Purple Sensation
by Bruce Bley
Title
Purple Sensation
Artist
Bruce Bley
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
This macro shot of a purple iris was taken while visiting a friend and her flower garden this past spring.
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
July 15th, 2014
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Viewed 225 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 04/07/2024 at 2:55 PM
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Comments (28)
Jeannie Rhode Photography
Bruce, Congrats on your featured Image in Flora ! Nice macro capture with beautiful color.
Bruce Bley
Dora, I am very grateful for the feature in the group "Visions Of Spring". I sincerely appreciate it.
Bruce Bley
Jim, Thank you for the feature in the group "Nature Photos". I sincerely appreciate the honor.
Hanne Lore Koehler
Incredible close-up capture with magnificent colors, Bruce!!! Congratulations on your WFS group Feature! L/F
William Madog
I know you love what you do by just looking at what you do Bruce.!!..............wow capture..................................wm
Bruce Bley replied:
Thank you for the wonderful compliment, William. I truly love photographing flowers as you can see, but many other thing interest me as well. I appreciate your visit.
Terri Waters
My favourite flower, my favourite colour, so of course Favourited (yes, I'm English, please forgive the spelling)
Bruce Bley replied:
The irises are my favorite flower as well, Terri. I am glad you enjoyed this iris and thank you for the kind comment.
Bruce Bley
Ronald, I am very grateful for the feature in the group "In Living Color". I really appreciate it.
Bruce Bley
Jay, I appreciate the feature in the group "Amateur Photographers- 2 Entries Per Day Please". Thank you for the honor and your support.
Bruce Bley
Joe, Thank you for the feature in the group "Excellent Self-Taught Artists". I appreciate the honor.
Bruce Bley
Karen, I wan to thank you for the feature in the group "ART BY GOD 1 per day. I appreciate it.
Bruce Bley
Dawn, I want to thank you for the feature in the group "The Artistic Photographer". I truly appreciate the honor.
Randy Rosenberger
What a fine piece of artwork for me to proudly display on our Featured Artwork section of our Homepage, within our family of friends and fine artists, in our Wisconsin Flowers and Scenery group. Liked! It is truly an honor to showcase your talents and beautiful artworks within our site. I am proud to display this fine piece of beauty you have created for us to enjoy and share with others. LIKED Forever, Elvis
Bruce Bley replied:
Randy, Thank you for the feature in the group "Wisconsin Flowers and Scenery". I sincerely appreciate the honor.
Bruce Bley
Svetlana, I am very grateful for the feature in the group "The World We See". I truly appreciate the honor.
Bruce Bley
Kim, I sincerely appreciate the feature in the group "Flora". Thank you so much for the honor.