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October 5, 2006 : Sorbus scopulina
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Keywords: Rosaceae | Sorbus scopulina Greene | 36148-0669-2001
For a change of pace, I decided to venture out and photograph in the midday sun on a nearly cloudless day. This is something I rarely do for photographing plants, unless required by circumstance. As you can tell from these photographs, taking pictures at this time of day can lead to oversaturated colours and blown highlights or shadows. However, I'd argue it's acceptable to ignore conventional wisdom when attempting to photograph evocative bright autumn colours.
The epithet scopulina means “growing in rocky places” (see Botanical Latin at Calflora.net). Considering this mountain ash is native to western North America from Alaska to California, and more specifically, the Western or Pacific Cordillera, its association with rocks seems fitting. A few common names are bandied about: Greene's mountain ash, western mountain ash and sometimes Cascade mountain ash, though this is more often associated with the variety cascadensis.
For more images, see the comprehensive set of photographs of Sorbus scopulina at the Burke Museum of Natural History. Also, thanks to the Plants for a Future database entry on this mountain-ash, I've learned a new word: bletted, regarding the edibility of the fruit for this rose and apple relative.
Art resource link: “Taste For Makers”, an article by Paul Graham on beauty, good design and taste.
Posted by Daniel Mosquin at October 5, 2006 5:45 AM
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Posted by: Deb Christmas at October 5, 2006 7:02 AM
Sorbus scopulina - Z5 - RHS Index of Garden Plants, Griffiths
Sorbus scopulina - Z3-7 - A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants
Posted by: Beverley at October 5, 2006 8:00 AM
H. McCallister has the western North American species split into several.
Posted by: Ron B at October 5, 2006 10:13 AM
Yes, we don't have McCallister's book yet. We've been waiting on it here to help clear up some issues with some Sorbus spp. in the Asian garden.
Posted by: Daniel Mosquin 
at October 5, 2006 10:56 AM
The one that I have glanced at in the CUH Miller Library in Seattle has a plate indicating it was given by a conference participant or committee, as I remember it. Maybe it was carried over from England by them.
McCallister includes an argument for recognizing microspecies among apomictic genera like Sorbus.
Posted by: Ron B at October 5, 2006 7:51 PM
You wrote: "As you can tell from these photographs, taking pictures at this time of day can lead to oversaturated colours and blown highlights or shadows."
I don't get it. Where? The photos are terrific.
Posted by: Alfred J Bildungsroman at October 6, 2006 5:16 AM
the photos of this website are fantastic, they convice me to courious more about botany.
Posted by: Gop at October 5, 2008 5:07 AM
Please share your comments about the photograph(s) and accompanying write-up. Telling a story about the subject of the photograph(s) is also much appreciated! If you have a gardening question, the best place to ask is on the UBC Botanical Garden Forums. Thank you!
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You send me off on all sorts of wonderful tangents! Thanks!