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UltravioletPhotography

Mertensia brevistyla [Shortstyle Bluebells]


Andrea B.

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Blum, A.G. (2013) Mertensia brevistyla S. Watson (Boraginaceae) Shortstyle Bluebells. Flowers photographed in visible and ultraviolet light. http://www.ultravioletphotography.com/content/index.php?/topic/626-mertensia-brevistyla-shortstyle-bluebells/

 

Comment:

The key step in identifying M. brevistyla is the perpendicular orientation of the adaxial trichomes towards the central leaf vein. (See Set 2 below.) This specimen was found growing at about 2250 meters.

In UV the cluster of bluebells seems primarily remarkable for the UV-bright hairs on the sepals. The corollas are moderately UV reflective with no marked pollination guides.

 

Reference:

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

 

SET 1

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/7.1 for 1/800" @ ISO 200 with Nikon Coolpix A]

A single M. brevistyla in situ with the bluebell cluster just developing.

mertensiaBrevistylaVisSun_042813durangoCO_1029PnRes.jpg

 

Visible Light [f/8 for 1/3” @ ISO 400 in Sunlight with Baader UVIR-Block Filter]

mertensiaBrevistylaVisSun_042813durangoCO_10253PnCrop.jpg

 

Ultraviolet Light [f/8 for 1/2” @ ISO 400 with SB-14 UV-modified Flash and Baader UV-Pass Filter]

mertensiaBrevistylaUVBaadSB14_042813durangoCO_10261pfRes.jpg

 

Ultraviolet Light [f/11 for 1/60” @ ISO 400 with SB-14 UV-modified Flash and Baader UV-Pass Filter]

mertensiaBrevistylaUVBaadSB14_042813durangoCO_10246pfRes.jpg

 

SET 2

Mesa Verde National Park, Montezuma County, Colorado, USA

02 May 2013

Wildflower

 

Visible Light [f/6.3 for 1/1000" @ ISO 200 with Nikon Coolpix A]

Note the orientation of the hairs on the upper surface of the leaf.

mertensiaBrevistylaVisSun_050213MesaVerdeNPColo_1146orig.jpg

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