Standing Alone #1
by Bruce Bley
Title
Standing Alone #1
Artist
Bruce Bley
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
This macro shot of yellow and purple iris blossoms was taken while visiting the Denver Botanical Gardens in Denver Colorado. 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 and will share it with others. 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
May 23rd, 2015
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Viewed 588 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 03/27/2024 at 7:39 AM
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Comments (13)
RC DeWinter
I love this one, because it's not only beautiful but iconically straightforward.
Bruce Bley replied:
I am glad you enjoyed this work, RC and thank you for the kind and gracious comment.
Bruce Bley
Dan, I truly appreciate the feature in the group "Premium FAA Artists". Thank you so much for your support.
Bruce Bley
Dora, I am very grateful for the feature in the group "Visions Of Spring". Thank you so much.
Bruce Bley
Doug I want to thank you for the features in the groups "Iris" and "Macro Marvels". I sincerely appreciate the honor in both groups. Thank you so much.
Sandi OReilly
Gorgeous flower and capture, Bruce, not seen this color combination so a real treat!! Excellent work as always!! F/L
Bruce Bley
Tracy, I am very grateful for the feature in the group "I Love Photography 2 A Day". I sincerely appreciate the honor.