The Rose of Jericho ‘a plant full of fire’

The Dutch Society for Microscopy (NGVM) department West, organized a workshop on fluorescence microscopy. An introductory presentation was given on this important application of microscopy. Fluorescence microscopy is used in many different fields, such as in medical science, for example in cytology, but also in other areas such as forensic research, pollen research, mineralogy, etc.

After the interesting presentation, the listeners started enthusiastically and curiously with various Motic fluorescence microscopes and with their own home-made preparations. What would they see under the microscope? One of those preparations was a very thin section, a cross-cut of a twig of the rose of Jericho. The coupe was colored according to the Dujardin method, using different dyes.

This preparation was placed under the fluorescence microscope using the ‘Texas Red’ filter. This filter shines the preparation with yellow light while passing the emission of the preparation into the orange-red region of the visible spectrum. On the fluorescent photo this looks spectacular, some parts of the plant light up in bright colors, as if the coupe is on fire! This is in contrast to the image that was photographed with normal white transmitted light. A nice surprise for the maker of this preparation!

With thanks to Lotty Sonnenberg of NGVM for the prepared slide.

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