Iris leaf casts (+images added)

Charles Krebs · Post by **Charles Krebs** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 5:19 pm

Here are two iris leaf casts made with clear nail polish. This time I decided to "jazz" up the color using some colored gels. The colored filters were positioned on a 2x3 inch slide that was placed on top of the light coming out of the microscope base. Top image is with 4X (8.4X on sensor) bottom with 10X (21X on sensor).

Mitch640 · Post by **Mitch640** » Sun Jun 12, 2011 9:41 am

Great colors. Those LCD screens got nothing on a leaf cast.

RogelioMoreno · Post by **RogelioMoreno** » Sun Jun 12, 2011 1:31 pm

Wow, amazing and beautiful colors.

Rogelio

Planapo · Post by **Planapo** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 3:22 am

Jeez, that second one is awesome: I almost start to sweat when looking at it.

Reminds me of a lava field that has started cooling down at the top.

--Betty

René · Post by **René** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 11:46 am

Hi Charlie, beautiful images, as ever

The first image reminded me of the epidermis of oats, and yes, iris is a monocot as well. Have you got more conventional images at higher mag of it?

Best wishes, René

Charles Krebs · Post by **Charles Krebs** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 12:36 pm

Betty,
Yes that second one above is really way "over the top" in color, but I was reminded also of lava or a super hot metal surface so I placed it in here just for fun.

Rene,
I've not photographed the iris leaves directly, just a couple of these casts. Below are two images of the casts at higher magnification; and a third photograph the cast of a leaf from a Cotinus ("Smoke Bush").

Mitch640 · Post by **Mitch640** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 12:48 pm

The cast does seem to faithfully reproduce every detail of the leaf, even down to the microscopic level. Amazing for what it is.