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Pepinillo del diablo


Pepinillo del diablo
Información de la foto
Copyright: Jose Rodriguez (jmp) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1836 W: 94 N: 2341] (8407)
Género: Plants
Medio: Color
Tomada el: 2006-08-15
Categorías: Flowers
Cámara: Canon PowerShot A700
Exposición: f/4.8, 1/800 segundos
Versión de la foto: Versión original
Fecha enviada: 2006-08-16 9:16
Vista: 1112
Puntos: 32
[Normas para las notas] Notas del fotógrafo
Ecballium elaterium and Henosepilachna elaterii
(Cogombre amargant and gourd ladybird)

Name Derivation:
Ecballium = From 'ekballein' (to cast out), referring to the forceful ejection of the seeds when the fruit is ripe (Greek);
elaterium = from 'elatos' (to drive, strike), referring to the forceful expulsion of seeds from this plant; also the extract is a violent purgative (Greek).

Perennial herbaceous plant of the gourd family - cucurbitaceae - till 60 cm long. Fleshy leaves, triangular or heart-shaped, rough when touched because of the presence of many straight hairs upon them, downy below. Yellow flowers- you can find whiter samples like the one in the photograph- somewhat bell-shaped. Egg-shaped fruit, 4 or 5 cm long, covered with bristled hairs, which opens in maturity, throwing away the seeds and the liquid inside it at a considerable distance. In waste lands and near rubbish.

A species of Ladybirds lives entirely on this plant
The plant offers an entire habitat for the whole life cycle of a particular type of Ladybird called Henosepilachna elaterii (the gourd ladybird). This ladybird has orange brown colour (including head) with 12 black spots. They feed and rest on the plant and also mate and hatch their eggs on it. The hatched larvae also feed on the plant on which they later form their pupa. In few words the insect is totally dependent on the plant through its whole life cycle. The relationship seems to be parasitic between the herbicore insect and plant and there is no evidence of some form of symbiotic relationship.

Medicinal Uses
The plant has the following medicinal properties:
Abortifacient, analgesic, antiCancer, antirheumatic, Cardiac, Cathartic, Nephritic, Purgative.

The squirting cucumber has been used as a medicinal plant for over 2,000 years, though it has a very violent effect upon the body and has little use in modern herbalism.

Toxicity
Its most important constituent is the drastic principle Elaterin (C20H28O5)
The plant is considered highly toxic. It is not reasonable to use this plant internally, since its active properties differ a lot according to season (It is very active in August). It is lethal in big doses

Ref.: botanical-online, maltawildplants

EXIF data
Model=Canon PowerShot A700
Date Time=2006:08:15 12:07:47
Metering Mode=MultiSegment
Flash=Off, surpressed, red-eye reduction
Focal Length=34,80 mm (35mm eq.=210,66)
Macro,Saturation,Contrast,Sharpness,Exposure,Focus=Normal
Distance=1
CCD ISO, Exposure Mode=Auto
Juyona, marhowie, carper, RAP, wkshelton, fyapici, jcoowanitwong, extramundi, scottevers7, SkyF, Alex99, anavazao ha puntuado esta nota como útil.
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Para RAP: Gracias Ricardo por tus palabrasjmp 1 08-16 11:28
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Critiques [Translate]

Hola Jose,
Muy buena imagen acompañada de una excelente nota. Ha logrado muy buenos detalles de la flor con el "plus" de la mariquita, que essimilar a unas que son plagas y de un tamaño parecido.
Saludos
Hernan

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2133 W: 6 N: 2152] (13785)
  • [2006-08-16 10:01]

Bonita Macro, donde se aprecian todos los detalles, me llama la atención el sarantotón (mariquita) lleno de polen. Buena nota informativa. saludos

Hello Jose,
Nice light and color with good details.
I think you've composed the shot well, and provided an excellent note also :)
Well done & TFS!

  • Great 
  • carper Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2192 W: 124 N: 2600] (8410)
  • [2006-08-16 11:02]

very nice one Jose,
Yes like the shot too, a very nice point of view, very good details, nice composition, very good job

  • Great 
  • RAP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2524 W: 345 N: 2373] (7405)
  • [2006-08-16 11:10]
  • [+]

Otra hermosa composición Jose, fundamentalmente por el POV que permite ver la flor en toda su dimensión, además del insecto en con buen foco.
Los colores son bien naturales y el encuadre correcto.
Que bueno sería que algunos usuarios se dieran cuenta de la calidad de estas fotos capturadas con cámaras familiares y que tienen la misma o en algunos casos, mayor valía que otras tantas tomadas con equipos de miles de U$S.
Cordiales saludos... Ricardo

Hello Jose, excllent colors, BG, POV DOf perefct details, excllent Capture, nice work, TFS Kyle

Hi José,
A wonderful flower close-up with a beautiful guest. Of course useful note too.
Saludos sinceros.
Fevzi

Hello Jose,
Nice shot of this flower with ladybird on it. Well composed, pov, and sharpness. TFS.
JC

Bonito 2x1, desde luego para no ser experto en plantas muestras una gran habiidad para identificarlas y traernos informacion al respecto.
Me recuerda la flor de la calabaza, que tan bien preparan los italianos, por cierto.
Buen color, composicion y detalle.
Salu2.

Hello Jose,
A lovely soft-crisp capture!
I like the composition, with a nice presentation of flower & bug...
Good natural colours and fine details!
Greetings,
Pablo -

  • Great 
  • osse Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1029 W: 0 N: 90] (7759)
  • [2006-08-17 7:20]

Hi Jose
Good shot. Good colours and POV. Also good note.
Well done Jose

osse

Hi Jose,
Excellent post. The colors and detail in this interesting plant are great. Nice composition and tight crop. A great note. I found this very interesting.
Scott

  • Great 
  • valy67 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1398 W: 53 N: 1916] (5734)
  • [2006-08-17 17:57]

Hi Jose !
Both the flower and the lady bug are very beautiful ! I likedwhat you wriote in your note, about these 2 species being so dependant from each other ! Details, colors, composition, POV, everything is excellent. Very well done !
Valérie.

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2390 W: 194 N: 1991] (8113)
  • [2006-08-17 18:10]

Hello Jose,
excellent colors and nice light on this shot. Very nice POV to get a good view of all the wonderful textures and details. A lovely bug/flower composition.
Sky

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3233 W: 154 N: 4939] (15899)
  • [2006-08-18 7:31]

Hi Jose.
Ou, it's a very attractive shot. Petals of a flower, its texture are fantastic. Captured scene and composition of the shot are superb. DOV and POV are great too. Perfect done and TFS. My best wishes,
Alexei.

olá meu amigo ... que gira parece quea joaninha faz parte da flor :) ou então que ganhou pelo hehe!
Um bonito momento! Fica bem Ana:)

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