Winter is fast approaching in the northern hemisphere. The darker, colder days lead to a natural, gentle pause in life cycles. Plants stop growing upwards and instead direct their energy down to their roots to rest and prepare for the spring. This transition happened in the blink of an eye with the azaleas in my front yard. One day they were in full bloom and the next day all of the flowers and leaves had drooped due to an overnight freeze. Fortunately, I was able to capture these last moments of pollen production with my Foldscope 2.0.

Flowers

Flowering plants are so common in our environment that the complexity of their life cycle is often taken for granted. Flowers hold the reproductive parts of the plant. On some flowers, like the azalea shown below, the stamen and pistil (the male and female parts which hold the pollen and ovules respectively) are tall and obvious structures. This makes it easy to gather samples for microscopic observations.

Stamen

What is so impressive to me is that right up until the night of the freeze, the flowers were still in bloom and actively producing pollen. When I looked at the filament and base of the anther (the two components that make up the stamen) under my Foldscope, I saw pollen grains being actively produced by the flower. It was surprising!

Perspective

As the days get darker, my perspective on what light means changes. Light becomes a symbol of warmth, hope, and safety. Experimenting with light under my Foldscope allows me to see specimens in new ways, too. Pollen grains look substantial and solid under brightfield lighting; warm and radiant under darkfield lighting; and crystalline and granular under reflective lighting. 

While observing the anther and pollen, the image of a cornucopia came to my mind. A cornucopia is a symbol of plenty representing an abundance of life in the form of fresh produce and foods in spite of the darkening days leading up to winter. The anther was shaped like a champagne flute and the pollen appeared to be flowing from it just like food from a cornucopia.

Why did the azalea continue to flower and produce pollen so late in the season? Do all flowering plants do this? What is the chance of survival of seeds that begin to form so close to a freeze? These are just some of the scientific questions resulting from this single observation. What questions will you ask and answer when you use your Foldscope?

Have you looked at anthers and pollen under a Foldscope 2.0? 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!

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