Iris Macro Study
by Bruce Bley
Title
Iris Macro Study
Artist
Bruce Bley
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
This photograph of a maroon iris blossoms was taken while driving on a country road near Rock Falls, Illinois last spring. I enjoy photographing flowers for their colors and intricate and delicate detail.
Iris is a genus of 260-300 species of flowering plants with showy flowers. It takes its name from the Greek word for a rainbow, referring to the wide variety of flower colors found among the many species, as well as, being the scientific name, iris is also very widely used as a common name for all Iris species, though some plants called thus belong to other closely related genera. A common name for some species is 'flags', while the plants of the subgenus Scorpiris are widely known as 'junos', particularly in horticulture. It is a popular garden flower.
Irises are perennial plants, growing from creeping rhizomes (rhizomatous irises) or, in drier climates, from bulbs (bulbous irises). They have long, erect flowering stems which may be simple or branched, solid or hollow, and flattened or have a circular cross-section. The rhizomatous species usually have 3-10 basal sword-shaped leaves growing in dense clumps. The bulbous species have cylindrical, basal leaves.
The inflorescences are fan-shaped and contain one or more symmetrical six-lobed flowers. These grow on a pedicel or lack a footstalk. The three sepals, which are spreading or droop downwards, are referred to as "falls". They expand from their narrow base, which in some of the rhizomatous irises has a "beard" (a tuft of short upright extensions growing in its midline), into a broader expanded portion ("limb"), often adorned with veining, lines or dots. The three, sometimes reduced, petals stand upright, partly behind the sepal bases. They are called "standards". Some smaller iris species have all six lobes pointing straight outwards, but generally limb and standards differ markedly in appearance. They are united at their base into a floral tube that lies above the ovary (known as an epigynous or inferior ovary). The styles divide towards the apex into petaloid branches; this is significant in pollination.
The iris flower is of interest as an example of the relation between flowering plants and pollinating insects. The shape of the flower and the position of the pollen-receiving and stigmatic surfaces on the outer petals form a landing-stage for a flying insect, which in probing for nectar, will first come into contact with the perianth, then with the stigmatic stamens in one whorled surface which is borne on an ovary formed of three carpels. The shelf-like transverse projection on the inner whorled underside of the stamens is beneath the overarching style arm below the stigma, so that the insect comes in contact with its pollen-covered surface only after passing the stigma; in backing out of the flower it will come in contact only with the non-receptive lower face of the stigma. Thus, an insect bearing pollen from one flower will, in entering a second, deposit the pollen on the stigma; in backing out of a flower, the pollen which it bears will not be rubbed off on the stigma of the same flower.
I hope you have enjoyed this photograph . You can see more of my work on my homepage in the various galleries I have created. Thank you for visiting and please come back.
Uploaded
August 19th, 2018
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Comments (33)
Mary Lynn Giacomini
Wow! Beautiful tones, wonderful details & colors, nicely cropped and well presented Bruce! Love the Bearded Iris! L/F
Bruce Bley
Robert, I want to thank you for the feature in the group "New FAA uploads limit one per day". Thank you so much.
Bruce Bley
Jenny, I want to thank you for the feature in the group "Iris Exquisite Beauty". I sincerely appreciate the honor.
Bruce Bley
Johanna, I am grateful for the feature in the group "Photography And Nature 101". Thank you for the honor.
Sandi OReilly
Fabulous capture and great presentation, Bruce!! F/L/Tw/FB
Bruce Bley replied:
Thank you for the nice comment and for sharing, Sandi. I sincerely appreciate it.
Bruce Bley
Rebecca, Thank you again for the feature in the group "Contemporary". I appreciate the honor.
Bruce Bley
David, I want to thank you for the feature in the group "Midwest America Photography". I sincerely appreciate it.
Marsha Heiken
Bruce,wow,what wonderful perfect photography! Great Macro and details and great color! Friend,Marsha F/L
Frank J Casella
CONGRATULATIONS!! Your beautiful artwork has been Featured by the - ILLINOIS ART PHOTOGRAPHY - Artist Group on Fine Art America / PIXELS! Thank you for sharing it !! http://tinyurl.com/IllinoisArtPhoto
Bruce Bley replied:
Frank, I am grateful for the feature in the group "ILLINOIS ART PHOTOGRAPHY". I sincerely appreciate the honor.
Bruce Bley
Jasna, Thank you so much for the feature in the group "Global Flowers Photography". I sincerely appreciate it.