Eschscholzia californica subsp. mexicana [Mexican Gold Poppy]

[Andrea B.]

Blum, A.G. (2014) Eschscholzia californica subsp. mexicana (E. L. Greene) C. Clark (Papaveraceae) Mexican Gold Poppy. Flowers photographed in ultraviolet and visible light. http://www.ultraviol...can-gold-poppy/

 

Location:

Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

22-23 April 2013

Wildflower in botanical garden

 

Synonyms:

• Eschscholzia mexicana
  
• Amopalo del campo
  

Comment:

The Mexican Gold Poppy, a Sonoran desert native, is distinguished from other subspecies of E. californica based on presence of a reduced receptacle rim and a simple cotyledon. Fortunately my specimen was labeled. Like its cousins, it can form large self-sown colonies. The flowers close at night and on cloudy days.

In UV, the UV-black petals flash strong UV-bright areas when the light is scattered by the surface conical cells.

 

Reference:

1. Desert Botanical Garden (2014) Phoenix, Arizona, USA

 

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

 

Visible Light [f/11 for 1/200" @ ISO 800 in Sunlight with Baader UVIR-Block Filter]

 

Ultraviolet Light [f/4.5 for 1/13" @ ISO 800 with SB-14 UV-modified Flash and Baader UV-Pass Filter]

 

Visible Light [f/11 for 1/1600" @ ISO 800 in Sunlight with Baader UVIR-Block Filter]

 

Ultraviolet Light [f/11 for 1/3" @ ISO 400 with SB-14 UV-modified Flash and Baader UV-Pass Filter]

 

Visible Light [f/8 for 1/500" @ ISO 400 in Sunlight with Baader UVIR-Block Filter]

 

Ultraviolet Light [f/8 for 1/13" @ ISO 800 with SB-14 UV-modified Flash and Baader UV-Pass Filter]