4 replies to this topic

[Andrea B.]

Blum, A.G. (2021) Sphaeralcea coccinea (Nutt.) Rybd. (Malvaceae) [Scarlet Globemallow]. Flowers photographed in ultraviolet and visible light. https://www.ultravio...et-globemallow/

Avenida Eldorado and Avenida Torreon, Eldorado at Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
22 July 2020
Wildflower

Synonyms:

• Malveopsis coccinea (Nutt.) Kuntze, Sida dissecta
  
• Sphaeralcea coccinea var. coccinea (Nutt.) Rydb.

.
Other Common Names:

• Cowboy's Delight
  
• Copper Mallow
  
• Orange Globemallow
  
• Red Falsemallow

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Comment:
This is the most common Globemallow in my immediate area. The flowers are a kind of rusty orange to a very reddish orange. There is a lot of variation in the deeply incised leaves with most plants I photographed having more 3-lobed leaves than 5-lobed. Finley & Nieland^[2] give S. coccinea only a paragraph but do note that it is an ecologically important species being dominant in the Great Plains short-grass and mixed-grass prairies.

Please read the comment in the Sphaeralcea lobata entry here about identification of Globemallows.

S. coccinea has the familiar UV-signature seen with other Globemallows, UV-light petals and very dark UV-foliage and reproductive parts.


1. Allred, Kelly W., Jercinovic, Eugene M., Ivey, Robert DeWitt (2021) Flora Neomexicana III: An Illustrated Identification Manual, Second Edition, Part 2, Sphaeralcea Key, page 539. Print on demand at lulu.com.
2. Finley, Willa F., Nieland, Lashara J. (2013) Land of Enchantment Wildflowers. Sphaeralcea coccinea, page 34. Texas Tech University Press, Lubbock, Texas.
3 Littlefield, Larry J., Burns, Pearl M. (2015) Wildflowers of the Northern and Central Mountains of New Mexico. Scarlet Globemallow, page 345. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

4. SEINet Arizona-New Mexico Chapter (acc 20 Feb 2021) Sphaeralcea coccinea. This is a southwestern biodiversity organization making use of the Symbiota portal software.
5. Southwest Colorado Wildflowers (acc 20 Feb 2021) Sphaeralcea coccinea. Website published and maintained by Al Schneider and hosted by Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory.
6. Wildflowers of New Mexico (acc 20 Feb 2021) Scarlet Globemallow. Website published and maintained by George Oxford Miller.



SET 1
Avenida Eldorado and Avenida Torreon, Eldorado at Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
22 July 2020
Wildflower

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


Visible Light [f/16 for 1/5" @ ISO-200 with Onboard Flash and Baader UVIR-Block Filter]



Ultraviolet Light [f/16 for 20" @ ISO-200 with SB-14 UV-modified Flash and BaaderU UV-Pass Filter]
A long exposure was made to permit multiple flashes for more even coverage.



SET 2
near Bosque Loop & Avenida Eldorado, Eldorado at Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
22 July 2020
Wildflower

Visible Light [f/11 for 1/400" @ ISO-250 in Sunlight with Nikon D850 + Micro-Nikkor 60/2.8G]

[Cadmium]

Andrea, Very nice!
Those leaves look 'fuzzy', and I wonder if they help gather dew for plant consumption.
Do you get a lot of dew there?

Edited by Cadmium, 21 February 2021 - 01:39.

[Andrea B.]

In desert areas I think that the fuzzy hairs help to conserve water inside the plant.

It's funny, but I don't really know if we have dew? There's no grass to go out and walk on before the sun comes up.

[Andy Perrin]

Andrea B., on 22 February 2021 - 06:12, said:

In desert areas I think that the fuzzy hairs help to conserve water inside the plant.

It's funny, but I don't really know if we have dew? There's no grass to go out and walk on before the sun comes up.

Look for spiderwebs like Emily Dickinson?

Quote

Bring me the sunset in a cup,
Reckon the morning’s flagons up
And say how many Dew,
Tell me how far the morning leaps —
Tell me what time the weaver sleeps
Who spun the breadth of blue!

Write me how many notes there be
In the new Robin’s ecstasy
Among astonished boughs —
How many trips the Tortoise makes —
How many cups the Bee partakes,
The Debauchee of Dews!

Edited by Andy Perrin, 22 February 2021 - 06:42.

[Andrea B.]

omg, that is such a *lovely* poem...and an unexpected delight to see quoted.

Yes, I could probably look for spiderwebs on plants. We have some very interesting arachnids here including tarantulas. I have not seen a tarantula locally. We do have some prairie grasses around the property, just no "lawn". A lot of prairie grasses in this area were overgrazed, but many are coming back.