Home Page > Picture Archives > Year 2024 > Album 3639 > Photo 08 > Slideshow

Sporangia of sparse-lobed grape fern (Botrychium ...

Sporangia of sparse-lobed grape fern (Botrychium  ...

Sporangia of sparse-lobed grape fern (Botrychium biternatum) when exposed to regular daylight as well as when ... Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, November 6, 2024



The image features two photographs of sporangia on Botrychium biternatum, a type of grape fern, captured under different lighting conditions.

**Left Photograph:**
The left photograph displays the sporangia illuminated by regular daylight. The yellowish-green spore clusters are visible as small spherical structures attached to the underside of leaves. They resemble miniature green grapes, giving rise to the plant's common name "grape fern." The background is dark due to the absence of UV light.

**Right Photograph:**
In contrast, the right photograph shows the same sporangia illuminated by a 365 nm ultraviolet (UV-A) blacklight. Under this specific wavelength of light, the spore clusters exhibit an intense green fluorescence. This effect highlights the unique properties of these structures, which can only be visualized using UV light.

**Key Observations:**

* The sporangia are small and spherical in shape.
* They are attached to the underside of leaves, resembling miniature grapes.
* Under regular daylight, they appear yellowish-green.
* Under 365 nm UV-A blacklight, they emit an intense green fluorescence.

Overall, this image provides a striking comparison between the appearance of Botrychium biternatum sporangia under different lighting conditions. – AI vision

College Station, Texas ... 2024
Browse current photo album: College Station, Texas, November 4 - 8, 2024
Previous: Sparse-lobed grape fern (Botrychium biternatum) when exposed to ... Park. College Station, Texas
Previous
Next: Resupinate polypore mushroom Skeletocutis odora on a vertically cut ... north from Montgomery. Texas
Next

Slideshow:
Start | Stop | Larger | Exit