RE: Blue Ferns

Hi,

There is another possible source of blue colour in ferns and some other
plants, which have been found to occur in the tropics.There are a few
examples of plants that contain small regular structures within the leaf
that act as diffraction gratings. The scattered light can appear to give the
leaf surface a bluish tinge.

I am aware of only one scientific publication on this effect (Gould KS, Lee
DW. 1996. Physical and ultrastructural basis of blue leaf iridescence in
four Malaysian understory plants. American Journal of Botany 83: 45-50).

Apart from being a long-time fern collector, I have an interest in trying
create such structures artifically. Does anyone else know of similar
diffractive effects in plants (there are lots of other examples of this
colour effect in Nature - butterfly wings, beetle shells, mollusc shells,
opals etc)?


Terry Turney
Co-Director,  CSIRO Nanotechnology Centre 
& Science Director, Novel Materials & Processes
CSIRO Manufacturing & Infrastructure Technology
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-----Original Message-----
From: philip crabb [n*@hotmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, 27 February 2003 7:19 PM
To: ferns@hort.net
Subject: [ferns] Blue Ferns


Hi,
Since coloration in ferns was a recent topic, I wonder if I might ask about 
the blue coloration in some ferns.  There are several Elaphoglossum species 
that are a deep blue green, and even more so when they come in contact with 
water.  And there is Microsorum steerii that does the same thing.  What is 
the origin of the blue color, and can it be enhanced?  Aluminum sulphate is 
fed to hydrangeas to deepen their blue.  Can this be done with ferns?
Philip Crabb





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