Achillea millefolium [Common Yarrow]

[Andrea B.]

Blum, A.G. (2013) Achillea millefolium L. (Asteraceae) Common Yarrow. Flowers photographed in ultraviolet, visible and infrared light. http://www.ultraviol...-common-yarrow/

 

Middletown, New Jersey, USA

01 June 2009

Wildflower

 

Synonyms:

Achillea alpicola (Rydberg) Rydberg; A. arenicola A. Heller; A. borealis Bongard subsp. arenicola (A. Heller) D. D. Keck; A. borealis subsp. californica (Pollard) D. D. Keck; A. californica Pollard; A. gigantea Pollard; A. lanulosa Nuttall; A. lanulosa subsp. alpicola (Rydberg) D. D. Keck; A. laxiflora Pollard & Cockerell; A. megacephala Raup; A. millefolium var. alpicola (Rydberg) Garrett; A. millefolium var. arenicola (A. Heller) Nobs; A. millefolium var. asplenifolia (Ventenat) Farwell; A. millefolium subsp. borealis (Bongard) Breitung; A. millefolium var. borealis (Bongard) Farwell; A. millefolium var. californica (Pollard) Jepson; A. millefolium var. gigantea (Pollard) Nobs; A. millefolium subsp. lanulosa (Nuttall) Piper; A. millefolium var. lanulosa (Nuttall) Piper; A. millefolium var. litoralis Ehrendorfer ex Nobs; A. millefolium var. maritima Jepson; A. millefolium var. megacephala (Raup) B. Boivin; A. millefolium var. nigrescens E. Meyer; A. millefolium var. occidentalis de Candolle; A. millefolium var. pacifica (Rydberg) G. N. Jones; A. millefolium var. puberula (Rydberg) Nobs; A. nigrescens (E. Meyer) Rydberg; A. occidentalis (de Candolle) Rafinesque ex Rydberg; A. pacifica Rydberg; A. puberula Rydberg; A. rosea Desfontaines; A. subalpina Greene

 

Comment:

There is some disagreement about whether A. millefolium, a North American native, is one species or many based on variations in degree of leaf dissection, capitulesence shape and presentation of phyllaries. I was unable to identify the plant shown here as to its subspecies or variety. However, it is interesting to note that in UV this particular plant has a slightly less UV-bright edge around its very UV-dark rays as compared to the A. millefolium subsp. lanulosa, which also shows a UV-bright center in each disk floret not seen here. More specimens would need to be studied, of course, to determine if this a repeatable observation.

 

Reference:

1. Flora of North America Online (2013) Achillea millefolium Linnaeus, vol. 21, pp. 493. FNA. New York & Oxford. http://www.efloras.o...on_id=200023010

 

Equipment [Nikon D200-broadband + Coastal Optics 60mm f/4.0 UV-Vis-IR]

 

Visible Light [f/11 for 1/250" @ ISO 400 in Sunlight with Baader UVIR-Block Filter]

 

Ultraviolet Light [f/11 for 3" @ ISO 400 in Sunlight with Baader UV-Pass Filter]

 

 

Infrared Light [f/11 for 1/250" @ ISO 400 in Sunlight with B+W 092 IR-Pass Filter]