Fern and Bryophyte Map

As you can see from the previous posts, I developed an interest this winter in shady micro-climate plants such as ferns, liverworts and mosses. The plants need moisture but seem to thrive in their own little niches here in the Sonoran Desert.  I was originally mapping them in the plant category of my interactive map (Azbarite Map).  Since I was interested in a finer subset of plants (ferns, liverworts, spike mosses and mosses), I decided to break them out into a separate map called "Ferns and Bryophytes".

Star Cloak Fern with Club Moss

Parry's Lip Fern with Liverwort

The mapping process involved creating a new Epicollect5 project called "Fern Map" for field collection describing ferns, liverworts, spike mosses and mosses. Fern Map was then created in Google Maps using existing data filtered from the Azbarite Map data base. Additional new data is added to Fern Map through a new map layer.

The new map makes it much easier to locate specific data related to ferns, liverworts, spike mosses and mosses.

More Botanical Notes

As described in a previous post, I've been exploring areas here in the nearby Sonoran Desert looking for bryophytes (liverworts & mosses), and pteridophytes (ferns and spike mosses).  These types of plants are usually associated with more temperate climates but can also thrive in shady, moist micro-climates here in the desert. Such micro-climates can be found in the shade of boulders on north facing slopes and on cliff faces in north facing canyons.  I've found several such spots during walks this winter.

North facing boulders in dry stream bed

Bryophytes were some of the first plants to emerge from ancient seas hundreds of millions of years ago and colonize dry land. Much like algae, bryophytes lack a vascular system for moving water and nutrients inside the plant. Ferns and spike mosses have vascular systems but also developed very early in the history of plants.

Here are some photos from recent walks.

Liverwort with reproductive structures

Moss with reproductive structures 

Parry''s Lip Fern

And finally, a spike moss.

Spike Moss (center)

The weather is starting to warm up and rattlesnakes also enjoy boulders and canyon cliffs so I'll soon be moving on to spring wildflowers as long as I can see what's laying underneath them.

 Adios