Purple Romance is a photograph by Bruce Bley which was uploaded on December 1st, 2014.
Purple Romance
This macro shot of a blue iris blossom was taken on a from one of my flower beds.... more
by Bruce Bley
Title
Purple Romance
Artist
Bruce Bley
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
This macro shot of a blue iris blossom was taken on a from one of my flower beds.
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.
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December 1st, 2014
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Comments (17)
Bruce Bley
Dan, Thank you so much for the feature in the group Premium FAA Artists. I sincerely appreciate it.
Bruce Bley
Bruce I want to thank you again for the feature in the group "Spring Flowers". I sincerely appreciate it.
Bruce Bley
Neal, I sincerely appreciate the feature in the group "Macro Photography Group". Thank you for the honor.
Karen Slagle
Fabulous flower image, Bruce. f/l
Bruce Bley replied:
Karen, Thank you for the kind and gracious compliment. I am glad you enjoyed this work. Thank you for the L.
Bruce Bley
Kim, Thank you so much for the feature in the group "Flora". I truly appreciate the honor.
Bruce Bley
Thank you for the feature in the group "Macro Marvels" Doug. I truly appreciate the honor.
Bruce Bley
Doug, I want to thank you for the feature in the group "Iris". I sincerely appreciate the honor.
Bruce Bley
Svetlana, Thank you so much for the feature in the group "The World We See". I am very grateful for the honor.
Bruce Bley
Chuck, I want to thank you for the feature in the group "3 a day AAA Images". I truly appreciate the honor and your support.
Bruce Bley
Dora, Thank you for the feature in the group "Visions Of Spring. I sincerely appreciate the honor.