Botany Photo of the Day

Yikes, this plant looks just like the wild radish.

I have just the arctic walkway (in New Hampshire) for these if I could only find someplace to acquire them.

Thanks deodasher, corrected. Clearly my mind was on my two-week vacation starting tomorrow.

Very intriguing, would love to see more.

Unfortunately, Melinde, one does not acquire mosses, for the most part. They tend to be very fussy and needy as far as where they will grow, and when. You might want to get a copy of Robin Wall Kimmerer's book, Gathering Moss. It's a wonderful introduction to mosses, not at all technical, written by a person clearly in love with them. The chapter about the rich man's attempt to "acquire" mosses for his new estate illustrates the difficulties involved.

There's actually a moss nursery in PA called "Moss Acres" - they have an interesting website, just google them. I'm not affiliated in any way with them, I just read about their company recently and thought it seemed like a really cool idea. Actually, while I was just googling for the name of the PA moss company, I found another one in NC that does "moss rescue"! Mountain Moss Enterprises. Just thought I would share the fruits of my googling. :)

Fascinating to see what the microscope sees!

Send more!! Thanks

I can hardly blame you...enjoy your vacation.

Cool micrograph.

is this why a rolling stone gathers no moss

have a fine vacation make no mistake about that

happy valentines day
my love is like a red red rose

What does it look like not under the microscope? Any photos of the plant 'au naturel'?

I am a lucky reader today. This article was sooo interesting and really made me think. I live in eastern Texas, USA where the soils are very acidic and the "rocks" are all sandstone. I find mosses that look much like these growing on them and wonder if they are the same.

I've tried growning mosses in my garden with little deliberate luck, but a lot of accidental luck. lol! I book I like Moss Gardening, by George Schenk, would be good for amateurs like me.

hey is it a microscopic image or the does the plant itself look like that

Thanks Ruth for sharing this picture. The preparation was actually made by Dr. Wilf Schofield many years ago as a class demonstration slide. It is from a perigonial (male) shoot. You can see the perigonial leaves with a couple of hairs (dare we call them paraphyses?) and antheridia (sperm producing structures). The obvious one is immature, but you can see a larger fully developed one nestled in the leaves.

it almost looks like some sort of insect wing, or even and insect itself! amazing and weird and adorable all at the same time! can't wait to keep exploring our huge world!