We have lots of rain forests here. In the winter you can get to see all the moss and lichens on the trees. ( photo / image / picture from Kildale's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Kildale's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Kildale's Garden )
Very interesting! I have never been able to see the temperate version of the tropical rainforest. In the tropics, hundreds of epiphytic plants grow in huge mats high up in the canopy on the supporting branches as do the mosses on these pine trees. When in South Carolina I was able to photograph branches with many kinds of epiphytes such as Spanish Moss. The branches support a different ecosystem than the floor of the supporting host. Some systems have animals that spend their entire life cycle in the canopy, using epiphytes for their home, never touching the forest floor. As the climate gets cooler the quantity of epiphytes per ecosystem goes down and there are more mosses, lichen and liverworts. Thank you Kildale for the pictures. Jerry
You certainly come across some interesting stuff when you don't ruash your visit. This is a Harpaphe haydeniana, Yellow-spotted millipede. ( photo / image / picture from Kildale's Garden )
