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White Swamp Milkweed


White Swamp Milkweed
Photo Information
Copyright: John Denk (jpdenk) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 480 W: 5 N: 783] (2061)
Genre: Plants
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-08-01
Categories: Flowers
Camera: Nikon D70, Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED DX AF-S
Exposure: f/13.0, 1/400 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Wildflowers and plants of the Chicago region [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2009-08-02 7:29
Viewed: 472
Points: 6
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Usually, Swamp Milkweed, Asclepias incarnata, is anywhere from pale pink to to fairly deep pink, but yesterday, I found a couple specimens with white flowers growing in a vast colony of thousands of normally-colored plants. Going to one of my books on local plants, I found that the species does rarely produce white flowers, so this is a very uncommon form, Asclepias incarnata var. alba. In 30+ years of taking photos of the local wildflowers, I've never seen it before.

It does strongly resemble Asclepias perennis, but that species is restricted to the southern 1/4 of the state that I live in. I guess it's vaguely possible that a couple seeds of A. perennis could have made the journey up here stuck to the feet of a migrating water bird, but it's highly unlikely. I will, however, be marking the white-flowered plants so that I can check their seed pods when they develop, as differences in hairiness of the seed pods is the main feature separating A. perennis from A. incarnata var. alba.
tuslaw, Pitoncle, boreocypriensis has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • tuslaw Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 502 W: 20 N: 1381] (4831)
  • [2009-08-02 19:35]

Super shot John!!
I've seen the normal pinkish colored ones many, many times, but never this beautiful white type. The detail is top of the line and presented very well. Congratulations on a very rare find!!
Ron

Bonjour John,
Très belle opposition de couleurs et bonne maitrise des hautes lumières permettant d'apprécier la finesse des détails.
A bientôt sur TN pour de nouvelles aventures.
Gérard

Hi MF John,
A great macro capture of these Swamp Milkweed flowers from nice POV with delightful composition.
TFS and cheers,
Bayram

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