365Caws is now in its 16th year of publication. If I am unable to post daily, I hope readers who love the natural world and fiberarts will seize those days to read the older material. Remember that this has been my journey as well, so you may find errors in my identifications of plants. I have tried to correct them as I discover them. Likewise, I have refined fiberarts techniques and have adjusted recipes, so search by tags to find the most current information. And thank you for following me!
Monday, July 9, 2018
Mycorrhizal Associations
Day 269: While exploring a new trail in Gifford Pinchot National Forest yesterday, I came across several very dense pockets of Indian Pipe (Monotropa uniflora). After a little hunting, I found its mycoheterotrophic ally, a species of Russula. Mycoheterotrophic plants depend on a fungal component in the soil to break down nutrients into a form they can utilize. Some mycoheterotrophic species are more selective than others and may ally with only one or two fungal species while others are content to partner with an entire family of fungi. This is one factor to consider when searching for mycoheterotrophic plants: "Fyrst finde ye an fungus..."
Labels:
Indian Pipe,
Monotropa uniflora,
mycoheterotrophy,
Russula,
Woods Creek
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