365Caws is now in its 14th year of publication, and was originally intended to end after 365 days. It has sometimes been difficult for me to find new material, particularly during the winter months, but now as I enter my own twilight years, I cannot guarantee that I will be able to provide daily posts. It is my hope that along the way I may have inspired someone to a greater curiosity about the natural world. If so, I can rest, content in the knowledge that my work here has been done.
Monday, January 21, 2019
Pixie Cups
Day 100: While lichens have adapted to optimize ambient moisture, Cladonias such as this one demonstrate a wide variety to strategies for the task. Starting at the base, the overlapping, ruffled squamules (scales) not only gather moisture but direct it to the heart of the colony. The podetia (stalks) are covered in even finer, granular squamules, maximizing the surface area. Even minor amounts of dew/mist are husbanded, reducing the evaporation rate. Characteristic of the genus, the tips of many Cladonias are bowl-shaped, another adaptation for conservation of moisture. These structures give the lichens their common appellation of "Pixie Cups."
Labels:
Cladonia,
moisture conservation,
Pixie Cups,
squamules
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