Cattail like fur
Have you ever noticed that the decomposing seed core of a cattail, Typha domingensis, looks like fur?
I photographed this one at the Arbor Walk Pond on December 4, 2013.
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These are incredible textures created by nature. I’ve just taken an image of a Mimosa, and they look like silky puffs when in bloom. Afterwards, they turn white, but are still silky and fluffy.
Tropical Flowering Zone/Maria
January 13, 2014 at 8:37 AM
Textures are definitely playthings for the eyes of photographers. I’ve played with two Mimosa species native in Texas, M. borealis and M. roemeriana.
Steve Schwartzman
January 13, 2014 at 8:50 AM
I’ve literally grown up with the M. pudica. Here in P.R. it’s a curiosity and children are introduced at an early age. Do M. borealis and M. roemeriana exhibit the seismonasty (or thigmonasty) movement response? I’ve just read about that last night and it seems M. pudica developed it as a means for survival; but of course, I’m not a botanist. I think it’s with the M. pudica only, isn’t it? I also read the same “thigmonasty” mechanism occurs in the Venus Flytrap plant and it’s even more dramatic and evident. We have the M. roemeriana here.
Tropical Flowering Zone/Maria
January 13, 2014 at 9:43 AM
It sounds as if Mimosa pudica is similar to M. roemeriana, whose compound leaves close up when touched. The first time I ever saw that phenomenon was in Honduras, so that was probably Mimosa pudica. You can see a flower globe (but no leaves) of M. roemeriana at:
https://portraitsofwildflowers.wordpress.com/2012/07/26/drama-in-black-chartreuse-pink-and-yellow/
As for M. borealis, it’s larger, growing as a shrub or small tree:
https://portraitsofwildflowers.wordpress.com/2012/06/29/not-the-aurora/
I don’t believe I’ve seen its leaves exhibit seismonasty. The next time I come across that species, I’ll test it.
Steve Schwartzman
January 13, 2014 at 10:02 AM
I love them Stephen. Both are so good, but M. roemeriana is simply stunning with the ants and the larva. It’s also so similar to M. pudica in colour. M. roemeriana came out masterful.
Tropical Flowering Zone/Maria
January 13, 2014 at 4:52 PM
Thanks, Maria. You can see how close M. roemeriana is to M. pudica.
Steve Schwartzman
January 13, 2014 at 7:07 PM
Strangely intriguing, and draws me into details and layers that you’ve captured.
lensandpensbysally
January 13, 2014 at 8:42 AM
I’m happy to offer up intrigue, Sally.
Steve Schwartzman
January 13, 2014 at 9:47 AM
Really sharp. What lens did you use? The analog to my 105 micro?
Pairodox Farm
January 13, 2014 at 9:18 AM
Yes, it’s the lens I use more than all my others put together, the Canon 100mm macro. I see that the aperture was f/7.1, and that was helped along by the fact that the fluff down the center of this photograph lay in approximately a plane.
Steve Schwartzman
January 13, 2014 at 9:52 AM
We have a ravine behind us. There is a small spot where water sits most of the time. I went to a place not far away with cattails, dug some up, and transplanted them to the spot near us. I hope they grow.
Jim in IA
January 13, 2014 at 9:51 AM
Let’s hope so, because they’re great plants to have around.
Steve Schwartzman
January 13, 2014 at 9:54 AM
Right. That’s why I moved them. Here is a post about them by Melanie back in September.
http://wp.me/s3izEO-cattails
Jim in IA
January 13, 2014 at 10:24 AM
I’m tempted to say there’s as much information in that article (and associated links) as there are seeds in the head of a cattail.
Steve Schwartzman
January 13, 2014 at 10:32 AM
She just did a hearty LOL after I read your remark to her.
Jim in IA
January 13, 2014 at 10:40 AM
That not only looks like cat fur, it looks like fur that belongs to a cat that’s just had a territorial dispute or gotten involved in a competition for a girl-cat!
shoreacres
January 15, 2014 at 9:10 AM
It’s clear that you speak from experience.
Steve Schwartzman
January 15, 2014 at 10:36 AM
[…] photograph, the seeds that had gotten caught on the dry pods were either from poverty weed or cattails, both of which were shedding plenty of fluff […]
Illinois bundleflower | Portraits of Wildflowers
January 5, 2015 at 5:43 AM