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."

Conservation Of Resource

Day 37: Lichens such as the Usneas (collectively called "Old-Man's Beard" in common parlance) excel at conserving available moisture. The fibrils which comprise the thallus of these lichens maximize surface area, and their tangled web allows them to hold water drops for a longer period of time than smooth-surfaced leaves can achieve. Although they may appear to dry out during periods of low rainfall, morning dew and atmospheric moisture are sufficient to sustain them. When damp weather returns, they rehydrate quickly. Even in desert climates, certain lichens can thrive, but of course in the Pacific Northwest, you're at risk of being colonized if you hold still longer than five minutes.