Have you ever taken a close look at moss? These oftentimes overlooked plants are everywhere at Dorsey's Knob. They grow on the rocks, logs, trees, buildings and even on the bare ground. If you really want to see the details of the leaves and spore capsules, you'll need some sort of magnification. I prefer to use my dissecting microscope. The photograph below really drives home the "point" of how tiny moss leaves can be.
Moss leaves from Dorsey's Knob beside the point of a pin.
Individual cells are visible in the leaf in the center of this photo. The leaf is only one cell thick and about twenty-five cells across. The two fuzzy black lines are millimeter lines from a metric ruler.
A moss-covered boulder rests below the Dorsey's Knob pond.
Field Notes from Dorsey's Knob
Thoughts and observations on the natural history and current happenings at Dorsey's Knob Park.
About the Author
John Boback is a naturalist, historian, environmental educator and caretaker at Dorsey's Knob Park. He can often be seen around the park staring intently into the trees through binoculars or crouched down trying to photograph a wildflower or an interesting insect. If you see him, take a moment to say hello.