soon to open
Here is a continuation of the previous Cereus posting, the ultimate macros of a bloom on the edge of opening.
References
Wikipedia, “Epiphyllum, “Epiphyllum oxypetalum,”epiphyte.”
Copyright 2020 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved
evening preparation
Almost bursting open, the third of four flower buds of our Night Blooming Cereus caught one October evening just before opening. The black background is repurposed anit-weed ground cover material.
Here is a series of flash photographs at varying apertures and angles. The white rods are emerging anthers, the pollen-containing tips of long stamens seen in my previous postings of the open flowers.
References
Wikipedia, “Epiphyllum, “Epiphyllum oxypetalum,”epiphyte.”
Copyright 2020 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved
What is this plant?
Bloom #2 of this season. Two more in the wings. I broke out the flash and the Canon 100 mm “macro” lens for this series taken an hour after sunrise before this one-night-only bloom wilted.
References
Wikipedia, “Epiphyllum, “Epiphyllum oxypetalum,”epiphyte.”
Copyright 2020 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved
Source of popular name?
In an earlier posts the popular name of this plant, “Night Blooming Cereus” was introduced as incorrect, still there must be some truth in the name, I believe it is found in the developing flower stalk and bud.
“Cereus” is from the Greek word for candle. Don’t these developing flower stalks, resemble a candle and the bud a flame?
Here’s the flower from an earlier bloom this season.
References
Wikipedia, “Epiphyllum, “Epiphyllum oxypetalum,”epiphyte.”
Copyright 2020 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved
We miss you, Mom.
One Saturday of October 2012 we enjoyed this last outing with my mother Catherine Ann Wills. She passed away June 2013 at the age of 90 years. We miss you, Mom.
A display of large pumpkins near the entrance to the Iron Kettle Farm.
Enter…if you dare….Corn Mazes are popular tourist attractions and are not simply corn fields. The plantings must be made later, planted thinner and fertilized less than those used for crops.
These small, inedible squash, once dried and hollowed out, become gourds. The plant is in the Cucurbitaceae family of the genus Lagenaria. The squash on this table are too small for anything but displays and decorations, such as centerpieces. Great fun and make and enjoy.
These ornamental squash, also know as cucurbita are not are large enough for use as food. When dried, will last a long time.
Take your pick of pumpkins….
…the pumpkins are sorted by size and price.
We chose small to medium sized pumpkins.
Thankfully, the trees kept to their usual habits and did not talk to us today.
My dear wife, Pam, was in her element. She loves gardening.
We left the wheelchair at home and Mom enjoyed exploring the exhibits, watching people and the exercise.
What is this plant?
Epiphyllum oxypetalum, the scientific name for this plant identifies the name “Night Blooming Cereus” as incorrect. The plant is of the genus Epiphyllum, identifying it as an epiphytic organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it.
Nor is it in the tribe Cereeae, derived from the Greek and Latin word for “wax”, “torch” or candle. Plants of the Cereeae tribe, including those in the genus Cereus, are cactus with a columnar structure, are are terrestrial, not epiphytic, plants.
Epiphyllum oxypetalum, also know as Dutchman’s pipe cactus, princess of the night, queen of the night, is a species of cactus and one of the most cultivated species in its genus. E. oxypetalum rarely blooms and only at night, and its flowers are reported to wilt before dawn.
The species name oxypetalum is derived from the word, “oxy” meaning sharp, pointed, acute for the characteristic petal shape.
For the bloom photographed here, I can report it was in this condition 7 am, after sunrise, and did not wilt until after noon.
References
Wikipedia, “Epiphyllum, “Epiphyllum oxypetalum,”epiphyte.”
Copyright 2020 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved
Photomerge vs. high f-stop
It is possible to puzzled over my choice of an ungainly potted plant acquired over two years ago from the Eddydale farm stand. We popped in for tomatoes, sweet corn and watermelons after a hike along nearby Treman Park, I spotted the plant on display in the front. The cashier suggested we visit the greenhouse to view the parent, currently in bloom. Memory of the blossoms were short lived as we lived with this collection of malformed green lobes sprouting long stalks.
The plant occupied a pool-side water barrel summers, a bedroom corner winters. This year, 2020, flower buds formed late July, one on a lengthening stalk. “Dutchman’s pipe cactus” is a popular name, from the appearance of the flower on the end of a stalk turned up with a terminal curve.
Keeping a watch eye on progress, I noted a swelling on Wednesday, September 23rd morning, more pronounced by evening. First thing Thursday morning the flower was in full glory. I used a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with the Canon EF 70 – 300 mm lens. The variable focal length lens can be used for macros, offering more flexibility compared to the 100 mm macro lens.
For the first three photographs of this series I used the Photoshop feature Photomerge, combining 12 or so image files. For each file the camera was mounted on a Manfrotto BeFree carbon fiber tripod with a ball head. Focus was on manual and, using the screen of the Canon 5D I gradually changed the focus, crisp focus moving between planes. In theory, the Photomerge chooses the best focus for each image producing a perfect result.
As the session progressed the scene brightened and for these last two photographs I used aperture priority at the highest value (36) and autofocus.
Here is a comparison of a merged and high aperture photograph.
Copyright 2020 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved
Bugged
Nectar at the base of each flower petal may be the quixotic quest of this mosquito. Quixotic because the physical characteristics of benefit to human predation, a light body, makes it unsuited to delve into the petals.
Flowers are like people in emitting carbon dioxide, another mosquito attractant. If it is looking for blood here this mosquito is also at a loss.
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Another lily with a tiny fly (mosquito?) perched at the base.
A Successful Outing during COVID-19
Here is a gallery recapping my afternoon among the wonders of Fillmore Glen, a New York State park, Moravia, New York. I visited there during the New York COVID-19 “PAUSE.” ENJOY!!
Beginnings
Amazing natural sights were mine while living 25 years on the edge of the Malloryville Preserve near Freeville, Tompkins County, New York. None more so than early one Memorial Day, 2004, walking the bank of Fall Creek opposite home I came upon, totally unexpected, a first time sighting of a Trout Lily.
Today’s header image is one of my attempts at capturing the Malloryville Trout Lily’s from April 2006. This year’s visit to Fillmore Glen yielded my first “perfect” photographs of this flower.
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Several popular names for this flower originate from the distinctive leafs markings, “Adder’s Tongue Lily” and “Fawn Lily” among them. The second is from the American naturalist and author, John Burroughs, who observed them from his home among the Catskill Mountains of New York State.
Michael Stephen Wills Photography 