Off we go heading into the deep woods looking for the orchids. Well, you wouldn’t think the orchids would be there but in many instances there are open glades to look at. Additionally, well you never know since the soil maps all say it is the right soil type.
We start down our chosen path. The Pink Evening Primrose stood tall!
Oh my the fungi and mosses were off to a bright start!
Just like many of the creeks in North Texas, Fannin County has had a lot of water. We were wondering quickly how many creeks we would have to be crossed to head in the chosen direction. The first creek we heard before we could even see it. This was too deep for us. So we looked down stream for a better crossing.
Next fungus, a brown jelly fungus was highlighted by the ruffled lichen (Parmatrema)! A Ebony Jewelwing was nearby but my photo was lousy. Here’s a link to a BugGuide photo of one.
Finding a place to cross, Jeanne also spotted a liverwort we had hoped to find, the Scalewort (Porella platyphylla). Yippee, first good discovery!
More fungus! This time a shelf fungus!
And not too much further along the second bryophyte we had hoped to find, the Train Tracks moss (Thelia hirtella). Karma was with us!
What seemed like only a short time later, a fern that was on my want-to-find list, the Cut-Leaf Grape Fern (Sceptridium dissectum)!
Shelf fungus covered a magnificent old snag! Oh yes, poison ivy too.
Indeed the shelf fungus stood out with the bright green moss!
We were off to a wonderful start with the bryophytes and the fungi!
And now we just hoped the brief shower that occurred was not going to change our luck.
The more you know, the more you see and the more you see, the more you know
4 Comments
I’m gonna try the snag. Was worried about it blowing over till thought about a tpost in the middle. Your pic of the shelf fungus with moss is a real winner!
Thanks for the shout out and glad you liked the bug snug. I’ve been suggesting it to ppl and will probably try one here in town to see how it works. Right now we already get nice potter wasps and cuckoo bees in our little used firewood pile!
I’m gonna try the snag. Was worried about it blowing over till thought about a tpost in the middle. Your pic of the shelf fungus with moss is a real winner!
Good luck!!
Love the mosses and fungi!!
Thanks for the shout out and glad you liked the bug snug. I’ve been suggesting it to ppl and will probably try one here in town to see how it works. Right now we already get nice potter wasps and cuckoo bees in our little used firewood pile!
Beautiful day. Caddo such a wonderful place.