A Sign of Autumn 1 8 50 and 125X

[Cyclops]

Outside our house is a large Norway maple, and this time of year we get not only tons of leaves but we also get loads of the little helicopter seeds(Achenes, I think its technically a nut)

So I thought I'd bring one in and photograph it at different magnifications.

Heres the paired achene as we normally see it:


Next through an 8X loupe:


Moving to the scope at 50X:


and finally 125X


I could probably have gone to the bnext stage 400X but these things are quite thick and lighting would be an issue!

[beetleman]

I remember as a kid, we would take green ones and open them up and stick them on our nose. I also remember tasting one and it sorta tasted like an acorn. (I am sure everyone has tasted an acorn as a kid...come on now) Also grabbing handfulls and throwing them up in the air.

[Ken Ramos]

Gee Doug, didn't you have any toys when you were growing up? Did you taste them before or after putting them on your nose? If after... are you sure those green things were indeed the seeds!? All I see here are RED X's

[Cyclops]

I remember as a kid, we would take green ones and open them up and stick them on our nose. I also remember tasting one and it sorta tasted like an acorn. (I am sure everyone has tasted an acorn as a kid...come on now) Also grabbing handfulls and throwing them up in the air.

Well, I did the throwing up in the air bit, not sure about tasting!
And arent acorns poisonous?

[Cyclops]

... are you sure those green things were indeed the seeds!? All I see here are RED X's

Ken, I moved the pics into their own folder as it was getting a bit messy on photobucket, try refreshing the page(control and refresh)
Also I put them on my website, which makes things easier!

http://www.members.lycos.co.uk/numanoid ... bum20.html