« Previous Day: Jasper National Park |
Main
| Next Day: Dendroctonus ponderosae »
Nov 20, 2009: Caltha leptosepala var. leptosepala
Nov 20, 2008:
Agave 'Shark Skin'
Nov 20, 2007:
Gomphocarpus physocarpus
Nov 20, 2006:
Thuja plicata
Nov 20, 2005:
Acaena magellanica subsp. laevigata
November 12, 2008 : Hylocomium splendens
Interested in subscribing? Visit the main Botany Photo of the Day page and fill out the form in the upper right corner!
Plant Family / Families: Hylocomiaceae
Scientific Name and Author: Hylocomium splendens (Hedw.) B.S.G.
Name Location: Skagit Valley Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada
It's been a tough year for the plant people at UBC. The most recent loss was the passing last week of Dr. Wilf Schofield, professor emeritus in the Department of Botany. An internationally-renowned bryologist (one who studies mosses and liverworts), Wilf had an immeasurable impact on the understanding of these diminutive plants (particularly in the Pacific Northwest of North America). Over a decade ago, Wilf was honoured with a special issue of the Botanical Electronic News, dedicated to him on the occasion of his 70th birthday: BEN 168. At the time, he had collected 107,990 bryophyte specimens -- over 4 per day for every day of his life. He continued to collect, I believe, until this past summer, and his collections form the majority of the UBC Herbarium's bryophyte collection.
I didn't know Wilf as well as I would have liked -- the garden and the botany department (and herbarium) are separated by a 15 minute walk, and there are too few occasions to visit -- but in all my interactions with him, including as a student, I recall only positive things: patience, curiousity, intellect. His death is a loss that will be shared by many.
This patch of stair-step moss / stepped feathermoss was also featured in this wider shot of the area.
Posted by Daniel Mosquin at November 12, 2008 11:30 PM
Read recent comments on all BPotD Entries
Comments
Posted by: elizabeth a airhart at November 13, 2008 5:23 AM
Mosses (and lichens ... and fungi, etc.) don't get the respect they deserve. Nor do the people who study them, professionals and amateurs alike. Thanks for the photos and the tribute to Dr. Schofield.
An accessible introduction to mosses for anyone is the little book, Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses, by Robin Wall Kimmerer. In a collection of delightful personal essays, Kimmerer goes beyond the mere science to show us a deeper meaning of these lovely organisms, and what can be learned from them.
Posted by: Norm Jensen at November 13, 2008 8:32 AM
My sympathie at the loss of such a worthy man. I have always been very partial to mosses, lichens, etc., and was amused to find tiny patches of green lichens populating the fabric covered roof of my car. They showed up well, and it was a dreary misty day. In the bright sun the following day, however, they were scarcely noticeable. Such adaptable plants!
Posted by: Carol Ross at November 13, 2008 10:12 AM
Please share your comments about the photograph(s) and accompanying write-up. Telling a story about the subject of the photograph(s) is also much appreciated! If you have a gardening question, the best place to ask is on the UBC Botanical Garden Forums. Thank you!
Post a comment
XML Feeds: Atom | RSS 2.0 | RSS 1.0 | What is RSS? | RSS Tools
Botany Photo of the Day and all associated images are licensed under a Creative Commons License except when otherwise specified in the accompanying written entry.
About Botany Photo of the Day | Submit Your Photos via Flickr | Submit Your Photos via UBCBG's Discussion Forums
Botany Photo of the Day is a project of the UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research, located in Vancouver, British Columbia Canada. UBC BGCPR is a department of the Faculty of Land and Food Systems within The University of British Columbia.
my deepest regrets to ubc
and to the plant world at large
and to dr schofields family