This post contains some of the things I’ve seen that haven’t fit into other posts for whatever reason.
I wonder what caused these evenly spaced, rectangular holes in the snow. It must have been the wind. After a warm day and very warm, rainy night all of this snow is gone now.
I’ve wondered for a long time whether these growths on the bark of trees were mosses or lichens. It turns out they are neither; according to the book Outstanding Mosses and Liverworts of Pennsylvania and Nearby States they are liverworts. The book says that fall through spring, when rain is plentiful, is the best time to find liverworts.
A closer look at this liverwort. There are mosses that resemble the Frullania liverwort, but this plant is easily identified by its small scaly leaves. This is the only liverwort that thrives in dry locations. A few others can survive in very sheltered parts of dry areas, but most grow in damp forests or on stream side rocks. Like mosses and lichens, liverworts are found on rocks, trees, rotting logs, and bare soil.
There is no doubt that this is the fringed wrinkle lichen (Tuckermanopsis Americana.) It grows near my house and is one of my favorites. I visit it often and the changes I see it go through are amazing. One day it can be completely dried out and drab looking and then, after a rain, plump right back up again and look more colorful. I think that watching this lichen has taught me more about lichens than my lichen book.
This beard lichen grows near the fringed wrinkle lichen but after watching it for almost 2 years I can see that its changes are far more subtle. Unlike its neighbor it doesn’t change color or shape when it dries out. It does become brittle though, so it takes a light touch to tell when this one needs rain. By paying attention to where I find them I’ve learned that many lichens prefer places that are high in humidity or are near a source of water, like a lake or stream. These two are no different-there is a wetland nearby. I’m still not sure exactly what this one is, but I think it might be a bristly beard lichen (Usnea hirta ) because it grows on a birch tree.
I was very happy to see the bright red caps of these British soldier lichens (Cladonia cristatella) poking up out of the snow near my house recently. Certain lichens prefer certain substrates and many will only grow on their favorite type of stone, wood or earth. I always find these tiny lichens growing on rotting logs.
Heart-leaf foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia) is a native plant that grows in great abundance on an embankment under some maples near here. The leaves of foamflower are evergreen and hold their fall color all winter long. In May these plants will be covered in 6 inch tall spikes of tiny white flowers that some say resemble foam-hence their common name.
Birch polypore fungi (Piptoporus betulinus ) seem to be everywhere this year, but it’s probably just because it’s so much easier to see them with no leaves on the underbrush.
This dried out bracket fungus reminded me of stained glass.
I was surprised to see this small bird’s nest for the first time-right next to a trail I’ve followed hundreds of times. It was built only a foot or so off the ground and must have been very well camouflaged. I know that I’ve looked at this very spot countless times and never saw it or the birds that used it.
On January 19th the witch hazel near the Ashuelot river still bloomed in spite of a few nights of below zero temperatures. Since the river water is warmer than the air, it must have some effect on this plant for it to be blooming so late in the year.
A clear cold night and the full wolf moon marked the last weekend of January. I can’t say that I’m sorry to see it go.
The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness ~John Muir
Thanks for stopping in.
A wonderful collection. The liverwort has such a determined look about it; I love the pattern it’s making. The shot of the bracket fungus is lovely, too–the light is just perfect!
Thank you Melanie, I’m glad you enjoyed them.
Your capacity to find beauty and colour (!) in what is mostly such a monochrome landscape is impressive, Allen, The red of the British soldier lichens is quite astonishing. Dave
Thank you Dave. It can be tough to find at times, but there is always some color out there. I think you have British Soldier Lichens there too. (Wouldn’t it be ironic if you didn’t!)
Gorgeous photos, Allen…and what an eye you have to find the subjects…even though you’ve walked by one of them hundreds of times. 😉 That’s a great photo of the moon, as well…and an appropriate quote by Muir…again, thank you……
Thanks Scott-glad you enjoyed it. Yes, when I saw that bird’s nest that I had walked by so many times I questioned my ability to observe my surroundings.
You’re welcome…another example of something hiding in plain sight…. Something else probably caught your eye the first time you might have noticed it and then it simply wasn’t there afterward…a brain-thing, maybe….
I love those lichens. The fringed wrinkle lichen is familiar: I see it a lot here too and love the variations. The British soldier lichens are fascinating and I’ve never seen them before. I love the colors.
I like the colors of lichens too. The British Soldiers are so small that you have to be close to the ground to see them, unless you have better eyesight than I do.
Again I just don’t know what to say! Maybe wow! The holes in the snow in the first photo, that kind of thing is fun to figure out, what made the holes?
And the liverwort!! I’ve never seen that here in Michigan, it is just so interesting.
Thanks again for sharing these things, Allen.
🙂
Thank you Chris. Look for the liverworts on maple trees-that’s where I see them and now that I know what they are and where they grow, I’m seeing them everywhere. From a distance they look like a round dark spot on the bark. I don’t think I’ll ever know what made those holes in the snow!
Interesting observations as always. Nice to hear the names of the interesting mini-plant life. My wife always carries a flashlight and I light up the small stuff for her when she takes their pictures. I like that softer light better than flash. The extra light can bring out more detail as the tiny plant life is often in dark locations in the woods. You ever have a partner on a walk, take a flashlight and give it a try.
It’s not often that I have anyone hiking with me but I think I could manage it alone by using a monopod or tripod. I’ll have to give it a try because I don’t like using a flash either and only use it when its absolutely necessary. Lichens grow in the sun but many mosses and mushrooms grow in the shade, so they can be a real challenge.
I can’t believe the diversity of fungi and lichens you have. I have tried to find some of the species you’ve shown us in the blog (earlier this fall and winter), and am coming up empty. The only thing I have found so far is turkey tails. Maybe it is too dry here?
It could be dryness keeping you from seeing the ones I’ve shown but there are lichens that like it dry as well. I think it’s just a matter of getting your eyes used to looking for them. Once you find one you’ll see them everywhere. Try looking in the branches of white birch-that’s a favorite spot. Another good place to find them is on onamental trees at shopping malls-especially if they have irrigation that comes on each day. Lichens that grow on tree bark are sometimes smaller than a pea, so they can be tough to see. Even though I’m color blind it is often their color that helps me find them.
Thoroughly enjoyed the post, its diversity and all the information … pictures are great.
Thanks!
Beautiful photographs, I am always surprised (why?) when I see things like witch hazel and Tiarella that are “garden” plants to me but growing wild in their natural habitat. The litchen are fascinating and I have never seen anything like the cladonia cristatella but perhaps I am too far south for them.
Thank you. It does seem odd at times to find a plant growing in its native habitat that you’ve only seen in gardens but it is fun, too. I know that lichens grow in nearly every country on earth, but I can’t say for sure if the Cladonia cristatella grow in France. If you visit damp woods and see rotting logs and stumps, that’s a good place to find them. They are very small-the red caps in the photo were less than half the size of an early pea.
I always keep my eye out for fungi but I find there are so many different types that come up at different seasons and in different weather conditions…I am definitely going to keep my eye open for them though.
There certainly is variety in the world of mushrooms! I just take pictures of any that I see and don’t recognize.
As always, I learned something new by reading your posts, in this one, liverworts, among other things. I have also quoted you again, adding some of your reply to Mike to the quote page I just posted. (Hope you don’t mind)
No, I don’t mind, Jerry.If you think they’re that worthy, then I’m honored.
That did look like stained glass, didn’t it? Makes you wonder what’s inside.
It was kind of funky! Hard as a rock too-frozen, most likely.
Beautiful shots and fascinating information. I especially like the fact that you know precisely where some of these lichens and plants are located and visit those locations often enough to be able to track how they respond to different weather patterns.
Thanks Mike. I think if you’re interested in really studying nature you have to do it over time to understand how and why things change. That’s one of the great things about living in the woods-I can easily re-visit any interesting finds near home.