Macro flower photographs

[Letrow]

Nice ones Randy and new for me. I like that starflower especially.

[Letrow]

allium ursinum

[rtbaum]

I kinda like the starflower as well; looking at the left most leaf, there is a tiny insect

[Letrow]

Herderstasje or brassicacae I believe.

Some of these are difficult to determinate.

Take for example the alliaria petiolata (already seen on one of the previous pages)



Four petals as well, also quite small and all in all it can be confusing without the leaves to help me.

[rtbaum]

More from my weekend in Ely, Mn


Virginia Bluebell


Pale Corydallis

This was shot while sitting at the edge of a very wet bog, next to a beaver dam, after a week of record rain. I had hiked in through downed timber, over moss covered boulders. Whom ever said that taking pictures of native flora was easy is nuts!!


Vetch (not certain of species)


Clintonia

The most prominent wildflower of the weekend, it pretty much was seen everywhere on the forest floor


Rose twisted stalk

This shot required laying across a fairly popular path leading to a waterfall, shooting up to the underside of the plant. I could hear a group approaching, but did not want to lose the opportunity to complete composing and capturing the shot. The group was evidently preparing to call emergency services, as they thought I had colllapsed


columbine

I am happiest with this shot. It was shot with the waterfall as a background. For some reason, I am a sucker for this kind of shot

[Letrow]

columbine

I am happiest with this shot. It was shot with the waterfall as a background. For some reason, I am a sucker for this kind of shot

the droplets work well in all shots and I agree that the last one is a favourite. Somehow (vaguely) it also reminds me of a bat hanging from something.

[johnbharle]

allium ursinum

this translates as "bear garlic?" Nice looking flowers.

[johnbharle]

More from my weekend in Ely, Mn

Virginia Bluebell

Pale Corydallis

This was shot while sitting at the edge of a very wet bog, next to a beaver dam, after a week of record rain. I had hiked in through downed timber, over moss covered boulders. Whom ever said that taking pictures of native flora was easy is nuts!!

Vetch (not certain of species)

Clintonia

The most prominent wildflower of the weekend, it pretty much was seen everywhere on the forest floor

Rose twisted stalk

This shot required laying across a fairly popular path leading to a waterfall, shooting up to the underside of the plant. I could hear a group approaching, but did not want to lose the opportunity to complete composing and capturing the shot. The group was evidently preparing to call emergency services, as they thought I had colllapsed

columbine

I am happiest with this shot. It was shot with the waterfall as a background. For some reason, I am a sucker for this kind of shot

Those are beautiful. Most of our good wildflowers have burned up down here in Texas. On to insects!

[rtbaum]

Trust me, the insects will be cranking up very soon in Ely. Unfortunately, the bloodsucking kind.

[Letrow]

Trust me, the insects will be cranking up very soon in Ely. Unfortunately, the bloodsucking kind.

You can try to photograph them one-handed, just before swatting them.

[rtbaum]

Ely, Minnesota sits on the Canadian shield which, it should be noted, believed to be the oldest exposed rock in the world. Glaciers scoured the surface of the earth over the eons, scraping the soil from this area. That which remains is thousands of lakes separated by bogs, swamps, and rock.

I could not have truly done this region justice if I did not make note of the simple plants that convert this vast sheet of rock into soil supporting the more complex plants.





Lichens are the first colonizers of the rock. Lichens are more complex than meets the eye, it is believed that they are actually a symbiotic relationship between algae and fungi. The fungi provide mineral nutrients and moisture for the algae in return for photosynthates from the algae. Lichen is an important browse for wildlife in what can be a very harsh environment. Historically, native americans had many uses for lichens; lichens could be used medicinally as an absorbent material (think tampons) and I can attest for their value as fire starters.
There is mounting evidence that lichens are highly accurate as predictors of age of surfaces where they are growing as they grow at an amazingly constant rate. Finally, they are showing capability of being the proverbial canary in the coal mine. They are being looked at as indicators of global warming, air pollution. Truly amazing little plants!



They are even growing in the trees













Next in line would mosses which follow the lichens, holding tiny particles of rock and organic matter providing the first real soil for the more complex flowers and trees


moss sporangium


horsetail


Bracken fiddlehead


Unfolding Bracken

[Inkanyezi]

Medicago lupulina, Black Medic (NL: hopklaver)

The flower is rather small, the flower bunch about the size of a match head.

[Letrow]

Medicago lupulina, Black Medic (NL: hopklaver)

The flower is rather small, the flower bunch about the size of a match head.

Great detail on this one Urban!

[Letrow]

Next in line would mosses which follow the lichens, holding tiny particles of rock and organic matter providing the first real soil for the more complex flowers and trees


moss sporangium

The lichens probably mean you have a healthy environment where you live. I liked the form of this one in particular.

[rtbaum]

"A healthy environment" is relative; compared to other areas in the US, absolutely; in comparison to 50 years ago, it is clearly showing signs of stress. July 4th, 1999; a massive wind storm devastated large portions of the BWCA. 13 years later, plant succession has become apparent to become maple/basswood ecosystem; not the more typical red pine/ white pine that should be developing. Researchers are convinced this is due to global warming.

For 50 years we have struggled to make the wolf population healthy, now legislators have set up a wolf hunting season. As a species, we really are kinda stupid.

[Letrow]

Nice to see two variants of this little flower





ranunculus acris or buttercup

[Letrow]

Eschscholzia californica

[Letrow]

Melandrium rubrum

[rtbaum]

Very nice, Peter. My favorite little prairie is calling out to me, i may have to pay another visit.

[Letrow]

plantago lanceolata or ribwort plantain