Pink Iris 1
by Bruce Bley
Title
Pink Iris 1
Artist
Bruce Bley
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
This shot of a pink iris blossoms was taken while visiting a friends flower garden in Rock Falls, Illinois. 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
January 12th, 2017
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Viewed 819 Times - Last Visitor from Beverly Hills, CA on 03/29/2024 at 8:22 AM
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Comments (36)
Toni Abdnour
Extraordinary work, Bruce! Unique color perfectly enhanced by the black background! l/f/tw
Bruce Bley
Rebecca, I want to thank you for the feature in the group "Pin Me - Daily". I sincerely appreciate the honor.
Jacquelinemari L
Absolutely breathtaking, NiceI
Bruce Bley replied:
Thank you for the nice comment, Jacquelinemari. I am glad you enjoyed this work.
Athena Mckinzie
WOW this is great. Love the water droplets and the clarity of the flower and black background. f/v
Bruce Bley
David, I want to thank you for the feature in the group "Midwest America Photography". I sincerely appreciate the honor and your support.
Bruce Bley
Martin, I am very grateful for the feature in the group "Flower Mania". Thank you for the honor.
Bruce Bley
Maria, Thank you so much for the feature in the group "Beautiful Flowers Group". I truly appreciate it.
Bruce Bley
Jannice, I sincerely appreciate the feature in the group "All Art Welcome". Thank you for the honor.
Bruce Bley
Ludwig, I want to thank you for the feature in the group "The Artist News". I truly appreciate it.
Bruce Bley
Dora, I am very grateful for the feature in the group "Visions Of Spring - Glances Of Summer". Thank you for the honor.
Bruce Bley
Judy, I want to thank you for the feature in the group "USA Photographers Only". I appreciate the honor and your support.
Jasna Dragun
Congratulations on your featured and also your Your work is chosen as "Pick Of The Week" in the "Global Flowers Photography", take a look and chose other artist !! l/f/fb
Bruce Bley replied:
Jasna, Thank you for picking "Pink Iris 1" as your Pick Of The Week in the group "Global Flowers Photography". I sincerely appreciate the honor.