Botanizing

Mar 28, 2015 • 11:30 PM UTC

Unknown Location

140x Magnification

Microorganisms

Lydia-Marie Joubert

Learn about the author...

7posts

2comments

0locations

My first images after assembling and registering my Foldscope! Pelargonium leaves and flowers were mounted dry with transparent tape on a paper slide, to look at the trichomes and signs of pollination. Covering hairs (trichomes) have a protective function and also help sustain a micro-environment close to the leaf surface. Glandular hairs secrete monoterpenes (essential oils) that may have an antimicrobial function – and which we use in perfume. In the genus Pelargonium the trichomes are so varied they can be used as taxonomic features to classify individual species. Using just the low mag (140x) lens and natural light I could distinguish the covering hairs from glandular secretory hairs and in the flower see pollen sticking to the papillate surface of the stigma. Pollen grains were also seen on the surface of the stamen. I will next use the high mag lens and light module to evaluate the improvement in resolution. Already impressed and delighted!
Cheers
Lydia Joubert