Malva Sylvestris

Common Mallow Flower 10x Meiji EMT, Iphone 5s

 While out walking in our local park I had noticed these attractive plants growing around the entrance gate posts. They were over a metre tall and each plant had several pink flowers, each with many anthers loaded with pollen. It looked like it would make an interesting subject for the 'scopes so I took a flower home with me and I wasn't disappointed. At 10x under the stereomicroscope the contrast between the pink anthers and white pollen is striking. I identified the plant as Malva Sylvestris or it's common name the Common Mallow.

Common Mallow Anthers and Pollen 30x Meiji EMT , IPhone 5s

At 30x magnification the spherical shape of the individual pollen grains is clearly visible.

Common Mallow Anthers and Pollen 60x Meiji EMT , IPhone 5s

This image shows a flower so loaded with pollen the anthers are invisible.

Common Mallow Anthers and Pollen 30x Meiji EMT , IPhone 5s

 Here, most of the pollen is gone showing the bare anthers.

Common Mallow Anthers and Pollen 100x Apex Researcher Scope, Canon 550d, DLSR, 75 images staked in PS5

Going to 100x magnification with the compound microscope the spiky nature of the pollen can be made out though this is much more obvious with the full resolution image.

Common Mallow Anther and Pollen 200x Apex Researcher Scope, Canon 550d, DLSR, 51 images stacked in PS5

At 200x  a lot more detail is visible in this stacked image from the compound scope,. It looks like someone has scooped up a pile of berries in a ladle!

Common Mallow Pollen 300x Apex Researcher Scope, Canon 550d, DLSR, 15 images stacked in PS5

At this magnification detail of each individual pollen grain can be seen. Each is covered by hundreds of tiny spikes which help it cling on to any visiting insect in order to be carried to other flowers.

Common Mallow Pollen 300x Apex Researcher Scope Bright Field, Canon 550d, DLSR, 15 images stacked in PS5

This picture shows the spikes  in outline particularly well. The microscope's own light source was used and the pollen grains, which are only slightly transparent, appear dark as little light can't penetrate them. The above two pictures are of the same subject and same magnification and show clearly the difference between microphotography using reflected light from the subject and transmitted light through the subject from the microscope's own lamp.

Common Mallow Pollen 200x Apex Researcher Scope, Canon 550d, DLSR, 64 images stacked in PS5

The pollen tends to clump together, shown clearly in this picture, no doubt due to to the tiny spikes on each grain's surface.