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Mirabilis jalapa and its secret
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 10, 2011 4:20 pm    Post subject: Mirabilis jalapa and its secret Reply with quote

Mirabilis jalapa, also called "four-a-clock". uses a very special technique to enhance the visibility to its pollinators, in that case hawkmoths, that are active when the light gets dimmer,i.e. in the late afternoon and evening hours (hence that name). Scientists have found out, that the pollen of this flower is highly fluorescent i.e. the ultraviolet light, which is proportionally more present in early morning and later afternoon hours, is "used" and down converted by special pigments in the flowers petals and pollen to visible light (i.e. fluorescence light) according to Stokes Law. So this down converted light overlays the visible light present and so enhances the visibility to its pollinators.

I tried to make this effect visible:

Left: visible image; right: UV induced visible light image:


Last edited by kds315* on Thu Aug 11, 2011 8:48 am; edited 2 times in total


PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 8:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Really interesting!.
Nature is full of surprising tricks to improve survival, but this one is highly sophisticated Wink

Thanks for sharing.
Regards.
Jes.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 8:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes indeed. I always find it amazing how much still can be discovered!


PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 8:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

interesting nature adaptation!


PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 4:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow! Amazing! I always enjoy your UV work. Nicely done.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 6:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

nice one ! keep them coming ..

Cheers
Tobias


PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 6:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks guys!


PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 7:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

These are fun and easy to grow into lots of color. Some years passed, I don't remember seeing any of variegated color like this one!

Now I wonder about Evening Primrose -- of course the wonderful scent, are there similar attractions among plants with similar flowering habits?


PostPosted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 3:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fascinating Klaus and well done too.


patrickh


PostPosted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 11:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks guys!


PostPosted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 11:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great work as usual Klaus.