The colder weather may be keeping you indoors, but you can still have fun exploring the microscopic world with your Foldscope! While visiting family, I was immediately drawn in by the bright red and green leaves of a plant they had on their windowsill. Luckily, my family supports and encourages my Foldscoping habit. They were very excited when I took out my Foldscope 2.0 to study the leaves of this beautiful plant!

Coleus scutellarioides

Coleus scutellarioides is the name of the plant that attracted my attention. Coleus plants generally have brightly colored leaves ranging from red to yellow to purple. They are part of the Lamiaceae family which includes basil, mint, and sage. It is important to note, that even though they are related to these herbs, coleus plants are not edible!

Leaf Colors

The intensity of the color seen oncoleus scutellarioides leaves is determined in part by the type of sunlight they receive. Bright, indirect light results in vivid colors. However, if the plant is basking in direct sunlight for most of the day, the colors will begin to fade. I think the plant that I observed received bright indirect light because it had vibrantly colored leaves. The rich red and green color could still be seen even at the microscopic level!

Sample Preparation

To get the above microscopic images, I placed a leaf from the plant directly into my Foldscope. I didn’t even have to take the leaf off of the plant to do this! I closed the Foldscope around the leaf, attached the LED module to the back of the Foldscope, and coupled my phone to the front. I like using this technique to look at leaves because you can do your microscopic observations without damaging the plant.

Have you looked at leaves under a Foldscope 2.0? I hope this inspires you to use your Foldscope to dive into the microscopic world and find the beauty that is there waiting for you.

Share your microscopic images and thoughts on the Microcosmos. Be sure to tag us on social media when you post the results of your explorations, creations, and discoveries! We love to see how Foldscopers around the world are using their Foldscopes in new and innovative ways!

Facebook: @Foldscope

Twitter: @TeamFoldscope

Instagram: @teamfoldscope

Threads: @teamfoldscope

Sources:

https://www.gardenia.net/guide/coleus-plant-care-and-growing-guide

https://a-z-animals.com/blog/coleus-leaves-color-varieties-and-other-fun-facts/