Wednesday, May 21, 2008, 11:00
Well, now you know all about the giant redwoods, I'll tell you about another remarkable plant, but slightly less imposing. Say, only visibly, it must be between 10 and 15 centimeters. In addition, it is also ephemeral and rare you are likely to miss it. What a beauty, do not you think? Also, I could not resist the urge to make it a separate chapter.
What it is, you say? A mushroom? A plant?
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| Snowplant (sarcode Sanguinea) in Mariposa Grove in Yosemite |
We had the chance to admire this Snowplant or sarcode sanguinea , name Science. As unbelievable as it sounds, it occurs almost at the feet of these gigantic trees that are the giant sequoias.
According to the website USDA PLANTS Database is the only species of the genus sarcode , part of the family Monotropacées in the order Ericales . Well, I do not want to do a full course of botany, of course. I encourage you, if you want to know more visit the various links you find below.
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To summarize, Snowplant is a very rare plant, because it is located only a few very specific places of North America, primarily in California, Nevada and Oregon. As its name suggests, it begins to grow in the snow, or just after snowmelt when the soil is still moist and good weather.
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Unlike most plants, it does not contain chlorophyll and is myco-heterotrophic. I know, can not be created, that is to say, it draws power parasitism by fungi rather than photosynthesis . This enables him to live in conditions of very low light in the very shady undergrowth of dense forests, as here, in Mariposa Grove, in this part of Yosemite.
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In this case, also known as saprophytic plant . It supplements its nutritional intake by interfering with the roots of Douglas fir, shared with mushrooms micorhiziens . So a true symbiosis exerted naturally between pine needles and roots, fungi and plants.
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In fact, as I do my smart, I want to remind you what a saprophyte. It is able to feed on decaying organic matter. Precisely because many fungi that grow in this mode of nutrition and said saprophyte growing on trees or leaves, thereby contributing to the formation of humus.
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Oh, one more very important detail, the sarcode Sanguinea are very rare, you will not see until the spring. And especially, it is a protected species. So if you want to take, it will only photos!
You want more? Go ahead, please do not particularly, it is here or there bases impressive and beautiful:
- USDA PLANTS Database
- CalPhotos, database of images specializing in natural history
- Wildflowers and Other Plants of Southern California
- NPS.gov, the official website
- Yosemite Explorer
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