https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/182859964

I observed this tree, which has three different organisms growing on it. At a distance, I saw this tree with something growing on it, but upon further investigation, I found it was growing multiple species. From looking at photos, I think the main species is a Foliose Lichen; the hanging one, I believe, is a type of Old Man's Beard, and the last one is the standard type of moss found everywhere in Alaska.

Foliose Lichen was used as food and medicine and was helpful in the creation of dyed cloth or fabric. Old Man's Beard was used historically for bedding and anti-fungal medication, as well as canoe sealant. Old Man's Beard is very versatile and has been used for many purposes throughout history. Moss has been used for various purposes, from toilet paper, stuffing dolls, and mattresses to being placed on a wound to stop bleeding. The possibilities are endless when it comes to moss and its versatility.

Both Foliose Lichen and Old Man's Beard are in the Lichen family, which is a symbiotic relationship with fungi and an alga. There are also around 3,600 variations of Lichen, and they can be found all over the world. The alga gives the fungi nutrients, and in exchange, the fungus helps the alga to spread.

There are 12,000 variations of spore-baring plants and can be found anywhere but in salt water. Moss likes more moist and shaded locations to grow at. They are located on forest floors and can grow on trees. Moss mainly absorbs moisture and controls erosion rates.

My experience with moss is mostly seeing it on the sides of trees and on the ground in the woods. I always found moss otherworldly and enchanting because it didn't really grow like grass. Whenever I stepped on the moss, it sank into the ground, and I always thought one of these days it's going to swallow me hole. I don't think that way anymore, but the bright green of the moss still seems magical to me. As for Lichen, I always thought it was a lighter version of moss, so it was a surprising sock to learn its more of a fungus than a moss.

Work Cited:

Admin. “How Our Ancestors Used Moss.” WabiMoss, admin https://www.wabimoss.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/wide-logo4.jpg, 15 Feb. 2017, www.wabimoss.com/nature-immersion/practical-uses-moss/. Accessed 11 Sept. 2023.

Jones, Randy, and Randy JonesHaving discovered a fondness for insects while pursuing her degree in Biology. “Foliose Lichen.” Learn About Nature, 23 May 2022, www.learnaboutnature.com/plants/lichens/foliose-lichen/#Uses. Accessed 11 Sept. 2023.

Joubert, Roxanne. “Old Man’s Beard an Indigenous Medicinal Botanical.” Lady of the Herbs, 17 Feb. 2022, ladyoftheherbs.co.za/2022/02/17/old-mans-beard/. Accessed 11 Sept. 2023.

“Moss.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 10 Aug. 2023, www.britannica.com/plant/moss-plant. Accessed 11 Sept. 2023.

“U.S. Forest Service.” Forest Service Shield, www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/beauty/lichens/about.shtml. Accessed 11 Sept. 2023.

“U.S. Forest Service.” Forest Service Shield, www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/usnea_longissima.shtml. Accessed 11 Sept. 2023.

Publicado el septiembre 13, 2023 01:33 MAÑANA por