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!
Sunday, January 23, 2022
Hair Ice
Day 102: Hair ice (aka haareis or frost-beard) occurs only under certain conditions, all of which I felt sure were present this morning, and I was not disappointed. This unusual and beautiful ice formation is most likely to be found in northern broadleaf forests. Although temperature and humidity play major roles in its development, the most crucial element is a fungus called Exidiopsis effusa which provides the "scaffold" on which the ice crystals form. The fungus' role is not completely understood, but it has been suggested that it may provide a natural antifreeze which stabilizes the formation of ice crystals. The ice "hairs" form at the openings of medullary rays (a cellular structure formed in active cambium, perpendicular to the growth rings of the plant) and may attain lengths up to eight inches.
Labels:
Big Bridge,
Exidiopsis effusa,
haareis,
Hair ice
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