolet Light [f/8 for 1/125” @ ISO 400 with SB-14 UV-modified Flash and Baader UV-Pass Filter]

 

[Hint for Foto #1: The Lappula is NW of and close to the center clump of grass in the photo.]