Prehistoric Trees That Survived Extinction — The Ginkgo and More Still Thrive Today Prehistoric trees like Ginkgo and monkey-puzzles still have close relatives that go back at least to the time of the dinosaurs.

Prehistoric Trees That Survived Extinction — The Ginkgo and More Still Thrive Today #Science #Biology #Botany #Ginkgo #ExtinctionSurvivors #PrehistoricPlants

<Alt Text 1 of 2> Today we are going to talk about Moss, but not just any moss, this the only moss that seems to be so prolific that you do not have to work to find patches of it for free in the urban landscape. The name of this plant is Silvergreen Bryum Moss or sometimes Silvery Thread Moss and its scientific name is (Bryum argenteum). Before I dive to deeply into Silvery Thread Moss, let me explain what a Moss is. The reason I have to do this is because when you go to a nursery and ask for a moss plant, you might not get an actual moss plant. There are a number of things that have the word ‘Moss’ in the name that aren’t really a moss; the most famous is Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides) which is a Bromliad. Irish Moss (Chondrus crispus) the seaweed is actually red Algae, Reindeer Moss (Cladonia rangiferina) is a lichen and then there’s Clubmoss which are more closely related to Ferns than moss. Lastly is the Moss Ball (Aegagropila linnaei) you got for your aquarium, that’s not moss either it’s a form of seaweed. So with all these fake mosses around would the real moss please stand up? Oh, there you are, in the back! True mosses are biologically interesting because these lovely but often small plants predate the Dinosaurs; they saw the extinction of the Dinosaurs and the rise of mammals. Mosses have been around so long, that they probably were around to see the first animals come out of the world’s oceans. Mosses themselves came from the oceans too as their direct ancestor is Green Algae specifically of the Charophytes. So you could say that holding a tiny clump of Moss in your hand is like holding a piece of the world’s history. What makes a moss a moss and not something else? Well mosses have not changed too much, they are for the most part still non-vascular, lacking roots instead using rhizoids to hold onto soil or surfaces. Mosses do not produce flowers or seeds instead using spores and simple capsules. <Alt Text 1 of 2>

<Alt Text 2 of 2> Mosses are grouped under Bryophyta along with their cousins Liverworts and Hornworts. When you look at Moss that isn’t a singular plant; it might be thousands of plants in a colony. Mosses are a great indicator of the state of a landscape; patches of moss can indicate moist compacted soil, and persistent humidity. Large areas of moss can also tell you the soil is very acidic, perhaps in the range of 4.5 to 5.5 for mosses that prefer the shade. Mosses that prefer sunny areas tend to prefer alkaline soils with a pH over 7.0. Silvery Thread Moss is one of the most common mosses to be found in an urban landscape, it gets its name from the sliver to white-green color it has when it dries out. This color happens because the tiny leaflets in the growing tips do not form any chlorophyll. What makes this plant interesting is its strong tolerance of drought and urban pollution. The aforementioned traits have served this plant well as it can be found in Europe, North America, and even in the deserts of Australia and Antarctica. Silver Thread Moss loves nitrogen and as such it will grow just about anywhere in the urban landscape. It is the moss that colonizes places like wet spots on disabled automobiles, in between paving stones and, it often colonizes pots in the nursery trade. Also this species is known to be spread by fragments on shoes, the treads of tires, and the feet or hooves of animals. Silver Thread Moss is not considered edible due to its fibrous nature but it might keep you from starving in a survival situation. This moss however does have a role in air purification and potentially for extracting and using excess nitrogen in the soil. In the garden though it can form lovely green mats that can help fill in sunny or partial shade areas. Thankfully that old internet recipe for growing moss that involves a blender and milk is not needed here, and I am certain a bunch a significant others out there just breathed a sigh of relief. <Alt Text 2 of 2>

The Wild Harvest Digest: May 2025, #1

Good Morning Neighbors,

Today’s wild plant of the week is one that is interesting and that I get many inquiries about growing in the garden year-round. Today we are going to talk about Moss...
#Moss #SilverThreadMoss #PrehistoricPlants

🌿 Get ready to dodge dinosaurs & discover flora in ASTROBOTANICA! Who knew survival meant learning to plant without a smartphone? 📱🌍 #Kickstarter #PrehistoricPlants #GoinGreen - https://nerdburglars.net/?p=95394

Mysterious 'Alien Plant' Revealed to Belong to Extinct Family

A 47-million-year-old fossil found in Utah has shed new light on a "strange" prehistoric plant species...

#fossilfind #prehistoricplants #paleontology #Utahdiscoveries #ancientlife

A fantasy style time traveler's house with an ornate doorway and small balcony overlooking a clear blue swimming pool, surrounded by prehistoric plants and large terracotta pots on a sunny day.

time tinkerer's house

#TimeTravel #FantasyStyle #PrehistoricPlants #SwimmingPool #OrnateDoorway #SmallBalcony #TerracottaPots #BlueWater #SunnyDay
#Img2img #AiArt #AiArtists #StableDiffusion #AiArtCommunity

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