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UltravioletPhotography

Leucanthemum x superbum [Shasta Daisy]: Naturalized


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Rørslett, B. 2013. Leucanthemum x superbum (Bergmans ex J.W.Ingram) D.H.Kent (Asteraceae). Shasta Daisy. Flowers photographed in visible and ultraviolet light. http://www.ultraviol...m-shasta-daisy/

 

Leucanthemum x superbum (Bergmans ex J.W.Ingram)D.H.Kent

Syn. Leucanthemum lacustre (Brot.) Samp. x maximum (Ramond)DC.

 

NO: Kjempekrage

EN: Shasta Daisy

 

A popular cultivated ornamental plant, L. x superbum is very similar to the native L. vulgare Lam. but much larger in all parts. It sometimes escapes from gardens to occur naturalised in persistent colonies on dry soils, mainly in meadows.

 

Plants collected and photographed near Oslo, Norway, 11 Jun 2013. These specimens were naturalised on calcareous soils in a rich meadow. The post could be equally well be listed under the "Wildflowers" heading.

 

LEUC_SUP_I1306113651_VIS.jpg

Image reference: LEUC_SUP_I1306113651_VIS.jpg

Visible light: Nikon D600 broad-spectrum, UV-Nikkor 105 mm f/4.5 lens, Baader UV/IR Cut plus B+W BG-38 filters, daylight.

 

LEUC_SUP_I13061137509_UV.jpg

Image reference: LEUC_SUP_I13061137509_UV.jpg

Ultraviolet light: Nikon D600 broad-spectrum, UV-Nikkor 105 mm f/4.5 lens, Baader U2" (Venus) filter, Broncolor studio flash (uncoated Xenon tube), 135 images stacked in Zerene Stacker.

 

A 100% crop from the above to show details,

LEUC_SUP_I13061137509_UV_100pct.jpg

 

L. x superbum is interesting because not that long time ago, one would dismiss it by declaring it "lacked a pattern [= UV signature]". However, better photographic techniques disclose that the ray flowers are very shiny in UV due to the presence of rugose elongated epidermal cells that act like a diffraction grating and cause iridescence as well. There are rows of conical cells mainly along the major ray veins. The disk flowers are darker but due to the presence of conical cells they reflect UV as well, depending on the angle of incidence.

 

[Published 11 Jun 2013]

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