Weed Stalk Slices

These are slices of a weed stalk, I think it's a Snap Dragon stalk. I used a single edge razor blade to make a couple of thin slices across the stalk and put them on a slide. The stalk was about the diameter of wooden pencil, but thin enough that light would pass right through. Lighting was from my 550ex flash. Settings were Tv Mode, ISO 100, 1/200".

1. 100x.

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interesting shots...

Thanks for looking Rakesh. I guess I could have explained what these are a little better. The dark black line is the skin of the stalk and the large globular shapes with green dots are the other cells, just inside the skin of the stalk. I think these give it the strength to stand up. The green dots are the chloroplasts inside the cells that produce sugar from sunlight, CO2 and water.

I have no idea what the little hair like things are, they were right there as soon as I cut the slices and got a look at them. They seemed to be mixed in with the liquid of the plant. I just don't know their purpose.

The large circular things are veins of the plant. They pass the water up and down the stem, and are hollow. I assume they also give the plant stalk some strength, from water pressure. I guess that's why they wilt and fall over when the stalk is damaged. It loses pressure.

Nice stuff Mitch. Never know weed stalk can look so interesting

Mitch,

great series I find!

thanks for sharing them

Martin

Thanks Kurt and Martin. I am just a beginner, but I have seen some plant slices that have been stained that are just beautiful. I'm working toward that.

neat series, Mitch

Thanks Dean. Slices can be interesting and this is something I hadn't done before.