Since I first heard the term "fruiting body" I wanted to write a post with that title. What a wonderfully evocative phrase, making us think of fecund nature: of a cornucopia of ripe fruit, of a pregnant animal, human or other. What it means is a structure in a plant or fungus that contains spores for reproduction. So, mushrooms are fruiting bodies, as are the tiny red caps of the lichen named British Soldier (remember the Redcoats of the Revolutionary War?). The world is full of interesting life, usually beyond notice; it's a gift when we pay attention.
it's a wonderful phrase, and we've had an extra-long time without snow to notice. i've been picking up sticks blown out of old maples,
ReplyDeletewith half a dozen different lichens & some mosses & liverworts in a few inches, and more under the scope.
Yes, that's the benefit of no snow; I saw some new things just now on my midday walk, which with luck I'll shoot tomorrow: a purple (!) lichen, very tiny, and a gorgeous bank of mosses.
ReplyDeleteSomeone just mentioned liverwort on the Saturday Morning Garden Blog on DailyKos http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/12/5/811062/-Saturday-Morning-Garden-Blogging-Vol.-5.41
I don't know what they are, even after seeing photos, but have likely seen them. Any tips on finding them? and I hope your hand is better.
Oh my goodness! I just took a bunch of photos of these same type of lichen several days ago growing on our old back fence, because they are so enchanting. I did not know, however, about their name "fruiting bodies" and I love that. I'm tickled we saw the same little lichens and photographed them, because I think your artist's eye is amazing, so maybe that means mine is too!
ReplyDeleteJulia, the actual name of the lichen is "British Soldiers"; the fruiting bodies are the red caps which contain the spores for reproduction. And yes, aren't they enchanting! of course your eye is marvelous, noticing these little wonders.
ReplyDeletehi altoon -- what an interesting blog! [the parts i can follow]. your shiny moss is perhaps hypnum imponens, which is common on rotting logs and has been likened to brocade. does robin kimmerer mention it in gathering moss? i think so.
ReplyDeletei'm sorry about my continuing lack of caps! i had a pretty big surgery, so it will be months healing.this will be progress, and it's going fine so far.thank you --
liverworts are mostly tiny and odd. if you contact me at sksawyer@gmail.com i will say more & send some photos of the commoner, bigger ones.
Yes, Altoon, nature does offer up some wonderful gifts and I'm gifted by having you point these out to me...since my broken ankle, I'm not doing many of those lovely walks, but I am having fun painting red scarves! Ah, fruiting body, I love it!
ReplyDeleteAltoon I forgot to mention I have a little book about dyeing with lichens by Karen Diadick Casselman. 2001, Dover Publishing. I am looking for some possible dye lichens that might grow in my region (Pacific N.W. coast). Lichens were one of the ancient sources for purple. Lovely thought.
ReplyDeleteI'd read about lichens being sources of dye during my internet searches about them. I thought I'd seen that they were fugitive, but obviously not if there's a book on them. I gave up on the thought of natural dyes with my rug hooking because the process is rather complicated and colors limited.
ReplyDeleteI love that phrase, too. I once belonged to a fiber arts group called "Fresh Produce." We have lichens, moss and liverwarts in our garden. The liverwarts often come on the surface of plants you buy at a greenhouse. Flat, slightly shiny with fan-like endings. Mark and I once took a two-day workshop on mosses, so I know there is too much to know about all those tiny wonders!
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