Summer

It has been a while since my last post, but my summer was definitely filled with a lot of bryophyte-related activities. So hopefully this post is worth your wait!

Ponds of the Children's Garden with the brand new education center in the background.

Eleven weeks of my summer were spent at Coastal Maine Botanical Garden (CMBG) in Boothbay, Maine. I want to thank the Garden Club of America for sponsoring this internship! This was my first time to Maine (the final state on the east coast that I have visited!) and it did not disappoint.

A little population of pink lady slipper (Cypripedium acaule) in a sea of lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) - you would see me frequent these short shrubs in Late July when their berries ripened!

I have to say it was refreshing to return to the northeastern forests where I initially became enamored with plant life. Walking through the woods I was greeted by my old friends, Picea rubens, Abies balsamea... nostalgia rushed over me. Bunchberry, starflower, wild sarsaparilla, goldthread; I had not seen these guys in nearly a decade! They are not particularly impressive species, but I was excited enough to be reacquainted. And of course I would be remiss to not mention the pink lady slipper orchids...they are so abundant here you might mistake them for weeds!

A secluded area of the gardens appropriately named Lichen Mountain

These gardens are relatively new, officially opening in 2007. The Maine coast is an ideal spot for moss to thrive; there is magnificent species abundance. Clouds of lichens also share the terrain.

On a expedition to collect vouchers of the bryophytes of CMBG

To prevent this post from running too long I will skip ahead to the beginning of August when I got to hone in on the mosses (I was a horticulturalist for the first half of my stay). I was given a neglected parcel of garden space to transform into a spectacular moss haven. I knew it wouldn't happen in the time I was there, but I knew where to begin: weeding! This space was surrounded by a path and was mostly original native plants to the site: one red spruces and lots of numchberry. There were occasional random plantings of Asian species like bamboo, Chinese witchhazel, Japanese painted fern, brunnera and hosta... These species were immediately put on my "remove" list. Though they were accessioned already, they'll probably just be transplanted elsewhere. So I spent a few weeks tediously plucking out grasses and clover from beds of Polytrichum and Pleurozium. A good amount of moss was actually revealed after all this editing. A misting irrigation system was later installed, to encourage speedy growth!

What just a little bit of weeding can do. The ground cover consists of Pleurozium schreberi, Vaccinium angustifolium, Polytrichum commune and various lichens.

In an effort to determine which bryophyte species were living on the property I went collecting. I traversed the shorelands, uplands, wetlands, rock outcroppings and cultivated areas. I collected 50 specimens total. I should mention that I only sampled a small percentage of the total property, though I made a real effort to at least sample areas representative of all the different ecotypes there. Still I'm sure there are many more species yet to be documented.

An expert-in-residence keying out mosses.

I spent a week as the "expert-in-residence" in their education building. There I sat staring down microscopes and thumbing through numerous keys trying to identify some of these plants. Occasionally a visitor would stop and watch me through glass wall that divided us.

The bryophile bunch!

Joanne Sharpe, a known fern fanatic and docent at the gardens, told her local moss group about my arrival. So during my residency the fellow enthusiasts stopped by for a little tour of the species I was finding. I was skeptical I could impress them with the species I found, assuming they were old news to them, but to my relief they all seemed excited to see them all. Ralph Pope was one member of this group. He brought with him his soon-to-be-published moss field guide, He generously offered to send me a copy of a final draft when he gets to that stage, I look forward to that!

Demonstrating the moss lifecycle with a female Polytrichum commune gametophyte

At the end of that week I conducted a moss walk for interested visitors and I was happy to see a nice group show up. After a brief explanation of moss biology with a volunteer Polytrichum commune female and a tutorial on hand lens operation, we headed out. We stopped at various spots in the gardens where I identified diagnostic field characteristics for common species and explained their ecology; how they affect and respond to their environment. Everyone seemed very interested and asked tons of questions, which I love! One woman even returned to my office with her friend and explained how I had completely changed her perspective on plant life! That was so wonderful to hear.

My antique microscope got a lot of use that week!

I determined I had collected 35 species of mosses and 4 species of liverworts. I divided each voucher in the collection into thirds; one third will stay in the soon-to-exist herbarium at the gardens, one third will go to the Farlow Herbarium at Harvard University, and the last third will stay with me in perpetuity. In corresponding with a woman at the Farlow, I may soon be able to annotate some 19th century bryophyte specimens!

Intermittently during the rest of my time in Maine I was working on a visitors guide to the mosses of CMBG. This brochure covered the natural history, biology, ecology and identification of bryophytes. I really went to town on the text, I'm sure it will be whacked back a bit in editing. It should probably get published someone next year, so look for a PDF on their website. It will also include a self guided tour of several common species on the property.

Bill Cullina was nice enough to give me a tutorial on how to actually operate my DSLR camera. I've had it for several months now, but never had the time, or anyone willing to help me learn how to use it! Enjoy!

Gardens

For three days last week I was on a whirl-wind tour of the public gardens in and around New York City. I must say I am impressed with the amount of community outreach, conservation and research these institutions are involved with. These behind-the-scenes tours allows you to see beyond the plantings and understand just how important gardens are to cultures, education, reserarch and conservation.

I absolutely love watching people enjoying the gardens. I love it. It stirs within me this profound happiness. For me, aside from retaining the biodiversity of plant life, it makes the existence of gardens worthwhile when mankind takes pleasure in all they can offer.

While on this trip I have witnessed a quiet passion for mosses in public gardens. After telling someone about my mossy ambitions I always receive a positive reaction. The general reaction being "oh how lovely, what a wonderful thing to study!" and always followed by a genuine smile. That kind of affirmation honestly warms my heart and eases any worries that people have no interest in bryophytes, and gardens may actually benefit from my graduate research.

Wave Hill


Wave Hill House situated in a peaceful, intimate part of the Bronx.

Prunus 'Hally Jolivette' creates a cloud of tiny, deep pink flowers.
The horticultural specimens in this garden are absolutely amazing and beautifully maintained.

On this perfect sunny day it was wonderful to see so many families meandering the gardens.

New York Botanical Garden

I am in love with the Library Building with its Corinthian columns and copper embellishments. I fell even more in love when I saw the bryophyte exhibit inside. The amount of research this garden in the Bronx does rivals any university.

The rare book, Historia naturalis palmarum has this beautifully detailed hand-colored chromolithograph by Karl Friedrich Philipp von Martius, Morenia Poppigiana. NYBG has a dedicated, climate-controlled room that houses a historical collection of rare books and folios

I couldn't help imagining myself as this woman incarnated. I too have spend a good amount of time staring down the eye piece of a microscope.

NYBG has one of the largest herbaria on the planet with over 7 million specimens. This Chiliotrichus amelloides was collected on Captain Cook's first voyage in 1769. Someone commented on all the re-identification labels on some of the specimens and it reminded me of the time I spent working in the Smithsonian's National Herbarium keying out Gnetum species. It's pretty cool having specimens in a large herbarium with your name on it as the identification authority.

Queens Botanical Garden

So many people flock to this garden in Queens to do various exercises, like Tai Chi and dance, in groups or individually. The entire place had this healthy atmosphere. This garden was so accommodating of all peoples, being in the most culturally diverse county in the nation, with its multi-lingual interpretation signage. It felt really great to be surrounded by such diversity, the garden's mission, "where plants, people and cultures meet" is very apparent here.

Though it was a small garden, it had some very beautiful vignettes. No surprise, every garden we went to had a plethora of bulbs.

An explosion of color! Unfortunately I never got a picture of their little experimental moss garden, which is just off the lower right side of this picture. They established it a couple years ago using some found rotting logs and mossy rocks.

This garden is doing amazing things with sustainable practices. This new LEED platinum certified visitor’s center is complete with a water-cleaning system, composting toilet, green roof, geothermal heating and cooling system. This 16,000 square foot building uses 82% less water than a conventional building of the same size!

Planting Fields Arboretum

This grand estate-turned-state-historic-park on long island was owned by William Robertson Coe and his family. The gardens are known for their camellia (as seen above), magnolia and rhododendron collections.

Coe Hall is a magnificent manor that has been converted into a museum. Also commonly used as a backdrop by many wedding photographers. I two newly wedded couples were spotted that day.

Somehow this garden was able to include many Daphne specimens in their collection; a finicky but beautiful plant. I'm going to say this is a D. genkwa, but I didn’t get a look at the label.

Old Westbury

This is the most beautiful estate home I have ever seen. No wonder it has been used in many movies. The front overlooks an extensive allee of beeches, where in the back an allee of old hemlocks reaches nearly to the Long Island Expressway.

Amidst the mist you can see the Temple of Love. Even with hundreds of tiny girl scouts running around and photo shoots taking place, this place has many quiet, intimate spots that make you forget you are stone's throw from NYC. No wonder this garden has been recognized as one the top 3 best public gardens in the world.

Brooklyn Botanic Gardens

Not only does the signage in their sensory garden have Braille, but the stone retaining wall has been elevated from the ground a couple inches so that the visually impaired can feel comfortable resting their toes beneath it when interacting with the plants.

Betty Scholtz, advised me to make sure I see this original specimen of Magnolia 'Elizabeth', a cultivar that may or may not have been named for her. It is my favorite magnolia cultivar by far.

The hue generated by these flowering cherries is so brilliant, it was like walking beneath the vaults of a pink cathedral.

I was very impressed to learn that Brooklyn Botanic established this native plant garden in 1910. The general theme of this garden all around was "ahead of its time". They were also very dedicated in their beginnings to childrens education. Another of my favorite plants, Fothergilla is in the foreground with its pretty, honey-scented bottle-brush flowers.

I would not be possible for me to tell you which garden was my favorite. I can honestly say I was blown away be every single one of them. Each had their own specific mission and focus which allowed them the creativity to be unique to their geographic area, or demographic. Gardens are hardly just a place for cultivated plants, though, of course, that is what makes them beautiful. Next time you decide to take a day to wander around a public garden see if you can find out what they are doing actively whether related to greener practices, community involvement, education, scientific research or conservation. They do amazing things.

Vegetate

If there is one thing that this planet cannot get enough of it's eukaryotic multicellular photosynthetic organisms. So if you happen to reside in a ecosystem comprised mostly of concrete and steel, go ahead and help sequester some of that excess carbon from the atmosphere and express yourself at the same time with guerrilla gardening

Proselytizer

I have alluded to my graduate research in past posts, but have not fully disclosed my thesis. I have reached the point where I am finalizing my research proposal and felt it was time to enlighten you all - I know you have been at the edge of your seat!

I am developing curation methods for living collections of bryophytes in public gardens. So for those of you who do not work as museum curators, I plan on creating new ways to manage mosses in gardens. It goes beyond how to just keep it alive (which is a challenge in itself) and focuses on: acquiring, identifying, accessioning, installing, mapping, labeling and maintaining...all rolled up into one neat little manual with a small lesson in the biology, ecology and physiology of moss - yikes!

Obviously this work is quite specific to a certain group: public garden curators and plant recorders. But I am a big-picture kind of girl; I don't intend to "preach the good word" about moss to just curators. I hope this translates through the garden staff out to the garden visitors who see the moss on display.

Dicranum scoparium tufts in a Leucobryum glaucum landscape
I want to convert the general public to seeing moss in a beautiful, new light. They might not be able to go to their local garden center and pick up a sheet of Polytrichum commune, but they could try to cultivate whatever moss is already growing in their perennial beds.

Its a simple dream to of mine to have people include mosses in their plant palettes. Or at least think twice before eradicating it from their rooftops or spraying it with herbicides in their lawns (which will only make it grow faster! - but that's another post)

So for those garden enthusiasts out there, ask your local garden when they will be creating an exhibit on mosses! And all you public garden curators out there, if you don't hear from me soon, consider incorporating bryophytes into your collection today!

Maine

I am happy to announce I will be spending this summer at Coastal Maine Botanical Garden! I am very excited to get the opportunity to commune with mosses in the bryophyte friendly environment of Maine. It is another milestone in that it is the last coastal state I will visit on the east coast (or the US, except now for Alaska) and the 6th state I have lived in.

I’ll have the chance to work alongside fellow moss enthusiast Bill Cullina (if you haven’t already, go get one of his books. Of course I particularly like Native Ferns, Moss, and Grasses) and the plant recorder there, Sharmon Provan. Aside from a few potential mossy projects I will be doing the typical plant records duties that I have done for the past 2 summers, which I absolutely love.

Now I just need to find a place to live in Boothbay Harbor…

Interview

I interviewed Dr. Kimmerer back in late September 2010. Here is the final copy of the interview that will be published in Public Garden magazine in the near future!

A Love Affair with Mosses
Stephanie Stuber interviews Dr. Robin W. Kimmerer

Robin Wall Kimmerer, associate professor of environmental and forest biology at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), has published numerous articles on the biology and ecology of mosses, as well as articles on traditional Native American knowledge of the natural world. Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses, her first book, won the 2005 John Burroughs Medal for Natural History Writing. Dr. Kimmerer was my academic advisor at SUNY-ESF as well as my professor of botany and the ecology of mosses. Her course “Ecology of Mosses” is what first introduced me to bryophytes; her teaching style and the course material itself hooked me instantly.

SS: You’re someone who sparked my passion for plants and started me on the path towards presenting the plant world to the public through plant collections, so it is great to get your perspective on collections and their public benefit. What is your view on public gardens, and what do you think they can offer people?
RK: The botanical literacy of the general public is sadly so limited. Public gardens are a good venue to educate folks on the many gifts like ecosystem services and cultural services that plants provide. The deeper appreciation for the ecological and cultural roles for plants contributes to people’s sense of community with the natural world. I hope that also translates into attitudes and actions that benefit plant conservation. Plants sustain us—the public’s appreciation of that fact may lead them to sustain plants. Plus, plants are just plain beautiful and fascinating, right?

SS: I completely agree! It is the bryophytes (specifically mosses) that most fascinate me. What is it about these tiny plants that made you become their advocate?
RK: Everything! One—that they are a constant source of discovery. We know so little about them and their complex lives. And all you need to begin appreciating mosses is the art of paying attention. Attention and patience are part of the "radical slowness" movement...to step back from the frantic pace of contemporary life and appreciate what is around us. Two—their diversity is an endless source of fascination. That diversity is linked, of course, to their ecological specialization. Three—their simplicity; they are excellent teachers of the lessons of "small is beautiful" and the way that they work with natural processes in order to flourish (like boundary layer ideas). Four—their cooperative behaviors, like sharing water among the colony. Five—that they can be so small and yet have such a large ecological impact. Six—their indicator value; the way their presence conveys so much about the environment. Seven—that I've been privileged to learn so much from mosses; advocating on their behalf is an act of gratitude and reciprocity, I suppose.

SS: It’s amazing how something so tiny can make such an enormous impact! I am always pleased at how open people seem to be to the world of bryophytes and how easily they experience that “wow” factor. One of the first things I suggest to people is to read your book, Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses. For those who have not yet had the pleasure of reading it, what would most surprise them about the life of a moss?
RK: I think that people are most amazed by the poikilohydric nature of mosses (their inability to retain water), and that, therefore, they have adapted to survive extended periods in a desiccated state. This is reflective of the significant ecological roles and ethnobotanical uses of mosses.

SS: All of those awesome traits are explained well in your book. What are some misconceptions you would like to clear up that might ease some concerns related to their impact and survival within their environment?
RK: People know so little about mosses, it’s hard to think they have conceptions—let alone misconceptions! Related to that, I suppose the most important misconception is that moss is one taxon. People speak of growing "moss" as if it were one thing, instead of thousands of different species, each with their own particular habitat needs. They need to understand this in order to prevent over-exploitation, conserve habitat, et cetera. This is especially an issue in the growing attention moss gets in horticulture; you can't think of "moss" generically, you have to consider the species as individuals. I guess I'd also mention the misconception that the moss [sold] in craft stores and elsewhere is "farmed" in some way. It’s not—it’s wild harvested and largely not in sustainable ways. People should know the damage done by the moss trade. That applies to peat too. Public gardens could play an important role in educating people about the consequences of moss harvesting.

SS: I remember years ago looking at a faux flower display that had sheets of moss under it. From a little sample, I was able to identify at least five species. It was sad thinking about how it had been ripped off rainforest trees to get there.

I’ve been fortunate to work at public gardens that love mosses and encourage their colonization—a great first step! Most people know that moss is slow growing, so with patience being a key factor, what conditions result in a happy moss colony? How long might it take for it to fill in?
RK: Impossible to say because all mosses are different. You might get a speedy colonization by Bryum argenteum or Funaria hygrometrica in a few months, while others take years. That's very much to my point about considering mosses as individual species. Some flourish in moist shade and deep organic matter and some, of course, in xeric places on mineral soil. Generally shade and moisture and lack of vascular competition are primary needs.

SS: Given a few essential conditions, mosses can flourish and create a nice carpet in several years. My thesis focuses on issues surrounding the curation of mosses in public gardens. This includes the myths and “tried-and-true” methods in moss gardening. What difficulties might gardeners face when incorporating mosses into the landscape?
RK: [Essentially] failure to match specific species to specific habitats and microtopographic (the shape of a surface on a micro-scale) and substrate specificity requirements for many species.

SS: It can be difficult to pay attention to something so small in scale. Why should people embrace mosses in the garden and appreciate them in forest environments?
RK: Oh, gosh –so many reasons. I haven't yet mentioned the idea that mosses contain complex ecological communities within them; that's an important element for sure. [They offer] beauty, texture, color... The notion that they are "low maintenance" is not quite accurate.

SS: Most public gardens could probably find a spot where a colony is already thriving. When creating a moss garden, my philosophy is that if you already have some, just encourage it rather than bring more in from elsewhere. Would you agree?
RK: Yes, Yes, Yes! My philosophy on moss gardening is that the gardener should create the kinds of conditions mosses will flourish in. And then the mosses will colonize on their own; if you invite them (with a proper habitat), they will come. This avoids the whole problem of trying to match transplants to specific sites; the mosses will sort it out on their own. I do not condone unsustainable wild harvesting of moss for transplant. It rarely works and wastes all those mosses and the communities they shelter.

SS: The sustainable collection of wild moss populations is a major issue. What do collectors need to be aware of when on expeditions? How much moss is needed to start a displayable collection? How much needs to remain to leave that wild population intact?
RK: We don't know the answers to these questions from research. They are important ones and we should err on the side of only collecting very common, abundant moss species with a proven track record of success in the target habitats—if they are to be collected at all.

SS: What are some better ways to educate the public on the natural history and ecology of mosses in a garden setting?
RK: I'd like to see big magnifying devices (I've heard of big lenses mounted on the ground, with kneeling pads around them for people to observe them). Messages about diversity of moss types and the associated conservation issues are important too. Ethnobotany of mosses would be a fascinating display as well.

Stephanie Stuber, a graduate of the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, has spent the past few years working in the field of horticulture in nurseries and public gardens. She is currently in the Public Garden Leadership Program at Cornell University, studying the issues associated with the curation of mosses, which to her knowledge have never been presented as a collection by any public garden in the world. She hopes to change that. She can be contacted at sms555 at cornell dot edu

Forms

It's time again for the next installment of my series: Better Know Your Mosses!

Part 5 will be a continuation of my previous episode: How do mosses survive? Here you will learn just how different mosses really do look from each other

Growth Form

You can divide all mosses into two growth forms. They can be either acrocarpous or pleurocarpous. The singular characteristic that sets them apart is the location of the sporophyte. If it is growing terminally on the gametophyte (i.e. coming out of the top) it is an acrocarp. If it is growing out of the side of the stem it is a pleurocarp. Generally you can tell which one a moss fits into without needing to find the sporophyte by observing its habit - and I don't mean watching it bite its nails or whistling... A plant's habit refers to its morphological appearance. It could mean tree habit or an herbaceous habit. Acrocarps in mosses are generally upright and pleurocarps are generally prostrate.


Dicranella heteromalla: acrocarp

Thuidium delicatulum: pleurocarp

Life Form

Even within the 2 catagories of acrocarp and pleurocarp, mosses can look vastly different. So they have been sub-categorized into different life forms:

Dendroid: Rhodobryum roseum

Weft: Hylocomium splendens

Mat: Hypnum imponens

Turf: Polytrichum commune

Cushion: Leucobryum glaucum
There are more forms mosses can take, but these are at least most prevalent you will come across on your daily (I hope) outdoor excursions. One thing I am especially fascinated by these life forms is where they can be found. It all has to do with water. If you were to plot the frequency of these forms (from dendroid to cushion as listed above) against regions ranging from mesic (wet) to xeric (dry) conditions, you would conclude that these life forms are indeed a function of water availability.

You can see difference in morphology in areas ranging from mesic to xeric based on the nature and capacity of capillary channels within each life form to conduct water.

It makes sense if you think simply. You will find cushion forms in drier, upland areas because that form makes a dense colony, the denser the colony, the more water it can hold onto within its capillary spaces. Mosses found in saturated areas will be more "fern-like" and not as compact because of the abundance of water, they don't have to worry about loosing it. Get it?

the plasticity of moss morphology is simply amazing. You can easily judge the typical conditions of a site based on the form moss takes. Here's a real-world application: Say you are house hunting. Your Realtor takes you to see this beautiful old home. You scan around the foundation outside and notice a plethora of pleurocarpus moss colonizing the base of the home along with many little cracks in the foundation. What does that mean? It means you would potentially be the owner of a beautiful mossy home with terrible water and mold problems in your foundation!

Next time you see a little moss, read about its life in its forms; let it tell you its story and the story of its surroundings.