Lichen Architecture

Day 150: I've mentioned previously that lichens are particularly equipped to conserve moisture whether it's rain, dew or simply humidity, and no species typifies the amazing biological architecture of a water-retention system better than that of abundantly squamous Cladonia bellidiflora. The pale greyish-green squamules (scaly flakes) on the podetia (stalks) allow this Cladonia to make use of whatever moisture comes its way, even when the lichen is growing on a vertical plane such as the side of a downed log. We speak of animal and bird species as being "specialized," but lichens are one of the best examples of specialization in nature.