Tuesday 5 November 2013

Ground Pine


    “Oh look, a baby tree,” that is what my brain tells me every time I see one of these, but then it corrects itself and tells me, “No, its a ground pine.”  Despite its looks and its name, it is not a tree at all, but a club moss.  Club mosses are small evergreen vertically growing plants that sometimes resemble small conifer trees.   I spotted this one because its green color stood out amongst all the brown leaves.  Ground pines can grow up to 1 ft (30 cm) but I have never seen one that tall, this one was only 4 inches (10 cm) tall.  It likes to grow in moist forests.
    In my research I discovered that the spores powder of this plant (vegetable sulphur) is highly inflammable and was used at one time in flash photography.  Who knew.

I paint everyday.  See my paintings at:  www.davidmarchant.ca


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