60mm, ISO-400, f/32, 1/10 sec.

Not a particularly unusual plant or flower, so why this today? The clue is in the title. You don't think I can hold the camera steady for a tenth-of-a-second, do you? I finally have made a large tripod part of what I haul to the greenhouse. This allows slower shutter speeds and — correspondingly — higher f-stops. And higher f-stops, of course, mean greater depth of field. This is what I have needed to "control" the "power" of my 60mm macro lens. Without a tripod, I would probably be challenged to get all of the spadix in sharp focus, and never mind the broad spathe behind it. With a tripod, both structures are in strong focus at f/32. I think I'm really going to like the tripod. Uh, and another thank you to my late father-in-law. It's his tripod I have inherited…

Spathe and spadix of a Spathiphyllum or “Peace lily” (“Spathiphyllum commutatum”).

From Missouri Botanical Garden, “Spathiphyllum is Greek for leaf-spathe, referring to the character of the spathe, which is the bract or leaf surrounding or subtending a thick, protruding flower cluster. This easy care plant has beautiful glossy green leaves and the unusual ability to blossom in medium light. The pure white flower changes to pale green after 10 days and then remains lovely for at least another month” http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=b568

Species page at PhytoImages, http://phytoimages.siu.edu/cgi-bin/dol/dol_terminal.pl?taxon_name=Spathiphyllum_commutatum&rank=binomial

Photo taken at SIUC Plant Biology Greenhouse, http://www.plantbiology.siu.edu/facilities/plant-biology-facilities/greenhouse/index.php

1 year ago (“Campus in the snow”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2014-01-07
2 years ago (“The co-pilot’s view”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2013-01-07
3 years ago (“Sunrise”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2012-01-07
4 years ago (“Enter if you dare…”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2011-01-07

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7th January 2015 7th Jan 15