We continued on after having accomplished the mission of checking on the Trout Lilies.
Crustose lichens look like someone just painted a band on the tree.
This particular lichen, the Lepra floridana is most recognizable when you take a close look. A pale minty green spotted with the white apothecia is a common lichen found on the grasslands. Apothecia are where the spores are formed, the fruiting bodies.
A closer look at the apothecia!
A gall hung on the Red Oak. Some call it an oak apple. This gall is thin skinned and is not densely packed, but rather stringy inside. The larva of the Amphibolips confluenta, a gall wasp is located in the center surrounded by a tiny hard shell. I know because I have cut them open before. However this one escaped without harm. So it was not set free by us. 🙂
Ahh, the pretty little Draba (Tomostima cuneifolia)!
It’s a tiny flower but worth getting up close, another harbinger of spring!
The white Common Split Gill (Schizophyllum commune) preferred habitat is decaying wood. Love the fungi!
A very interesting puffball!
Why was the puffball interesting you may be asking? Well, on top it had these little vessel-like things. No clues on the exact function of the vessels. FYI the blue was another fungus.
Splitting it open revealed an even more stranger interior. And beautiful!
Our Draba has shown up too. But we are in a drought again so it has been very dry for much to grow other than nonnative invasive weeds. But dry weather is good for construction. Our house got paint primed inside on Saturday and Monday hoping it gets finished so they can get the first coat of paint inside. After the second coat, all the other things can happen. Dry is good for this phase. But I see how dry we are and gives me mixed feelings.
Puff puff! Go spores!
I don’t think i would have known that was a puffball. Pretty inside too. Glad you helped it along
Helpful I am. LOL.
Love the draba! So glad things are waking up again.
Just hope it is not too soon because it is going to warm here this week.
That puffball is strange and wonderful!
It was indeed!
Our Draba has shown up too. But we are in a drought again so it has been very dry for much to grow other than nonnative invasive weeds. But dry weather is good for construction. Our house got paint primed inside on Saturday and Monday hoping it gets finished so they can get the first coat of paint inside. After the second coat, all the other things can happen. Dry is good for this phase. But I see how dry we are and gives me mixed feelings.
So wonderful to hear the progress on the house! I know you are getting excited.