Apparently the "Spanish Moss" in California is a plant called "Ramalina".
See here: http://www.hastingsreserve.org/oakstory/LaceLichen2.html
Neither Spanish Moss (the southern kind or the California kind) is a moss.
The southern kind is a bromeliad, the California kind is a lichen. The page
referenced says that the California variety serves to capture lots of
nitrogenous material that feeds the oak. Dunno if the southern variety
serves a similar purpose for live oaks there.
On Fri, Feb 19, 2016 at 2:09 PM, Moose <olymoose@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On 2/19/2016 1:00 PM, Chuck Norcutt wrote:
>
>> I didn't know that the evergreen oaks of northern California were also
>> called "live oaks". I looked it up to discover that there are numerous
>> species of live oaks around the country and also around the world with
>> evergreen foliage.
>>
>
> I use the generic popular name "live oak" for a reason. There are many
> varieties in Calif., and they are an important part of my life and sense of
> place. I thought I could identify a few, but was unsure. So I bought a
> lovely book, "Oaks of California". There I discovered that the lines
> between species and/or varieties is very unclear. The book says that it's
> not uncommon to find a single tree with the morphology attributed to one
> type on one side and that of another on the other!
>
> So now I occasionally leaf through the book looking at the pretty pictures
> - and just call them all live oaks. :-)
>
> Of course, a "proper" live oak also needs an immense amount of Spanish
>> moss hanging from its branches. :-)
>>
>
> Depends on where it lives. They live in quite a wide variety of habitats.
> These grow to only 8-10 feet in the poor sandy soil of the Elfin Forest of
> the Los Oso Peninsula, creating little bowers like this one. It is not big
> enough to crawl inside without causing all sorts of damage, but head and
> hand with camera can peer in. <
> http://galleries.moosemystic.net/MorroBay/ElfinForest/slides/_MG_1141ptl.html
> >
>
> One of the relatively few places these days where a true SWA lens is
> needed, and makes the space appear larger than it is. And yes, in this damp
> area, Spanish Moss, as you can see. Out in the Central Valley, where it
> gets very hot in the summer, the much taller Vally Oaks seldom have Spanish
> Moss.
>
> On 2/19/2016 1:18 PM, Charles Geilfuss wrote:
>
>> Resurrection Fern
>>
>
> We have lots of ferns, some in the above image, and some that grow on tree
> branches, but not that SE species, and perhaps no epiphytic ferns. Some
> ferns grow profusely on dead trees and dead parts of trees. I also see them
> on the top of living limbs, but mostly ot broad tops also covered with
> moss, leaf debris, etc., so I've thought them to be growing in soil that
> has developed there. I've also not noticed the dead/alive phenomenon.
>
>
> Oaky Moose
>
> --
> What if the Hokey Pokey *IS* what it's all about?
>
> --
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